PLANET EARTH
The Education Centre For Astronomy

&

MOBILE STARS
Planetarium

Advanced Astronomy Coursework

You will be required to undertake three projects during the course. The Orbit of the Moon. One Essay Project. One Other (but not from the same group as your choice for the essay project).

Each completed project should be a maximum of thirty A4 sides in length.
Photographs, charts, tables and diagrams may be added.

The selection of project titles allows a choice of topics, whether you are using a telescope, binoculars or just naked eye.

The Orbit of the Moon

Measure the position of the Moon against the stars for a period of at least one year to observe the motion of the Moon relative to the ecliptic, the recession of the Moon's nodes, retardation of rising and setting and the phases.

Observation Projects

1. The Surface of the Moon
   Observe lunar features and/or make drawings or take photographs to identify and record the effect of the librations.  observe features under various angles of illumination and discuss the lunar geography.
   
   

2. Messier Objects
   Observe ten Messier objects and record your observations by drawing and/or photography.  Discuss the location, appearance and nature of each object.
   
   

3. The Satellites of Jupiter
   Observe Jupiter and the Galilean satellites and record your observations by drawing and/or photography.  from your series of observations determine the period of each satellite.  discuss the appearance of Jupiter and its position in the sky during your observations.
   
   

4. Venus
   Observe Venus and record your observations by drawing and/or photography.  from your own observations make estimates of the orbital period, maximum elongation, angular size variation, changing phase and changing brightness.

Essay Projects

1. Invisible Astronomy
   Choose one of the following titles:
   a) The Development of the Iras Project.
   b) The History of X Ray Astronomy
   c)  Techniques in X Ray Astronomy
   d)  Radio, Large Diameter and Aperture Synthisis
   e)  The Hubble Space Telescope
   
   

2. The History of Astronomy
   Choose one of the following titles:
   a)  The development of the Greek Picture of Astronomy and the Heliocentric Picture
   b)  Copernicus and Kepler and the Solution to Planetary Motion
   c)  Breakthroughs in Astronomy between 1570 and 1620
   d)  The Interaction Between Newton and Halley and the Deduction of Newton;s Laws
   
   

3. Planets
   Compare and contrast either:
   a)  Mercury and Mars
   b)  Earth and Venus
   c)  Jupiter and Uranus
   
   

4. Cosmology
   Choose one of the following titles:
   a)  The Quest for the Size and Shape of the Galaxy
   b)  Steady State Theory or Big Bang Theory
   
   

5. Computing in Astronomy
   Write a Program to demonstrate and Predict either:
   a)  Binary Orbits
   b)   Keplers Laws
   
   

6. Observatories
   Write a Critical Appraisal of Observatories of the Next Century.

Return to top of page