On-line astronomy courses

[ChrisM]

Does anyone have experience with any on-line astronomy courses? I know that this is a wide field, but it's always good to get first-hand feedback.

Cheers, Chris

[tempestwizz]

There's some uni level astronomy podcasts for free developed by a Richard Pogge from Ohio State university. Have been available for a number of years. Course numbers 161 and 162 from memory. Google will find them.

[TheCrazedLog]

I found this course to be fascinating: https://www.coursera.org/course/introastro

I don't know whether this is the level you're looking for though. There's some interesting looking stuff on Coursera.

[JimsShed]

If you're just after knowledge, rather than a qualification, and like me do a lot of commuting to work, then check out the audio lectures available on audible.com.au. I'm a subscriber and you get to download and listen to full lecture series on all matter of topics. I particularly go for those published by TheGreatCourses. All manner of things from particle physics to exoplanets. Typically 10~12 hour lecture series by those at the forefront of their field.

[pfitzgerald]

Hi Chris

I completed one of the ANU units (The violent universe) back in late 2014 and thoroughly enjoyed it. Some mathematics was required but their supporting videos and worked examples help you through the 'worst' of it. When time permits I'll have a go at the other two.

https://www.edx.org/school/anux

HTH

Paul

[ChrisM]

Thanks very much Paul. I had not heard of this series and a quick look at the intro material on the website indicates that it should be very good.

Cheers, Chris

[pfitzgerald]

You're welcome Chris - it's an excellent series and a home grown product too boot. I hope that you enjoy the course.
Paul

[ChrisM]

Thanks Jim. Looks to be a very wide selection covering all manner of everything, but a monthly cost of course to subscribe.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Cheers, Chris

[ChrisM]

Thanks for that suggestion. It seems to be a course run remotely from Duke University in the USA via about 3 hours of video per week with assignments, culminating in a certificate of attainment.

I am actually compiling a bit of a list of some of the course types, with examples, that are available from various places - so not necessarily for my own use.

Cheers, Chris

[ChrisM]

Thanks Brian, I listened to a sample podcast and found that an interesting way to get the material - although no visuals of course. Certainly lots of podcasts in the series.

Cheers, Chris

[lazjen]

I did this course a couple of years ago and it was good. You need reasonable math skills to succeed. I think the course quotes 6 hrs/week and you'll probably need at least that.

[lup]

the great courses are good and you can buy them outright from them directly, hence no subscription. ive a few of the dvd courses including the astronomy course. buy them on sale though unless you like bleeding money.

[kittenshark]

I think this was one of the most challenging, but most fulfilling online courses I've ever did! it's very involved but you'll learn a lot. Highly, highly recommended.

You'll only need high school algebra but it will take awhile to get back into that gear for some people (like me).

However... I just got this email today from Intro to Astro on Coursera:

[janoskiss]

I highly recommend doing the full edX/ANUx Astrophysics (https://www.edx.org/xseries/astrophysics) series. It's well worth it. The only one I haven't done yet is Exoplanets. But I can vouch for

* Astrophysics: The Violent Universe (https://www.edx.org/course/astrophysics-violent-universe-anux-anu-astro3x-0); See Violent Universe intro video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSUASDkbH0A)
* Greatest Unsolved Mysteries of the Universe (https://www.edx.org/course/greatest-unsolved-mysteries-universe-anux-anu-astro1x-2); See Greatest Mysteries intro video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPtXpTB5uao)
* Astrophysics: Cosmology (https://www.edx.org/course/astrophysics-cosmology-anux-anu-astro4x); See Cosmology intro video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3gzQTUA1BQ)

The Cosmology one is a ripper, but you'll get more out of it if you do the other two first (or at least The Violent Universe), which are also fascinating in their own right. (Expoplanets is more of a specialised area and you could skip it.) Violent Universe just went live again on 1st of March, and it's not too late to join in.

These courses are fairly gentle on the maths compared with other uni physics courses (designed so that year 10+ high school students could follow them). Whatever you need to know is explained clearly as you go by Prof Paul Francis and Physics Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt (of dark energy discovery fame). And even if your high school maths/physics is rusty, there is plenty of help on the forums. Paul Francis goes out of his way to answer everyone's questions, especially in relation to the lessons, exercises and homework problem sets. There will also be other students who already have solid maths and physics backgrounds and are willing to help.

The courses are very well constructed and entertainingly presented. I don't believe there is anything else out there that comes close or takes you as deep at this introductory level. The pace is leisurely: you need to invest only a few hours a week.

(FYI: I am giving you an educated opinion as a physicist who teaches uni level physics, including first year astronomy and honours level quantum mechanics. I keep a close eye on what's happening in the world of online learning; something that I also participate in on all levels: as student, tutor, instructor and course coordinator. I have no affiliation with ANU though or any reason to promote their online courses other than the fact that they are excellent.)

[ChrisM]

Thanks also Chris, lup, Cheryl-Ann and Steve. As I said in the OP it's always good to get first-hand feedback. I'm going to look into a few of them some more.

I've heard a little about the Swinburne and JCU on-line courses and will research them but I suspect that they both involve a significant commitment.
Chris

[janoskiss]

For a more casual and very accessible but still rigorous (not dumbed down) stroll through cosmology and astrophysics I can thoroughly recommend youtube channel PBS Space Time (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7_gcs09iThXybpVgjHZ_7g). See, e.g.,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPStj2ZuXug

[ChrisM]

Thanks Steve, that guy is impressive. Clearly spoken and not too fast with the theory etc. Definitely worth a proper look.
Chris

[Jen]

Hi guys I was just about to start a thread about studying astronomy and I just found this thread Woohooo good timing 😜😜

I am also very keen on going to Uni or doing an online course in Astronomy I have recently been throwing emails back and forth with Swinburne and apparently I can't get into this course unless I have a bachelor degree 😡😡 or three years equivalent of hands on astronomy experience / problem solving etc 😢😢 I havnt been to school for 20years, and because I was a bit of a party animal I only completed year 11 so my maths will be my biggest downfall 🤔 So I'm not sure how I can prove this unless I do up a port folio of all my images so far and do an essay on each of them 🤔🤔 and get all my awesome Astro buddies write something up for me saying how awesome and crazy I am lol lol
So what's more annoying is that someone that has a bachelor degree in drama can walk straight into this course but someone like me who is very passionate about this hobby can't get in which really sux 😳😳
So any good tips on the best way to go to get a few nice certificates to put on my observatory wall would be awesome :D

[Malcolm]

Jen. Have a look at https://www.open2study.com/courses/astronomy-discovering-the-universe-through-science-and-technology
Course starts April 25th.

[MichaelSW]

Gresham College London provides free lectures to the public on a broad range of topics. In the SCIENCE section there are many on ASTRONOMY. The lectures are not aimed at scientists. I particularly enjoyed the lecture series by the previous Gresham Professor of Astronomy, Carolin Crawford.

Lectures can be watched on-line / downloaded.

http://www.gresham.ac.uk

[Jen]

Thanks guys I like the look of the one Paul mentioned 🤗🤗
Are the certificates certified I wonder 🤔 I must read some more 🔭🔭

[kittenshark]

I haven't tried getting into a science course at uni... and probably couldn't if I tried. I couldn't do math at that level under timed pressure because of dyslexia, means I do things extremely slowly--not good enough for exams. I had to forgo a science degree along with its many dreams, but these online courses were a godsend. I didn't get to do astronomy as part of my business/arts degree this time because I didn't have electives, or completed the physics pre-requisite courses. That didn't stop me from crashing the lectures though.

A bachelor degree in any field demonstrates your ability to handle the rigours of a traditional academic course which is why someone like Swinburne requires one. I don't know if I could have handled any of these online courses if I didn't go back to uni, even for a non-science degree. University is extremely good training when done right, which is why so many people do them and grads are sought after, even if they have a degree in Middle English Poetry or something. But with MOOCs popping up anywhere, they've become more accessible to someone who doesn't have a degree or isn't an undergrad.

You'll likely need calculus for most university-level courses, even for those that don't require it, it's useful. I'm supposed to know this stuff, got passing grades and all but I was so terrible at it that I don't trust myself with it.

The online certificates from Coursera and edX are good enough to put on your CV or LinkedIn profile, and they are verifiable (depending on the university). With a lot of universities doing distance learning I think these will become more widely accepted. I know there's a website/service that allows you to demonstrate your knowledge you've gained from these courses but for the life of me I can't remember what it's called. It basically helps lend weight to these MOOCs. You attach your essays and assignments that you used in the course to show that you did learn something and can apply it.

Like in real brick and mortar schools, MOOCs have a large variation in quality, so shop around. Unlike traditional classes, you don't have to pay much, if at all, and there's fewer consequences of quitting halfway if you don't like it.

[KissMyAsteroid]

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p694/Michael_Florence/image_zpscn0ouyx3.png

Check this podcast out. See screen shot link above from my iPad. This guy is an actual lecturer and these are his lectures from the course. It's also what what he gives his students in order to use as a study tool or if they miss a lecture.

I love listening to podcasts in the car on the way to work and back. What better way to learn than by using that previously wasted time.

Link is below.

http://www.learnoutloud.com/Podcast-Directory/Science/Astronomy/Astronomy-161--Introduction-to-Solar-System-Astronomy-Podcast/22293

Hope someone gets some value out of these,

Mick.

[sharptrack2]

I've enrolled in this one through Coursera...

https://www.coursera.org/learn/astro

Into week 4 and so far so good. Professor is knowledgeable and easy to listen to. Has a certificate option and IMHO is much more inclusive than some of the others I have looked at.

It gets a bit self-indulgent in week 4 as apparently the University of Arizona is the premier Very Large mirror maker, but the content balances out the shameless self promotion. ;):lol:

[lup]

yup. this guys got a couple courses. worth a listen

[BilliGoatsGruff]

I have no idea how podcasts work, so I'll ask this question instead; Is there any downloadable audio content for beginner's astronomy? I'm after stuff mainly about the planets just now. There was a great podcast that I found, but I'm concerned about my phone's data usage when I'm travelling.

[KissMyAsteroid]

Hi Bill.

Download the podcasts at home and play them while travelling. That's what I do. Otherwise it's just a waste of data like you say.

What kind of phone do you have?

Podcasts are basically just downloadable audio files but they are organised so that a podcast player can play them in succession. Also playback interface is orientated around spoken word as opposed to audio. For example if you miss something there is a button you can hit that takes you back 15 seconds.

Give it a try! It's simple and a great way to learn in otherwise wasted travel time.

Mick

[BilliGoatsGruff]

Mick, I have a Galaxy S5. I've started listening to Astonomy 161 by Prof. Richard Pogge, which I found in the resources link on here :) it makes for easy listening, although I have to listen to each lecture twoce because of the elephants (kids) running around the house. This is done with a Wi-Fi connection, but I don't know where to download them. There was mention of iTunes in the first two segments, but is that compatible with Android? :confuse2:

[Jen]

Gday Paul
Have you looked into the others yet? how does this actually work is it all multiple questions ? I have enrolled in all four courses but in too scared to hit start 😬😬🤔🤔😱😱

[janoskiss]

@Jen re ANUx Astro courses. Don't be scared. It's a no pressure environment. If you don't do as well as you'd hoped in the assessments it's of no consequence. It's not like a blemish on your academic record like if you went to do an astrophysics degree at uni. And the knowledge you gain will be yours for good no matter what.

The graded problems are not all multiple choice though some are. There is high school level maths involved but just about every type of problem you're asked to solve is illustrated with detailed worked examples. And if you do the course live, you'll have peers, tutors, and lecturer Paul Francis on the forum ready to help (with anything except the final exam).

The test-your-understanding exercises are graded but you get unlimited attempts. In the assignments you get a limited but generous number of attempts. In the exam you also get multiple attempts at questions but it's a bit more strict. But don't get too hung up on assessment. It's not the point of the course. If you do earn a certificate, it's going to be a pass or fail thing, and it won't show your grade. So whether you get 55% or 95%, you end up with the same certificate either way.

[pfitzgerald]

Hi Jen

No I haven't as yet - schoolwork has kept me way too busy to allow myself the luxury of do something for wrt Astronomy - haven't even been able to get the gear out since SV in March! :-( Ok - mini sob story and rant dispensed with!

Steve's comments (post #30) are all good ones, and like he says, jump in and have a go - as well as the worked examples etc there seemed to be a relatively active group of tutors/students online when it comes to asking for assistance.

My intention is to eventually enrol in and complete the three that I haven't done.

Whilst doing the unit I did do I made a point of watch and re-watching the videos - especially the ones on how to solve the associated problems and I often stop started these whilst working through the test you understanding exercises. Once I felt confident with those I then tackled the homework exercises.

As Steve said don't get too hung up on the assessment - the reason you've chosen to enrol is because you want to learn more about the hobby you love.

I hope that all helps - even if only a little bit. Once you're in and started please sing out if you get stuck and I'll help where/when I can as I'm sure others here on IIS will too.

Paul

PS The last two/three nights have all been clear and cold here in Melbourne and I've been writing & marking tests and exams and fuming that I've had to do so at the expense of being able to get the gear out! (Sorry ranting again)

[Jen]

:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Thank you Steve and Paul I'm getting closer to hitting that start button 😀😀
The courses look awesome 🔭🔭
Oh no Paul you must be hanging out to get the scope back out again I would be going nuts right now if I was you 😳 I get annoyed if I miss a weekend of Astro 😈 im out in it every opportunity I can get 🤔🤔😱😱 OK yep I've got it bad haven't I hahahahaha

[pfitzgerald]

Yes you have Jen - but that's how life should be! Hopefully QB weekend will provide some nice AP weather - most of my schoolwork will be done by then and I'll have time to get the gear out - Now press that start button! :-)

Paul