Astronomy

Eagle-Eye Astronomy

0

About This Course This course introduces the observational technique of optical interferometry as it is currently used in astronomy. Starting from a simple description of the image formation process at work in a telescope, the phenomenon of interference will be revealed as central to an understanding of modern astronomical optics. Understanding this will grant you with the most acute vision of the night sky, what we call "eagle-eye astronomy". Rather than a laundry list of facts and numbers to memorize about interferometry, the course uses interferometry as a pretext to explore the method at work during a scientific investigation: from the simple initial curiosity that leads to the formulation of a question to its resolution, via the specification of an instrumentation, the conduct and interpretation of observations. The optical stellar interferometer will be demystified, and its characteristics and constraints: overall geometry, delay lines, coverage of the sky, sensitivity, imaging capability... will be introduced in a logical and progressive manner, that may even lead you to come up with your own ideas and concepts! Interferometry produces raw data of a somewhat unusual type, called "visibilities", estimated from very astute measurements made by specially designed instruments. A fine understanding of the processes that contribute to these measurements leads to the production of near ideal observable quantities, combining precision and accuracy. These measurements are then use to dress high fidelity models or images of often exotic sources: evolved stars reaching the last stages of their life, tightly interacting binary objects or still-forming planetary systems. The tools and methods covered in the course will give enough background for the students to feel comfortable with putting together their own observing programs in optical interferometry.

Super-Earths and Life

4.2

Super-Earths And Life is a course about life on Earth, alien life, how we search for life outside of Earth, and what this teaches us about our place in the universe.In the past decade astronomers have made incredible advances in the discovery of planets outside our solar system. Thirty years ago, we knew only of the planets in our own solar system. Now we know of thousands circling nearby stars.Meanwhile, biologists have gained a strong understanding of how life evolved on our own planet, all the way back to the earliest cells. We can describe how simple molecules can assemble themselves into the building blocks of life, and how those building blocks might have become the cells that make up our bodies today.Super-Earths And Life is all about how these fields, astronomy and biology, together with geology, can help answer one of our most powerful and primal questions: are we alone in the universe?HarvardX requires individuals who enroll in its courses on edX to abide by the terms of the edX honor code: https://www.edx.org/edx-terms-service. HarvardX will take appropriate corrective action in response to violations of the edX honor code, which may include dismissal from the HarvardX course; revocation of any certificates received for the HarvardX course; or other remedies as circumstances warrant. No refunds will be issued in the case of corrective action for such violations. Enrollees who are taking HarvardX courses as part of another program will also be governed by the academic policies of those programs.HarvardX pursues the science of learning. By registering as an online learner in an HX course, you will also participate in research about learning. Read our research statement: http://harvardx.harvard.edu/research-statement to learn more.Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact harvardx@harvard.edu and/or report your experience through the edX contact form: https://www.edx.org/contact-us.

Astrophysics

0

The universe consists of over 100 billion galaxies like ours, each containing tens or hundreds of billions of stars. This course will highlight what we know (and what is still unknown) about this vast and varied frontier.By the end of this course, you’ll have discovered a world of cosmic wonders, followed a star from diffuse nebula to dense star remnant, traversed the scales of space and time from planetary to intergalactic, and crunched data to determine the Universe's ultimate fate.

A New Approach To The Search For Extraterrestrial Life

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Astrobiologist Sara Walker challenges our understanding of life and how we might search for life in the universe by looking for signatures of information-generating structures and applying systems-level analysis. 

Physics, Astronomy, and Space: Teaching Secondary Science

0

Broaden your science teaching skill set with the Royal Observatory Greenwich.Our world is increasingly driven by science and technology and, as a result, STEM is becoming a growing area of focus in education.On this course, you’ll learn how to impart key physics, space science, and astronomy knowledge while teaching transferable skills that will support your students in their schooling and career to come.Explore how young people perceive science – and what this means for STEM teachingScience is a compulsory subject at school, but how does this impact how students view science?This course will help you, as an educator, understand how students see science and how that affects their engagement in the subject.Using space physics and astronomy for context, you’ll have the chance to improve your science subject knowledge and start teaching in a way that helps your students foster a lifelong interest in science.Support your students in science lessons to prepare for their futureSecondary school is when students begin to seriously consider future career paths.In finding new ways to investigate outstanding questions, secondary science covers vital areas like maths, literacy, and creativity. It also provides a platform for young people to build critical thinking and analytical skills.As well as helping pupils build key STEM knowledge, you’ll learn how to support students to develop a range of skills that will stand them in good stead for future job opportunities.Learn with astronomers at the Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG)This course is led by ROG astronomers who offer expert scientific knowledge in physics and astronomy.In a typical year, they teach over 40,000 learners onsite at the Royal Observatory Greenwich through workshops and planetarium shows and also engage students through observatory outreach at schools and festivals.This course is designed for any secondary (11-16) science teachers looking for new ideas or alternative methods to teach space science and astronomy.Although secondary science teachers in the UK are required to have a background in science, space science and astronomy falls under physics, and not all teachers may be familiar with it while being expected to teach it in school.If you’re currently teaching science to young people at home as a parent or guardian, this course will improve your understanding of secondary space science and astronomy so you can support young people at home.

Processing of Space Monitoring Information

0

Class Central TipsLearn How to Sign up to Coursera courses for free1600+ Coursera Courses That Are Still Completely FreeObservation of near-Earth outer space is an important task for astronomers and scientists at the present time. This task is to determine the coordinate and non-coordinate characteristics of artificial space objects. According to data obtained, a catalogue of objects is created, which should be maintained and updated. For this, optical means (telescopes) can be involved. The data from these means should be processed in order to obtain information about objects in space.In this course, we will talk about steps that should be done to detect satellites and estimate their parameters with the methods of background suppression, detection of isolated groups of bright pixels to classify them as stars or tracks. One of the items includes information about star catalogues and the astrometric reduction of the image. The examples of images in different observation conditions will be shown.Usually, during observation, a sequence of images is done and it is important to define the mutual displacement of images for suppressing the spatially correlated background.One more topic for discussion is spatiotemporal methods of filtering observation background and further extraction of spatially resolved point objects from the image.

The Challenging Search for Elusive Dark Matter

0

Astrophysicist Katherine Freese explores the origins and composition of our universe, a quarter of which is thought to be comprised of dark matter, and how scientists are searching for the elusive particles that might comprise dark matter. 

Stars And Stellar Systems

0

The ARPIT 2020 course on Astronomy and Astrophysics is titled “Stars and stellar systems”. An understanding of this field, which draws upon our knowledge of different branches of physics, is fundamental to our understanding of the universe. The course is made up of 10 modules addressing different aspects of the field: Stars and stellar evolution; Stellar variability; Stars and cosmology; Star clusters and star formation; Compact stars; Astrophysics of neutron stars; Binary stellar systems; The Sun; Helio- and astero-seismology; Extrasolar planets. Besides refreshing oneself on the basics and recent developments in the field, the material would also be helpful for teachers of physics wishing to learn the subject to teach. Topic Speaker Module 1 Stars and stellar evolution Sarita Vig, IIST Module 2 Stellar variability Sukanta Deb, Cotton University Module 3 Stars and cosmology Sivarani Thirupathi, IIA Module 4 Star clusters and star formation Ram Sagar, IIA Manoj Puravankara, TIFR Module 5 Compact stars Dipankar Bhattacharya, IUCAA Module 6 Astrophysics of neutron stars Sushan Konar, IUCAA Module 7 Binary stellar systems Sudip Bhattacharyya, TIFR Module 8 The Sun Dibyendu Nandi, IISER Kolkata Durgesh Tripathi, IUCAA Divya Oberoi, NCRA-TIFR Module 9 Helio- and astero-seismology Shravan Hanasoge, TIFR Module 10 Extrasolar planets Anwesh Majumdar, HBCSE, TIFR Video editing: Aniket Kadu, Shivraj S Kshatriya Video recording: Science Media Centre, IISER Pune Course logo: ASTROSAT image of a star cluster (Courtesy Sarita Vig and ISRO)

General Relativity (Spring 2020)

5

Course FeaturesVideo lecturesCaptions/transcriptAssignments: problem sets (no solutions)Course Description8.962 is MIT's graduate course in general relativity, which covers the basic principles of Einstein's general theory of relativity, differential geometry, experimental tests of general relativity, black holes, and cosmology.

Astrophysics

0

The Astrophysics XSeries Program consists of four foundational courses in astrophysics taught by prestigious leaders in the field, including Nobel Prize winners. You will be taught by Brian Schmidt, who led the team that discovered dark energy – work which won him the 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics, and by prize-winning educator, science communicator and astrophysics researcher Paul Francis, who will take you through an incredible journey where you learn about the unsolved mysteries of the universe, exoplanets, black holes and supernovae, and general cosmology. Astronomy and astrophysics is the study of everything beyond Earth. Astronomers work in universities, at observatories, for various space agencies like NASA, and more. The study of astronomy provides you with a wide range of skills in math, engineering, and computation which are sought after skills across many occupations. This XSeries Program is great for anyone to start their studies in astronomy and astrophysics or individuals simply interested in what lies beyond Earth.

Earth Observation from Space: the Optical View

0

##Earth observation (EO) encompasses a series of techniques that use remote sensing to monitor changes to our climate, and natural and built environment.Get an introduction to optical Earth observationThis free online course will provide an introduction to optical Earth observation - monitoring our planet from satellites, using photography, imaging in various wavelengths, lidar and other optical sensing technologies.You’ll find out how satellite data is acquired and used, the range of data types available, and the terminology and techniques involved. The course will also provide detailed case studies of how this data is used in diverse fields, from climate science to humanitarian relief, monitoring of urban change to agriculture, and many other areas.Learn with ESA - Europe’s Earth observation leaderThe course has been developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) - the leading enabler of satellite Earth observation science and technology in Europe.It will use case studies, real-world applications, and data from ESA and other Earth observation programmes, to help you discover:how we observe and measure the Earth with optical sensorshow satellite data is used alongside other forms of measurementthe main types of data acquired through Copernicus and other satelliteshow to conduct simple analysis using a range of different types of optical Earth observation datahow optical EO data is used in a range of scientific, policy and decision-making areas, in conjunction with modelsAlongside articles and videos, interactive visualisation tools, additional resources and discussions with other learners will provide you with the opportunity to understand Earth observation in depth.(Animations, data visualisations and imagery from ESA and NASA are provided courtesy of ESA and NASA. This course is produced for ESA by Imperative Space).This course is designed both for people with some existing knowledge of Earth observation, as well as newcomers to the field. It will demystify the data, and make it easier for non-technical users to interpret and use it in their professional or day-to-day life, and in discourse and debate.In case you are interested, new enrolments for the ESA Monitoring the Greenland Ice Sheet from Space course will remain open until 11th November 2017, so if you or your friends and colleagues would like to continue your exploration of satellite observation you can sign up here.

The Monster at the Heart of our Galaxy

0

Nobel Laureate and astrophysicist Andrea Ghez tells the story of how we’ve been able to find a supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.

ExplorUnivers: à la découverte de l'univers

0

Peut-on vivre sur Mars ? Quelle est l'exoplanète habitable la plus proche ? Combien d'étoiles naissent par an dans une galaxie ? Et la Terre, d'où vient-elle ? Ce MOOC aborde notre compréhension actuelle de l'univers. ExplorUnivers est une idée originale du projet de recherche ExplorNova, conçu et coordonné par Vincent Minier, astrophysicien au CEA Irfu sur le Campus Paris-Saclay et chercheur associé à l'Université de Nantes. ExplorUnivers s'appuie sur les recherches menées en astrophysique à l'Institut de recherche sur les lois fondamentales de l’Univers (Irfu) du Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) à Saclay et en planétologie au Laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes (LPGNantes) à l'Université de Nantes. CEA Irfu L’Institut de recherche sur les lois fondamentales de l’Univers (Irfu) du CEA aune double vocation, scientifique et technologique. Il regroupe trois disciplines scientifiques, l’astrophysique, la physique nucléaire et la physique des particules. Il se positionne en maître d’œuvre des instruments de recherche: charges utiles des satellites, accélérateurs, aimants supraconducteurs, systèmes de détection… L’Irfu met une priorité sur la formation des chercheurs et ingénieurs de demain, avec une centaine de stagiaires, 150 doctorants et post-doctorants et plus de 75 chercheurs et ingénieurs enseignant dans des filières Master et Doctorat. LPGNantes Les activités du Laboratoire de Planétologie et Gédynamique de Nantes (LPGNantes) se déclinent suivant les trois thèmes de recherche du laboratoire: Intérieurs planétaires, Surfaces planétaires, Environnement Paléo-Environnement et Bio-Indicateurs. Ces recherches, dont les objets d'étude s'étendent depuis la Terre jusqu'aux corps solides du système solaire et aux exoplanètes, s'appuient des observations spatiales et des analyses géochimiques, en passant par les observations de terrain, les expériences sur échantillons et la modélisation numérique. Certaines d'entre elles s'inscrivent dans le cadre de missions spatiales en cours (Cassini, Curiosity) ou en projet, à court (InSight) et à long terme (JUICE). PRESENTATION DU COURS ExplorUnivers est avant tout un voyage à travers les connaissances actuelles en astrophysique et en planétologie. Un voyage à travers les grands objets scientifiques à l'étude en astronomie : système solaire, galaxies, nuages moléculaires, exoplanètes... et à travers les grands instruments de recherche comme l'observatoire spatial Herschel. Les objectifs pédagogiques de ce MOOC sont déclinés en trois niveaux : acquérir une culture générale en sciences de l’univers ; acquérir des connaissances plus approfondies en sciences et techniques ; rechercher soi-même les réponses à des controverses scientifiques. Tout en décrivant des objets physiques, ce MOOC offrira ainsi une ouverture vers une question scientifique actuelle et des éclairages techniques, scientifiques et épistémologiques sur la démarche de recherche. PLAN DU COURS Semaine 1 : le système solaire et notre planète, la Terre, d’où part notre voyage. Semaine 2 : présentation de notre étoile et de Mars, une autre planète habitable. Semaine 3 : d’autres types de planètes existent, non rocheuses : les planètes gazeuses et géantes, entourées de dizaines de lunes. Semaine 4 : les galaxies, ces univers-îles peuplés de centaines de milliards d’étoiles. De quoi sont-elles faites ? Quand et comment se sont-elles formées ? Semaine 5 : comment se forment les étoiles et les planètes à partir du gaz interstellaire des galaxies ? Semaine 6 : les conditions d’habitabilité sont-elles communes ? Quel rôle jouent les comètes dans le transport des molécules organiques et d’eau sur les planètes ? D’autres exoterres existent-elles ? FORMAT Ce cours dure 6 semaines et vous propose 2 séquences thématiques hebdomadaires. Les participants au MOOC seront tout d’abord invités à visionner les 2 vidéos principales puis des documents complémentaires mis à leur disposition pour mieux comprendre certaines notions scientifiques et techniques. Deux autres vidéos permettront d’aborder certaines notions et le rôle de la controverse scientifique dans la production des connaissances. Le participant aura également à sa disposition un glossaire et des suggestions de vidéos supplémentaires à visionner (en dehors de la plate-forme FUN). EVALUATION Afin d’estimer sa compréhension des concepts abordés des exercices auto-corrigés seront proposés aux participants. Une activité (webquest) portant sur la résolution d’une controverse scientifique par les étudiants eux-mêmes permettra chaque semaine de susciter des échanges entre participants, d’appliquer les notions abordées et de rechercher d’autres sources bibliographiques. A QUI S'ADRESSE CE COURS ? Ce cours s’adresse à un public large dans un objectif de replacer les sciences et les techniques dans la culture. PRE-REQUIS Il n’y a aucun pré-requis obligatoires pour suivre ce MOOC. Néanmoins un niveau scientifique de lycée permettra d’appréhender plus facilement certaines notions techniques abordées dans les cours, en particulier dans les niveaux approfondies des connaissances présentées. Equipe pédagogique Vincent MINIER Astrophysicien au CEA à Saclay, Docteur-ingénieur en radio astronomie, ses travaux actuels portent sur la formation et l'influence des étoiles massives sur leur environnement interstellaire. Il coordonne le projet ExplorNova en épistémologie des techniques spatiales, sur la gestion des connaissances scientifiques et leur valorisation par le numérique. Site projet ExplorNova Stéphane Le Mouélic Ingénieur de recherche CNRS au laboratoire de Planétologie et Géodynamique de Nantes. Spécialiste en traitement des images appliqué à l’étude de la Terre et des planètes, il est engagé dans plusieurs grands programmes d’exploration spatiale, dont les sondes Cassini, Mars Express, le robot martien Curiosity et Rosetta. Damien Aubert Ingénieur en technologie de la formation au Service de Production et d'Innovation Numérique de l'Université de Nantes. Il contribue à l'ingénierie pédagogique des projets de MOOC de l'Université et à l'accompagnement technique des enseignants-chercheurs impliqués. Intervenants scientifiques Sacha Brun (CEA Irfu/AIM), Caroline Dumoulin (LPGNantes), David Elbaz (CEA Irfu/AIM), Stéphanie Juneau (CEA Irfu/AIM), Marion Massé (LPGNantes), Anaëlle Maury (CEA Irfu/AIM), Sébastien Rodriguez (CEA Irfu/AIM), Gabriel Tobie (LPGNantes) interviennnent dans les vidéos portant sur un débat scientifique. Suivi scientifique et animation Avec les chercheurs et ingénieurs pédagogiques associés à ce MOOC, plusieurs doctorant-e-s et stagiaires participent au suivi et à l'animation du cours : Boris Chauviré (LPGNantes), Marion Nachon (LPGNantes), Louise Plessier (CEA Irfu), Clémence Rampillon (CEA Irfu). Le glossaire est réalisé par Angèle Séné (CEA Irfu). Lectures et sites Web recommandés http://explornova360.com (pour aller plus loin sur les thématiques de ce cours et trouver d'autres exemples). http://www.dailymotion.com/AstrophysiqueTV (vidéos spatiales sur l'astrophysique). http://www.herschel.fr (site grand public de l'observatoire spatial Herschel : étude de la formation des étoiles et des galaxies). Discours sur l'origine de l'univers, par Etienne Klein, Flammarion. Passeport pour les deux infinis, ouvrage collectif CEA CNRS, Dunod. Conditions d'utilisation du cours : les contenus du MOOC ne peuvent être réutilisés en dehors de la plate-forme FUN sans l’accord explicite de l’Université de Nantes et du CEA. du contenu produit par les internautes : votre production relève de votre propriété intellectuelle et ne peut donc pas être réutilisée. Remerciements Nous remercions le CNES pour son soutien dans la production des animations présentées dans les vidéos de ce cours et la Région Pays de la Loire pour son soutien au projet ExplorNova.