Course content

An informal, light-hearted look at the cosmos for middlebrows. The mysteries of the Universe explained in 10 weeks. No knowledge of maths needed, no equipment either, and no exam - just bring your brain and your questions!

WEEK 1 - Introduction:

Emmet will explain the jargon of astronomy, its basic concepts and units of measurement, how to find the north-star, and he'll tell you what NOT to buy. He'll also recommend some books and very inexpensive equipment.

WEEK 2 - How the sky moves:

The simple motions of the celestial sphere and the seasonal shifting of the constellations. Finding your way around the night sky, and how to use star maps and planispheres.

WEEK 3 - Inner planets:

A guide to Mercury, Venus, the Moon and Mars, and how to observe them. Also covered is the origin of our solar system, the surface environments of these worlds as uncovered by space-probes.

WEEK 4 - Outer planets:

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, and how to observe them. Emmet will also explain why these planets are so different in size and composition from the familiar worlds covered in week 3.

WEEK 5 - Stars:

A guide to the life of stars, their birth, evolution and spectacular deaths. Listen to Emmet's "idiot's guide to how stars shine", why they vary in colour and size, why some explode as supernovae, and how we're all made of dead star stuff.

WEEK 6 - History of astronomy:

How astronomy created civilisation, its origins, the predictive tables of the ancient Greeks, the 17th century telescope revolution, and how some simple 200 year old tricks of light tell us what the stars and nebulae are made of.

WEEK 7 - Telescopes:

A guide to the tools of the trade. Binoculars and the three types of telescopes - refractors, reflectors and catadioptrics. How they all work, which one is right for you, what eyepieces and mounts to pick, and how to save money.

WEEK 8 - Deep sky astronomy:

The millions of galaxies, nebulae and star clusters that can be seen with amateur telescopes. Emmet will also explain the importance of dark skies to viewing and photographing the countless jewels of the Universe.

WEEK 9 - Cosmology:

A mind-expanding layman's description of the origin of our universe, its structure and eventual fate. How simple observations 200 years ago led to the Big Bang theory. The class finishes with a chilling account of how everything will end in the "Big Rip".

WEEK 10 - The search for life beyond Earth:

Emmet will provide a simple definition of life and explain the crucial role of liquid water. He'll then examine what make a world suitable for life, and how in only 10 years' time we will finally answer the question "are we alone?"

Each class runs for 2 hours with a 15-minute break in the middle. Questions are welcome at any stage. Along with the handouts given, everyone will receive a CD ROM with the course slide shows, handout soft-copies and astronomy-related software. Emmet will be happy to advise on telescopes, astronomy-related public events, books, equipment and advanced courses.

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