Astrophysics for beginners - an online course

Want to know your black holes from your Big Bang? Learn the basics of astrophysics with an award-winning astronomy author & experienced tutor

Your jargon and maths free introduction to astrophysics

This six week online beginners course is an excellent way to discover the wonders of our universe and all the mysteries we’re yet to unravel. All explained in simple, everyday language with no maths or complex jargon.

We’ll start close to home and venture ever further out until we reach the very edge of the observable universe. Our journey will take in black holes, dark matter, alien planets, other universes and more.

The Sun - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course

Week 1 – The Inner Solar System

Key topic: solar physics and planetary science

Exploring the Sun and the four planets that orbit closest to it. Also a chance to examine our own Moon and the two moons of Mars, as well as journeying through the asteroid belt.

[image: a coronal mass ejection from the Sun (NASA/SDO)

Pluto - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course

Week 2 – The Outer Solar System

Key topic: solar system formation

A tour of the realm of the gas giants and their moons, and a look at the demotion of Pluto to one of five dwarf planets. Plus a trip to the comets of the Oort cloud and the debate over where our solar system came from and where it ends.

[image: Pluto as seen by NASA’s New Horizons probe)

The Crab Nebula - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course

Week 3 – Our Local Galactic Neighbourhood

Key topics: exoplanets & life cycle of stars

Explore the night sky, tour the nearest star factory to Earth and learn about cataclysmic supernovas. Plus discover the thousands of planets beyond our solar system and whether any of them could be home to life.

[image: the Crab Nebula as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope]

The Milky Way - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course

Week 4 – The Milky Way

Key topics: black holes, dark matter & SETI

How big is our city of stars? How many inhabitants does it have? We’ll investigate the Milky Way’s size, age and shape as well as the super-massive black hole that lurks at its heart. There is also chance to discuss the dark matter that continues to puzzle astronomers.

[image: artist’s impression of the Milky Way – NASA]

Colliding galaxies - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course
Week 5 – The Local Group  Key topic: measuring cosmic distances Our Milky Way has neighbours of its own including the Andromeda galaxy. Look ahead to its future collision with our galaxy, as well as the bigger structure of this part of the universe. We’ll also look at how we measure distances across the vast chasm of space. [image: colliding galaxies courtesy of NASA]  
The Cosmic Microwave Background - part of Astrophysics for Beginners online course

Week 6 – The Universe

Key topics: the Big Bang, the multiverse, dark energy

The Big Bang, the formation of the first stars and galaxies and the dark energy are all covered. We’ll even contemplate the possibility of other universes and other versions of you.

[image: the Cosmic Microwave Background – WMAP]

Book your tickets for next the course: 2 November – 7 December

Tuesdays 19:00 – 21:00 GMT

(You can also buy tickets for individual weeks)