Coursera

Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy (Coursera)

Offered by University of Rochester,

An introduction to modern astronomy's most important questions. The four sections of the course are Planets and Life in The Universe; The Life of Stars; Galaxies and Their Environments; The History of The Universe.

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Syllabus

Week 1
Are we alone in the Universe?
Planets and Life in The Universe - Exoplanets searches, exoplanet census, astrobiology

Week 2
How do Stars Evolve and Die?
The Life of Stars - Star formation, fusion and stellar middle age, black holes and stellar death-

Week 3
What Exists Outside our Galaxy?
Galaxies and Their Environments - Galaxy types, Active Galactic Nuclei, Clusters of Clusters of Galaxies

Week 4
What is the Fate of the Universe?
The History of The Universe - Why the Big Bang? A History of Time, What Happened Before the Big Bang

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