Course Details

167 - Astronomy: A Brief Tour of Our Solar System, Our Galaxy, and Beyond

<< Back to Course Information



M-F
Cost -


Course Description: This course will explore the planets of our Solar System, their moons, dwarf planets, asteroids and comets. We will talk about how our Solar System formed and how it compares to other star systems that have recently been discovered. We will then discuss the different kinds of stars and their properties, how they change and what leads them to eventually become white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. The course will conclude with a look at the components and composition of our galaxy, other galaxies and the structure and fate of the Universe as a whole. On Friday evening we will visit the USU Observatory where course participants will have the chance to look through our 20 inch telescope as well as through a number of smaller telescopes.

Course Instructor: James Coburn is the USU Observatory Manager and has been teaching astronomy at USU since 2005. As an undergraduate physics student at USU, he ran the old observatory, located near the football stadium, for three years. He attended graduate school at Oregon State University, where he earned a masters degree in physics education. In 2000 he returned to USU and took the job of Teaching Laboratory Supervisor and Demonstration Specialist for the Department of Physics. A highlight of his career was to help design and oversee the construction of the USU Observatory that was built in 2009.
james.coburn@usu.edu