Coursera

Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy (Coursera)

Offered by University of Rochester,
Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy (Coursera)

An introduction to modern astronomy's most important questions. The four sections of the course are Planets and Life in The Universe; The Life of Stars; Galaxies and Their Environments; The History of The Universe.

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Syllabus

Week 1
Are we alone in the Universe?
Planets and Life in The Universe - Exoplanets searches, exoplanet census, astrobiology

Week 2
How do Stars Evolve and Die?
The Life of Stars - Star formation, fusion and stellar middle age, black holes and stellar death-

Week 3
What Exists Outside our Galaxy?
Galaxies and Their Environments - Galaxy types, Active Galactic Nuclei, Clusters of Clusters of Galaxies

Week 4
What is the Fate of the Universe?
The History of The Universe - Why the Big Bang? A History of Time, What Happened Before the Big Bang

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