Minor Astronomy through Space and Time

This 15 ECTS Minor offers an astronomical perspective on humanity's place and time in an ever-changing universe. It consists of three courses, Evolving Universe, Cosmic Origins and Astrobiology, 5 ECTS each. All courses are taught in period 1b. The courses are taught in English.

Programme objective

You will gain insight into the historical evolution of our understanding of the universe. After completing the three courses, you will be able to explain what planets, stars, and galaxies are and know how they form and evolve over time. Moreover, you can relate this to the formation of life as we know it. By the end of the minor, you will be aware of man's place in cosmic history and understand how astronomy has influenced and will continue to influence our lives.

For whom

The programme is open to students from all faculties. Students from the programmes in (applied) physics and astronomy are excluded because the level of the subjects is too low for them. For all other students, no prior knowledge is required.

Content

The course The Evolving Universe provides an overview of the main astronomical insights arising from our exploration of the universe. It covers the celestial sphere, astronomical instruments, the properties of the Sun and planets, stars and interstellar matter, and the Milky Way.

The Cosmic Origins course focuses on the large-scale structure and evolution of the universe. Besides covering theories of gravity, space and time, and the formation and evolution of galaxies and the universe itself, the course also discusses the historical development of our view of the universe. The course traces the evolution from a stable Earth-centred world to an expanding Big Bang universe, illustrating man's millennia-long search for the origins of the world and the cosmos. This includes an exploration of the historical, philosophical, cultural and religious context of this quest since the dawn of civilisation.

The Astrobiology course begins with the sociological aspects and research methodology of this new interdisciplinary field. The course discusses the conditions for life on Earth, diversity and evolution, exoplanetary systems and their formation/habitability, space missions to investigate life on other planets/moons in the Solar System, and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI, Fermi-Paradox).