Taking it further
A cosmic detective story
A cold-war nuclear treaty sparked a fascinating search for the source of gamma-ray bursts.
If we've sparked your passion for the cosmos, why not explore some of our options to take your interest further?
Web Links
Websites of places featured in The Cosmos: A Beginner's Guide
European Southern Observatory - home of the Very Large Telescope
SuperWASP - exoplanet hunting telescope
SETI - home to the Allen Telescope Array
European Space Technology Centre
SWIFT Data Centre - gamma-ray burst satellite
Space and astronomy bodies
NASA
Astronomy picture of the day
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
British Astronomical Association
Nine Eight planets tour - an astronomical multimedia trip through the solar system
Software
There's a wide range of software available for computers that can offer an insight into the night sky. Here's a small selection:
Stellarium - a freeware program for PC, Mac and Linux good enough to be used in planetariums
SkyMap Lite 2003 - a simplified version of a long running CD
The Sky Six - now with three versions available, with different levels of sophistication.
Redshift 5 - one of the first astronomical computer packages, now in its 5th edition.
Megastar 5 - very full and comprehensive maps
The BBC and the Open University are not responsible for the content of external websites
Further Reading
Teach Yourself Planets
David Rothery, Hodder & Stoughton
An up-to-date, simple introduction to all the planets and their moons.
Volcanic Worlds: Exploring the Solar System's volcanoes
Edited by Rosaly Lopes and Tracy Gregg, Praxis Publishing
Volcanoes and volcanic landscapes throughout the Solar System.
New Solar System
Kelly Beatty, Peterson, Chaikin Sky Pub, Cambridge University Press
An authoritative description of the Solar System.
Our Worlds
Edited by S. Alan Stern, Cambridge University Press
Insiders' accounts of Solar System exploration.
Parallax
Alan Hirshfeld, Owl Books
A fascinating account by a well known astronomer.
Photoshop for Astrophotographers
Jerry Lodriguss, Multimedia
Photoshop not only shows images at their best, it also allows some simple measurements.
Star Atlases
Bright Star Atlas
Tirion and Skiff Willman, Bell
The stars that everyone can see, in an easily useable form.
Sky Atlas 2000
Tirion and Sinnott, Sky Pub and Cambridge University Press
Available in various formats for different uses.
3-D atlas of stars and galaxies
Monkhouse and Cox, Springer
Distance measurements yield reconstructed views in depth, as would be seen by someone with eyes many light years apart!
Courses
Which type of course is best for you?
Short Courses
If you want to study science but don’t want to commit to a full undergraduate course the OU’s science short courses could be perfect for you.
Introducing Astronomy (S194)
Astronomy is often in the headlines with the regular occurence of topics such as violent stellar explosions, distant galaxies and the 'big bang'. This course will develop your understanding of such topics, with sections on planets, stars, galaxies, extraterrestrial life, and the origin of the universe. It will also develop your understanding of some aspects of science that you can apply to other situations.
Planets: An Introduction (S196)
This course concentrates on the planet-sized objects in orbit around our own star (the Sun), but also delves into our rapidly advancing knowledge of planets of other stars. It will also develop your understanding of some aspects of science that you can apply to other situations.
How the Universe Works (S197)
This course introduces cosmology and particle physics at a level beyond the descriptive approach of many 'coffee-table' books on the subject.
Robotics & the Meaning of Life: A practical guide to things that think (T184)
This online course will introduce you to robotics and the design of intelligent machines. It allows you to investigate the relationship between robots and humans, and to question what it means for a machine to be intelligent in the context of what it means to be human. Even if you are a complete beginner, you will be able to build simulations of autonomous robots according to easy-to-follow instructions.
Details of all the OU's science short courses can be be found on their short science courses page.
Longer Courses and Qualifications
Open University courses are the main 'building blocks' of our qualifications. You can take a single course or take several to build towards an Open University diploma or degree.
Which level of study is most suitable for you?
Where to Start
Discovering Science (S103)
If you are totally new to the subject area, or would like a refresher, this might be a good starting point. Important concepts, and scientific, mathematical and communication skills are developed using a range of topics from global warming to the origin of life.
Get a taste of S103
Higher level study
Astronomy (S282)
How are stars born, and what happens when they die? How do galaxies form, and how do we know that the universe began in a 'big bang'? These are some of the questions explored in this introductory astronomy course. You'll look at the stars and their life cycles, galaxies and quasars, and the origin and evolution of the universe, and make use of computer-based resources to explore these topics.
Planetary Science and the Search for Life (S283)
This course tackles some fundamental questions about our solar system. How did the solar system form and how has it evolved? Why aren't all the planets like Earth? How and why did life arise on Earth? Has life arisen elsewhere in the solar system or beyond - could it be intelligent? You'll look at the exploration of the solar system by spacecraft; planetary processes such as volcanism and impacts; the structure of planets and their atmospheres; and asteroids, comets and meteorites. You'll use web-based resources and electronic conferencing extensively.
Observing the Universe (SXR208)
This residential school course will give you experience of doing practical astronomy and planetary science at a well-equipped teaching observatory under professional supervision. Before the school, you will work through a course book that provides a general introduction to observational and experimental techniques in astronomy and planetary science. A short pre-school assignment will test your understanding of the material in the book, while in the main post-school assignment you will write a detailed report on one of the projects you completed at residential school. The one-week school will be held at the Observatori Astronomic de Mallorca.
For more information about OU science courses take a look at the 'Learn Science with the OU' page.
