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Tel: 0161 653 9092
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Courses and Enrolment

Advanced Astronomy

Planet Earth Certificate in Advanced Astronomy

Last Updated On 4th April 2018

The Advanced Astronomy course builds upon knowledge gained at GCSE or O level and will greatly enhance your understanding and interest in astronomy. On completion of this course you will own a valuable folder of your work, demonstrating your ability to discipline yourself to study in this way.

Several of our students have entered Higher Education courses on the strength of having achieved this Advanced Astronomy certificate.

The mathematics required will generally be of GCSE level standard and where it is felt that an additional maths skill may be needed, this will be included in the lesson.

The syllabus is composed of twelve lessons, divided into four sections.
Each section comprises of three lessons.

Section 1. Solar System

Lesson 1 Earth and Moon
2 The Planets
3 The Sun

Section 2. Telescopes & Starlight

Lesson 4 Optical Aids
5 Atoms and Spectra
6 Luminosity of Stars

Section 3. Stars

Lesson 7 Energy of Stars
8 Death of Stars
9 Variable Stars

Section 4. Galaxies & Distance

Lesson 10 Galaxies
11 Celestial Sphere
12 End Test

With each of the lessons 1 to 11 is an assignment containing questions, both descriptive and numerical, on the topics covered in that lesson. you complete and return each assignment to your tutor for assessment, in your own time.

You are also required to submit a detailed account of three projects undertaken during the course, selected from a choice of eleven titles. This coursework allow you to develop a topic, in an area of your interest, and to make an extended study.

Click Here for more information on Advanced Astronomy Coursework

The assignments and the End Test are not intended to be done as 'exams'. You may research from notes, books and other sources to complete the questions.

Advanced Astronomy Who Is It For?

This Advanced Astronomy course would suit those who want to learn more about astronomy after GCSE, but are not ready to take a degree in the subject!

Many candidates who take the GCSE in Astronomy wish to study the subject further, only to discover that astronomy is not available as a GCE A level subject.

This course follows on from GCSE Astronomy and assumes a sound knowledge of the basic concepts. The Advanced Astronomy course covers many of the topics studied at GCSE level but in greater depth, as well as introducing new topics.

Some of the assignment questions inevitably contain more calculations than at GCSE but they can all be carried out using just a scientific pocket calculator. The lesson notes contain examples of all the types of question in the assignment and the End Test.

Where any mathematical techniques may be unfamiliar, extra notes are given in the lesson. The course does not include the calculus.

Advanced Astronomy Syllabus

The Solar System
Gravitation and circular motion, escape velocity and retention of atmosphere.
The Moon's orbit and librations.
The Earth's structure, evolution and age.
The Moon's structure, lunar features and phases.
Planetary rotation from doppler shift, distances and apparent sizes.
Volcanism, cratering, rings and angular momentum.
Artificial satellites and rockets.
Tidal forces and the Roche limit.

The Sun
Solar co-ordinates, sunspots and optical depth.
Life span, evolution and energy generation of the Sun, as a typical star.
Solar flares, solar wind and solar neutrino problem.

The Radiation from Stars
The Bohr atom, energy levels and transitions, energy, frequency and spectral lines.
Doppler shift.
Black body radiation and the Planck curves, Wien's law, Stefan's law, energy and frequency.
UBV wavelengths and colour index, H?, spectral line broadening and equivalent width.
Luminosity, intensity, flux, solid angle and the inverse square law.
Eclipsing binary light curves.
Apparent magnitude, absolute magnitude and the distance modulus.

Stars as Radiating bodies
Nuclear energy generation and transportation, inside stars and the evolution of stars.
The production of heavy elements.
Mass luminosity law and time scales.
Stable stars, pulsating stars, supernovae and the enrichment of the interstellar medium.
Second generation star formation, nebulae and clusters.
Cepheids and intergalactic distance.
Cosmic rays and pulsars.

Optical Aids
The structure of the eye, colour vision, response to changes in intensity and wavelength.
The camera, photographic emulsion and exposure time.
Types of glass and reflective index, telescopes, chromatic and spherical aberrations.
Focal ratio, resolution and limiting magnitude.
Eyepieces, eye relief, exit pupil, film plate scale and image size and brightness.

Invisible Astronomy
Observations in the infrared, ultra violet, x ray gamma ray and radio regions of the spectrum.
Detectors, atmospheric absorption and sources of these radiations.
Earth rotation synthesis.

Galaxies and Cosmology
The structure and distribution of matter in the Milky Way.
Galactic rotation and stellar populations.
Hubble classification, sizes and distribution of galaxies.
Red shift, distance and the expanding universe, Hubble's law, the age and size of the universe.
Speed of light, relativity, big bang and origin of the elements.

The Sky Co-ordinate System
Right ascension, declination, altitude, azimuth, hour angle and rising and setting.
Time systems and use of an ephemeris.
Equatorial, ecliptic and galactic co-ordinates.

Advanced Astronomy Course Assessment

Assignments
Assignments 1 to 11 contain a total of nineteen pieces of work. The best eighteen marks will be used to provide the total for the assignments.

Coursework
Each of the three projects will be assessed on its individual merits, taking into account whether the best use was made of the resources available to you. Assessment will also include such factors as organisation, accuracy and presentation. All projects will carry equal marks.

End Test
The final assignment, sent with lesson 12, is the End Test. This last piece of work is an extended study and contains questions on all areas covered during the course.

Final grade
The final grade for the course will be awarded on the basis of continual assessment of work submitted during the course. The End Test is the final assignment. Marks will be allocated in three categories as follows :

40% Assignments 35% Project Work 25% End Test

Certificate
Candidates who complete the course will be awarded a Planet Earth Education Certificate in Advanced Astronomy.

There is no examination to attend.

Advanced Astronomy What You Will Need

Stationary :

A4 Ring Binder and hole punch
Pad of A4 wide lined paper
Pack A4 envelopes

Equipment :

Pocket calculator
Binoculars would be useful, but not essential

Books :

Handbook of the BAA - for the current year
Available from British Astronomical Association (BAA),
Burlington House,
Piccadilly,
London,
W1V 9AG.
Telephone 0171 734 4145
(about £9.00 to non-BAA members)

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Advanced Astronomy Cost and Enrolment

Cost

The Advanced Astronomy course is designed to be completed in two years, covering six lessons in each year. The course, at no extra cost, can be spread over a longer period, if preferred or even completed quicker.

Students may enrol at any time of the year.

The cost of the Advanced Astronomy course is split into the four sections as shown below:

Section 1. Solar System.

Section 2. Telescopes & Starlight.

Section 3. Stars.

Section 4. Galaxies & Distance.

With the cost per section at: £60 (per section in the UK) and £80 (per section, overseas)

The course fee includes :

All tuition.
Printing and posting out of all lesson material and required book references.
Marking of assignments, project work and the end test, and their return postage.

Enrolment on the course can take place at any time of the year.

Note that you do not need to complete the following enrolment form if paying by Paypal.

You will need to complete the Enrolment Form. (You can either fill in this form and then print it out, or you can print it out and fill it in by hand.)
Write a cheque or PO to "Planet Earth Education" for the appropriate amount.
Send these to: Planet Earth Education, 45 Willow Avenue, Middleton, Manchester, M24 2HE

The first lesson will be sent to you as soon as your enrolment details are received.

Phone: 0161 653 9092

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