Course Details

450 - Astronomy: All About Stars

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June 21-25
3:00 - 4:15 PM
M - F
Cost - $65
Huntsman Hall, Room 130 (bldg 9)


Course Description: We will briefly discuss constellations and how stars appear to move through the sky as viewed from Earth and the different types of stars that we see. Then we will talk about how stars form, what makes them shine and how they change with time. Next we will investigate exotic stellar remnants: white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. We will conclude with a look at groups of stars called open clusters, globular clusters and galaxies.

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