In the night sky: Orion

This course aims to help learners explore the night sky and understand the constellation Orion. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify Orion in the night sky, explain the concept of constellations, map the stars, and comprehend the life cycle of stars from birth to death. The course teaches skills such as star navigation, star mapping, and understanding the electromagnetic spectrum. The teaching method includes lectures, quizzes, and further reading materials. This course is intended for individuals interested in astronomy, stargazing, and the mysteries of the universe.

• Week1Week 1: Beginning the journey
• Introduction
• 1.1 Map of the night sky
• 1.1.1 Meeting Orion
• 1.1.2 Where is Orion?
• 1.1.3 Finding Orion
• 1.1.4 Who was Orion?
• 1.2 What are constellations?
• 1.2.1 Patterns in the sky
• 1.2.2 Orion in 3D
• 1.2.3 Moving constellations
• 1.2.4 Signs of the Zodiac
• 1.2.5 Name a constellation
• 1.2.6 Navigating by the stars
• 1.2.7 Finding your longitude
• 1.3 Mapping the stars
• 1.3.1 Gaia mission
• 1.3.2 Behind the scenes with Gaia
• 1.4 Week 1 quiz
• Summary of Week 1
• Further reading
• Acknowledgements
• Week2Week 2: Travelling from star birth to star death
• Introduction
• 2.1 What is a star?
• 2.1.1 Luminosity of a star
• 2.1.2 What is a nebula?
• 2.1.3 How far away is the Orion nebula?
• 2.1.4 Size of a nebula
• 2.1.5 Trapezium cluster
• 2.1.6 Birth of a star
• 2.1.7 The Orion nebula
• 2.1.8 Protostar
• 2.1.9 Photographing Orion
• 2.2 The life of a star
• 2.2.1 Types of star
• 2.2.2 Mass, luminosity and temperature
• 2.2.3 Nuclear fusion
• 2.3 The death of a star
• 2.3.1 Planetary nebula
• 2.3.2 Supernovae
• 2.3.3 Beautiful supernovae
• 2.3.4 Cosmic onion
• 2.3.5 Supergiant stars
• 2.3.6 Exploding supernova
• 2.3.7 The final remnants
• 2.3.8 Neutron stars
• 2.3.9 Black holes
• 2.3.10 Black hole cannibal
• 2.4 Week 2 quiz
• Summary of Week 2
• Acknowledgements
• Week3Week 3: From the beginning
• Introduction
• 3.1 The Big Bang
• 3.1.1 Open or closed universe
• 3.1.2 Particle formation
• 3.1.3 Evidence of expansion
• 3.1.4 Hubble Ultra Deep Field
• 3.1.5 Photographing Orion
• 3.2 What is a galaxy?
• 3.2.1 Different types of galaxy
• 3.2.2 Merging galaxies
• 3.2.3 Colliding and merging galaxies
• 3.2.4 Galaxies gone wild!
• 3.2.5 The Milky Way
• 3.2.6 The Local group
• 3.2.7 Galaxy Zoo
• 3.2.8 Dark matter
• 3.2.9 Dark energy
• 3.3 The electromagnetic spectrum
• 3.3.1 Objects at different wavelengths
• 3.3.2 Observing the stars
• 3.3.3 Telescopes in space
• 3.3.4 Behind the scenes with Monica Grady
• 3.4 Week 3 quiz
• Summary of Week 3
• Further reading
• Acknowledgements
• Week4Week 4: Our place in the Universe
• Introduction
• 4.1 Habitable zone
• 4.1.1 The right type of star
• 4.1.2 Lifetime of a star
• 4.1.3 The right type of galaxy
• 4.1.4 Where we are
• 4.1.5 Photographing Orion
• 4.2 Protoplanetary discs
• 4.2.1 Protoplanetary disc formation
• 4.2.2 Collapse of a nebula
• 4.2.3 Planetesimals
• 4.2.4 The Solar System
• 4.2.5 The asteroid belt
• 4.2.6 Comets
• 4.2.7 Philae lander
• 4.2.8 A comet’s tail
• 4.2.9 Where do comets come from?
• 4.3 What is an exoplanet?
• 4.3.1 Exoplanet encyclopedia
• 4.3.2 Planet hunting – identification and observing techniques
• 4.3.3 Gliese 581
• 4.3.4 Transit experiment
• 4.3.5 Other information from transits
• 4.3.6 Protoplanetary disc example
• 4.3.7 Life beyond the Solar System
• 4.4 Week 4 quiz
• End-of-course summary
• Tell us what you think
• Where next?
• Acknowledgements