Astronomy
Courses
- Abnormal Psychology
- Academic Writing
- Academic Writing II: Writing about Literature
- Advanced Topics in Mathematics
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Astronomy
- Environmental Science
- FUNdamentals of Chemistry
- Java for Video Games
- Mathematical Problem Solving
- Molecules, Proteins, and Genes: Building Blocks of Biology
- Nanotechnology
- Plugged In: Media Studies in the 21st Century
- Screenwriting
- Short Fiction Workshop
- Short Fiction Workshop II
- Social Psychology
Score Requirements: (Score Table 1)
About the Course: Students will explore our place in the cosmos, focusing on the origin and fate of the universe. The course will begin with basic astronomical concepts and the history of astronomy. Students will construct models of the earth, sun, and moon system and regularly observe the sky to increase their understanding of celestial mechanics. Building on this understanding, students will investigate our solar system and its formation; the life cycle of stars, including black holes; galaxies; and the structure of the universe. Investigations of concepts in astrophysics (e.g. the behavior of matter and time as they relate to astronomical phenomena) and astrobiology (e.g. extrapolating the possible locations and appearance of other life in the universe) will round out the course. Throughout the term, students will apply their knowledge and skills as they interpret current data from satellites and telescopes.
About the Instructor: Kevin Carter holds a B.A. in Biology and an M.A.T. in Secondary Science Education both from UNC-Chapel Hill. He has taught Earth/Environmental Science, Biology, and Honors Chemistry, as well as English as a Foreign Language while living in Japan. Kevin enjoys encouraging his students to observe the natural world around them, as well as exciting their curiosity about the phenomena and processes they observe. He continues to satisfy his own curiosity by attending workshops at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute.
Instructor(s) subject to change.