Astronomy course - Prof Ronen Plesser, again!

bojan · #1 19-11-2013, 07:20 AM

Hi everyone,
I can't resist to let you all know that Prof. Ronen Plesser is lecturing again!
The course begins on Dec 3rd.
Enroll and enjoy!

malclocke (Malc) · #2 19-11-2013, 07:45 AM

It's great to see this course being offered again, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I took it during the first round, and it was a challenge but thoroughly rewarding.

Details of the course are at https://www.coursera.org/course/introastro

Go sign up already!

Shark Bait (Stu) · #3 19-11-2013, 08:08 AM

This is very tempting. I know that my mathematical skills are not going to be up to the task at the moment. If I did attempt this course, I would be spending most of my time understanding the math.

I suppose the worst that could happen, is finding out exactly which areas are lacking.

malclocke (Malc) · #4 19-11-2013, 10:45 AM

Stu, don't let that stop you from signing up. I too was very nervous about the maths before starting, and found it hard going in places but it was not insurmountable and you really get a different understanding of the topics from working through the exercises rather than just watching the lectures. That said, watching the lectures alone will give you a good grounding in astrophysics, relativity and cosmology.

I got a couple of algebra books from the library and did what I could from them in the weeks running up to the course which helped a lot. As the course states, nothing more than high school level algebra is required.

But in the end, there is no obligation if you sign up and the video lectures alone are worth their weight in gold.

Malc

renormalised (Carl) · #5 19-11-2013, 01:10 PM

Good course for anyone just wanting the basics. Maths isn't too onerous

acropolite (Phil) · #6 19-11-2013, 05:11 PM

Thanks for the heads up Bojan. Looks like a good course.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #7 20-11-2013, 10:48 AM

Meh what the heck, signed up. Content looks ok but maths looks a little basic. Still cannot hurt to get the neurons working.

Many thanks for the heads up Bojan!

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #8 01-12-2013, 01:05 PM

I guess the start date is actually the 2nd Dec USA ET? nothing posted yet.

lazjen (Chris) · #9 01-12-2013, 05:39 PM

I signed up for this last night. Lots of cobwebs to clear out in the mind, so we'll see how it goes.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #10 01-12-2013, 10:36 PM

Chris...have you seen anything posted on 1st week syllabus yet? It states started today yet I have not seen anything posted yet.

lazjen (Chris) · #11 01-12-2013, 11:13 PM

No, nothing. For me it said it was starting on Dec 2nd. I expect I might get something either late tomorrow or Tuesday.

JB80 (Jarrod) · #12 02-12-2013, 04:46 AM

My wife and I signed up for this a while ago, I wanted to do last years but got sidetracked with life.

Should be good but we might have a holiday while the course is running and not sure how that would work.

lazjen (Chris) · #13 02-12-2013, 08:05 AM

I just got an email this morning with more details and a heap of links to go through. Some i can't seem to access yet since the course is starting at 12 PM east coast US time.

I've never done an online course before so I'm not sure what I'm in for as yet.

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #14 02-12-2013, 08:21 AM

Yeah I got an email this morning but the links point to broken web pages ("class site currently closed")...sigh!

orestis · #15 02-12-2013, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wasyoungonce

Yeah I got an email this morning but the links point to broken web pages ("class site currently closed")...sigh!

Good to see, its not just me, I wonder what the problem is. Should we inform them or wait until tomorrow. It seems that I have enrolled properly. I was eager to start today.

We will just have to wait and see.
cheers
Orestis

lazjen (Chris) · #16 02-12-2013, 08:40 AM

Someone probably hasn't flicked the switch to "open" the course, so it's "access denied".

Wavytone · #17 02-12-2013, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazjen

Someone probably hasn't flicked the switch to "open" the course, so it's "access denied".

Maybe someone should tell them...

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #18 02-12-2013, 09:22 AM

Meh...wait till tomorrow, should be fixed by then.

pmrid (Peter) · #19 02-12-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazjen

Someone probably hasn't flicked the switch to "open" the course, so it's "access denied".

As one who has designed University online course web pages, I would guess that the pages are date and time locked - calculated to switch to open at a set time on the day of the start of the course - and don't forget they will be 14 to 17 hours behind us here.
Peter

BakerStreet (Allan) · #20 02-12-2013, 07:25 PM

Good to know it's not just me. I could not get the links to work on my phone at work so I guessed they will come to life at about 9 tomorrow night.

My physics is now over half a life time ago.

I will be having a very crash course like a bug on a windscreen.

Can't wait to find out where it will go.