4.6
stars
454 ratings

Adam Frank

21,602 already enrolled

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Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy

University of Rochester

About this Course

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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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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Approx. 10 hours to complete

English

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Instructor

Instructor rating

4.68/5 (66 Ratings)

Adam Frank

Professor

Physics and Astronomy

21,602 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Rochester

The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University provides exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating94%(3,219 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Are we alone in the Universe?

4 hours to complete

20 videos (Total 132 min), 8 readings, 1 quiz

20 videos

Introduction8mScientific Notation4mOur Place in the Cosmos6mComparative Planetology5mTerrestrial Planets10mGiant Planets9mGas Vs Ice Giants5mConstruction Debris9mExoplanets7mUnderstanding Ellipses2mRadial Velocities and the Doppler Shift4mTransiting Planets3mThe Habitable Zone7mWhat Exoplanets Have Taught Us8mCondensation Theory6mPlanet Formation5mBasic Chemistry2mDNA and RNA6mAppearance of Life9mAre We Alone?9m

8 readings

General Overview10mGrading and Logistics10mSyllabus10mAbout the Professor10mAbout the Teaching Assistant10mOptional Readings10mExercises and Activities10mLecture Notes10m

1 practice exercise

Week 1 Quiz30m

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

How do Stars Evolve and Die?

3 hours to complete

19 videos (Total 127 min)

19 videos

Stars - Introduction6mNuclear Fusion10mThe Nature of Light8mQuantum Physics8mMeasuring Stars10mForming a Protostar6mBrown Dwarfs And Very Low Mass Stars7mThe Structure of a G2 Main Sequence Star5mSolar Magnetic Features8mRed Giants and Planetary Nebulae8mWhite Dwarfs3mSupernovas and Neutron Stars6mFrames of Reference2mSpecial Relativity7mGeneral Relativity5mEscape Velocity2mBlack Holes6mJourney into a Black Hole7mAnswering the Question3m

1 practice exercise

Week 2 Quiz30m

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

What Exists Outside our Galaxy?

2 hours to complete

17 videos (Total 89 min)

17 videos

Galaxies Introduction3mInterstellar Medium7mGalactic Distances2mClimbing the Cosmic Distance Ladder4mType Ia Supernovae3mMetallicity3mThe Milky Way5mThe Galactic Disk5mThe Stellar Halo and the Bulgy Bar6mThe Galactic Center6mGalactic Zoology6mIntroduction to Dark Matter3mTypes of Active Galactic Nuclei4mUnified Model for AGN6mGalaxy Groups and Clusters6mSuperclusters6mAnswering the Question4m

1 practice exercise

Week 3 Quiz30m

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

What is the Fate of the Universe?

2 hours to complete

15 videos (Total 86 min)

15 videos

Introduction3mHubble’s Law and the Big Bang6mSpace-Time and Quantum Fields5mThe Standard Model of Particle Physics9mDark Matter4mIn the Beginning4mPhase Transitions in the Early Universe4mBBN and Recombination7mObservational Evidence5mThe Beginning of Large Scale Structure6mThe Era of Quasars5mDark Energy and Cosmic Destiny6mThe Multiverse5mRecap-History of the Cosmos4mAnswering the Question6m

1 practice exercise

Week 4 Quiz30m

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Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy

Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy

About this Course