Photo of Centaurus A galaxy taken using remote-operated Prompt telescope.
Article by Alannah Anderson, Photo contributed by Lily McCabe
Do you ever look up into the night sky and wish you knew what you were looking at? Wonder what makes the world go round? Or possibly seeking to satisfy one of those GEP requirements with a fun class? Look no further than NCSU’s very own Stellar and Galactic Astronomy and Solar System Astronomy. While you may be initially hesitant to take these classes, they are certain to color up your dreary schedules with bright stars and planets.
PY 123, or Stellar and Galactic Astronomy, is an introductory course focused on the survey of stars, galaxies and cosmology. This is an excellent opportunity for non-science students to pursue a topic of interest, as this class is geared towards those with a limited science based background. Covering topics such as lunar cycles, pulsars and other otherworldly phenomenons, this course is bound to keep you interested. By the end of the semester, you’ll know the difference between waxing and waning, how doppler shifts have colors indicating the direction in which stars are moving and that stars are made up of hot gas, particularly hydrogen and helium — sorry for the spoiler! Other topics to look forward to are black holes and recent galactic discoveries that are puzzling the minds of astronomers. This course would be a great match if you are curious about space’s bigger picture, compared to PY 124’s focus on a more localized level.
PY 124, or Solar System Astronomy, is another introductory course, but instead revolves around the solar system. You will learn the history of astronomy but also why the earth spins around a giant ball of gas (the sun) and even what the rings of saturn are made of. Despite that these classes are nestled in the physics courses, they are part of the General Education Program here at NC State. Specific to the natural sciences area, courses like these look at inner workings and can fit the needs of all students, regardless of STEM interest or passion. By providing a learning experience filled with theory and valuable research methods, any student can obtain crucial academic skills, making it a great match for the GEP program and for you to transition into college-level academia.
PY 125, or the Astronomy Laboratory, is designed to complement either PY 123 or PY 125 where you will practice what you have learned through astronomic observation. Although not required to take as a corequisite, this lab provides hands-on application of teachings, creating a dynamic environment for the interaction between concepts and practice. The twelve exercises you will complete over the semester “include astronomical instruments; the nature of light; Kepler’s and Newton’s laws of motion; the constellations, planets, binary stars, stellar clusters, and galaxies,” according to the course description. The lab is a perfect opportunity to challenge yourself by taking what you’ve learned and entering a supportive learning environment where you can ask questions and experiment through trial and error. After all, every discovery starts off with asking why or how.
Even if these aren’t classes that you need to satisfy any major or minor requirements, they are a great option to integrate science, research and application that can create useful approaches to be utilized in future courses. And after all, who doesn’t like to look at stars and the great big beyond?