The Exploration of Space: From Ancient Times to the 21st Century 

• Week 1:  A short history of astronomy, from ancient times to the present  
  We will look at how early attempts to understand the motions of stars and planets spurred development of mathematics. We’ll see how the telescope sparked a scientific revolution. We’ll explore new technologies that continue to give us a better understanding of the universe.
• Week 2: The rocky bodies of the inner Solar System
  We’ll begin our tour of the Solar System, starting with the inner rocky planets, their moons and the main asteroid belt. We’ll examine the similarities of these worlds, and find out why conditions on their surfaces are so different.
• Week 3:  The icy bodies of the outer Solar System
  We’ll continue our tour of the Solar System, beyond the Frost Line, to the giant planets and their moons, plus comets and centaurs. We’ll investigate the fringes of the Solar System: the Kuiper belt and the Oort cloud.   
• Week 4:  Activate sensors—the search for life in the universe
  We’ll find out how astronomers search for planets around other stars, and how common Earth-like planets might be. We’ll consider how we might detect alien life-forms, and how contact with an alien civilization might occur. 
• Week 5: Rocket science—travelling through space
  We’ll examine the technologies required to keep humans alive in space. We’ll discuss the hazards of spaceflight, and what equipment and materials would be required to establish a permanent colony on another planet. We’ll also discuss the impact of the “billionaire space race”, as private corporations build larger and larger rockets.
• Week 6:  Stars, galaxies and the expanding universe
  We’ll investigate the birth and death of stars and solar systems. We will survey the large-scale structure of the universe: galaxies, clusters of galaxies and the voids between them. We’ll consider current theories about the big bang, dark matter and dark energy. 

By the end of the course, you should be able to:

• Describe the Ptolemaic, Copernican and Keplerian models of the Solar System
• Identify important technologies used by astronomers, astrophysicists and in spaceflight, and for establishing bases on other planets
• Describe the different kinds of Solar System bodies and give examples of each
• List the most common elements and compounds found in space and celestial bodies, and describe how these substances were formed
• Discuss questions such as the likelihood of encountering alien life, observational evidence for the big bang, and possible solutions to the dark matter problem

• Lectures
• Participation in class discussions
• Supplementary resources accessed through Canvas
• Reflective essay (applicable only to certificate students)

No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.