Goucher College 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalogue 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
Goucher College 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

AST 110 - Introduction to Astronomy (4 Cr.)

(GEN. ED. #6) (LER -NS)
Astronomy is a detective game: Because we can’t visit, touch, or sample even the nearest stars, our only means to understand the Universe is to observe its light and radiation from afar and analyze it using creativity, inspiration, and the laws of physics. This course is a qualitative (i.e., non-mathematical) and inquiry-based exploration of how our observations of the universe have led to our understanding of it, from the motion of the stars across our sky to the Big Bang and beyond. Topics include the methods and history of scientific discovery, the basic laws of physics, our solar system, the life and death of stars, galaxies, and a brief history of the universe. Three hours lecture plus three hours lab. Fall semester, repeated spring semester. Sugerman.