Special Astro Course by Dr Paul Cizdziel: Understanding and Viewing the Cosmos

Mankind’s relationship to the stars and constellations have been a key foundation of human culture since the beginning of time.  We will explore several ways it has influenced human history, and why and how we study the cosmos today. 

The new era of astronomical discovery employs powerful telescopes and other detectors; several of which orbit in space.  We will explore what we know about the universe and the massive celestial structures that comprise it.  Students will learn how to find various celestial objects in the sky and which are possible see and photograph with very simple digital photography tools.

In the last decade, astrophotography has been enabled primarily by advances in hardware integration (telescopes & mounts), software solutions, improved digital camera sensors and image processing.   Advanced amateur telescope equipment will be demonstrated.

Activities: 

• 3D Constellation – Students (group work) will construct a hanging 3D model of an anonymous star pattern using provided x-y-z coordinates.  

• Earth Orbital & Solar System Model – A 3D model of the earth`s orbit will be constructed to illustrate how and why the seasons and constellations change in the night sky through-out the year. 

• Excursion – JAXA Aerospace Center and Earth Life Science Institute 

• Image Planning - Students will plan out an imaging project like the Milky Way or Planet Saturn, or Andromeda galaxy.   Students will then determine the needed equipment, timing, location and sky position to complete the (hypothetical) task. 

• Night Viewing – Depending on the weather and cloud forecast, telescope viewing of the stars (attendance optional). 

Modern problems require inventive solutions! In Future Homes we will investigate how the challenges of today may shape the buildings of tomorrow.

From smart technologies to sustainable materials, and from cultural shifts to climate change, we will explore how emerging innovations can help us futureproof the homes we live in. 

What’s the best way to get from location A to location B? The answer largely depends on three factors; where location A is, where location B is, and the criteria by which you define ‘best’. From flying cars to floating trains, and from space elevators to spaceships, in Future Transport we will explore a range of concepts for moving people and goods between cities, between nations, and between planets. 

As each day passes, the digital world and the physical world merge together more and more. How we communicate, how we work, how we play, how we live have all changed dramatically over the last few years. What will the future hold? In this week of Summer School, the students will gaze into the future and see how technology will change their lives and will work to have an impact and a guiding influence on how that future will unfold.