Astronomy and Our Universe

Come ponder the universe’s vast wonderland. Begin by putting everything into perspective with a grand tour of the universe from Earth to the Big Bang, then examine the lives of stars and the key role they play in the creation of the elements that comprise our world. We will learn about galaxies, where stars flock together by the billions. Then we’ll look at the variable sky, especially the new “movies” being made and the crazy celestial menagerie they reveal. We’ll probe the simplest yet scariest objects of all, black holes, and talk about cosmology—the history and future of the universe. In the final session, meet at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics near Harvard Square, home of the Chandra Science Center. View the historic Great Refractor telescope dating back to the 1840s and learn about the much more recent discoveries that NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has made during its 25 years in orbit.

Please Note: The final class will meet offsite at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.