In the Night Sky: Orion
Explore the night sky, discover how stars are formed and find out about exoplanets, all through the constellation of Orion.
Duration
4 weeksWeekly study
3 hours
In the Night Sky: Orion
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From the basics of astronomy to the science behind the birth of a star, this course will change the way you see the night sky. Starting with Orion’s famous nebula, where new stars and planets are formed, you’ll take a look at the seven brightest stars that make up this constellation using high-quality images from telescopes such as the Hubble Space Telescope. You’ll find out about exoplanets, which may hold the secrets to life outside of the solar system, the galaxy Milky Way, of which our solar system is but one small part, and the history of the universe from the Big Bang to the present.
All Open University Science MOOCs presented on FutureLearn are produced with the kind support of Dangoor Education.
What topics will you cover?
- Find the constellation of Orion in the night sky
- Learn all about the legend of Orion
- Discover how the constellations were used for navigation
- Discover the amazing process that causes stars to form
- Find out what happens to different stars over their lifetime
- Learn what happens when stars run out of fuel
- Find out what the night sky can reveal about the Big Bang theory
- Get involved with classifying galaxies into different shapes
- Take a tour of space through the PIRATE telescope
- Find out what is important about the Earth’s position
- Discuss whether you think there are other planets just like ours
- Find out about The Open University’s project to map the stars
When would you like to start?
Date to be announced
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Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Apply facts, concepts, principles, theories, classification systems and language used in astronomy.
- Develop the knowledge and understanding of the range of sizes, distances and motions of objects in the night sky.
- Develop the knowledge and understanding of the structure, evolution and the main processes operating in stars.
- Develop the knowledge and understanding of the properties of planets in our Solar System and exoplanetary systems.
- Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the history of the Universe.
Who is the course for?
You do not need a professional telescope for this course, but you may find at least a pair of binoculars extremely useful.
No prior experience of the subject is required.
Who will you learn with?
I am a researcher in planetary & space sciences at the OU, interested in comets, asteroids and meteorites, and what they can tell us about the Solar System. Asteroid 4731 is named Monicagrady.
Research Fellow in Space Sciences.
I work mainly on volatile elements, their abundance and isotopic composition in meteorites. Also beginning a journey into instrument development for space missions.
Who developed the course?
The Open University
As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.
Established
1969Location
Milton Keynes, UKWorld ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020
Endorsers and supporters
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- Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
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