AstronomyOn this page: Introduction | Programs | See also: Faculty Members | Course Descriptions | Course Winter Timetable | Introduction |
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Astronomy is the quest to explore the universe beyond the earth and to understand the physical processes that describe its contents. Essentially all civilizations have developed astronomy to some degree, with records extending back to the Babylonians. The modern development of astronomy began with Galileo turning a telescope to the sky and has undergone a revolution in the past fifty years as telescopes ranging from the radio to the gamma ray have discovered the relict radiation from the Big Bang, planets around other stars and the time and which the first stars were just beginning to form. Astronomy as a discipline is a distinctive integration of many of the sciences. At the introductory level it is used to provide a non-technical overview of the scientific approach to questions and our current understanding. At the more advanced level a quantitative physical understanding of astrophysical systems is developed. A graduate in astronomy has a wide grounding in modern physical science which is important for a wide range of roles in society. Several courses are offered to suit persons of diverse backgrounds and depths of interest. Two beginning courses (AST101H1, AST201H1) require no special knowledge of mathematics or other sciences and are best suited to students taking non-science programs. These courses develop an understanding of the universe in a qualitative way and in terms of natural laws familiar to us on Earth. Audiovisual demonstrations are used extensively. AST121H1 is an introductory astronomy course for science students. The course AST210H1 is intended for students in other areas of the physical sciences. AST251H1 is best suited to life science students. The remaining courses are designed for physical sciences and astronomy program students. The first physics and math based astronomy courses normally start in the second year. In some of these courses, the objective is to provide for practical involvement by the student. This is achieved by the use of the remotely-controlled telescopes at the St. George and Scarborough Campus observatories by day as well as by night. Undergraduate Enquiries: ungrad.sec@astro.utoronto.ca (416-946-5243)
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