Astronomy 101: Intro to Astronomy
- Course type: Self-paced
- Available Lessons: 154
- Average Lesson Length: 8 min
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Eligible for Credit: Yes
Earn transferable credit by taking this course for credit.
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Watch a preview:
chapter 1 / lesson 1The Scientific Field of Astronomy

Course Summary
Astronomy 101 has been evaluated and recommended for 3 semester hours and may be transferred to over 2,000 colleges and universities. With this self-paced course, you get engaging lessons, expert instructors who make even the most challenging astronomy topics simple, and an excellent resource for getting a head start on your degree.To Start This Course Today
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19 chapters in Astronomy 101: Intro to Astronomy
Course Objective
The course objective is for you to get a sense of the universe's enormity and discover the infinitesimal portion of history occupied by human existence.
Grading Policy
Your grade for this course will be calculated out of 300 points. The minimum score required to pass and become eligible for college credit for this course is 210 points, or an overall course grade of 70%. The table below shows how your overall grade will be calculated.
Possible Points | |
---|---|
Quizzes | 100 |
Proctored Final Exam | 200 |
Total | 300 |
Quizzes
Quizzes are meant to test your comprehension of each lesson as you progress through the course. Here's a breakdown of how you will be graded on quizzes and how they'll factor into your final score:
- You will have 3 attempts to take each quiz for a score.
- The highest score of your first 3 attempts will be recorded as your score for each quiz.
- When you've completed the course, the highest scores from your first 3 attempts at each quiz will be averaged together and weighed against the total possible points for quizzes. For instance, if your average quiz score is 85%, you'll receive 85 out of 100 possible points for quizzes.
- After your initial 3 attempts, you can take a quiz for practice as many times as you'd like.
- You will need to pass each quiz with a score of at least 80% to earn course progress for the lesson. However, it is not necessary to earn 80% within the first three quiz attempts.
Proctored Final Exam
The proctored final exam is a cumulative test designed to ensure that you've mastered the material in the course.
- You'll earn points equivalent to the percentage grade you receive on your proctored final. (So if you earn 90% on the final, that's 90 points toward your final grade.)
- If you're unsatisfied with your score on the exam, you'll be eligible to retake the exam after a 3-day waiting period.
- You can only retake the exam twice, so be sure to use your study guide and fully prepare yourself before you take the exam again.
Items Allowed on Study.com Proctored Exam for Astronomy 101:
- Blank scratch paper
- Pen or pencil
Items NOT Allowed on Study.com Proctored Exam for Astronomy 101:
- Office programs, web browsers, or any programs other than Software Secure (including Study.com lessons)
- Textbooks (digital or physical)
- Mobile phones, headphones, speakers, TVs, or radios
- Notebooks or notes
- Any calculators
Course Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, you will be able to:
- Identify contributions and major theories related to the study of astronomy in ancient and modern times; Describe the basic features and motions of the night sky.
- Identify and describe the theories related to the beginning, evolution and fate of the Universe; Explain how galaxies, including the Milky Way, are formed and distributed; Identify types of galaxies and their properties.
- Describe the formation and evolution of the solar system and its planets and bodies; Identify and describe the major characteristics of the Sun, planets, moons, and small bodies in the solar system, including meteoroids, asteroids, and comets.
- Describe the formation, evolution, and death cycle of a variety of different star types.
- Identify theories related to the origin of life and describe predictors of life on other planets.
- Describe the physics of light and the electromagnetic spectrum and explain how telescopes can be used to detect and study both
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Course Format
Astronomy 101 consists of short video lessons that are organized into topical chapters. Each video is approximately 5-10 minutes in length and comes with a quick quiz to help you measure your learning. The course is completely self-paced. Watch lessons on your schedule whenever and wherever you want.
At the end of each chapter, you can complete a chapter test to see if you're ready to move on or have some material to review. Once you've completed the entire course, take the practice test and use the study tools in the course to prepare for the proctored final exam. You may take the proctored final exam whenever you are ready.
How Credit Recommendations Work
This course has been evaluated and recommended NCCRS for 3 semester hours in the lower division baccalaureate degree category. To apply for transfer credit, follow these steps:
- If you already have a school in mind, check with the registrar to see if the school will grant credit for courses recommended by either ACE or NCCRS.
- Complete Astronomy 101 by watching video lessons and taking short quizzes.
- Take the Astronomy 101 final exam directly on the Study.com site.
- Request a transcript to be sent to the accredited school of your choice!
- Check out this page for more information on Study.com's credit-recommended courses.
Additional Information
Course Topics
Category | Objectives |
---|---|
The Historical Background of Astronomy | Examines how ancient peoples used astronomical objects to tell time. Describes the scientific field of astronomy and how astronomy developed in ancient history. Differentiates between models of the universe, and explores the contributions of Kepler, Brahe and Galileo. |
The Basics of Astronomy | Discusses the horizon and equatorial coordinate systems and planets of the solar system. Defines precession and the lunar and solar eclipse. Describes the cycle of the seasons in astronomy and important points on the celestial sphere. |
The Physics of Astronomy | Provides definitions and descriptions of light, photons, the law of universal gravitation and the speed of light. |
Understanding Orbits in Astronomy | Teaches ways orbits are influenced by gravity and energy, and explains of orbits of the planets, trajectories for celestial objects and differences between circular and escape velocity. |
The Earth-Moon System | Explains Earth's formation and four spheres, the structure of the atmosphere and the moon's formation, rocks, motion, atmosphere and phases. |
The Solar System | Introduces solar nebula theory, the solar system's layout and characteristics as well as methods for determining its age. Teaches what caused planets to form, and describes planetisimals, the Jovian problem and planetary geology. |
The Inner Solar System | Describes the inner planets of the solar system and the surface and atmosphere on Mercury, Venus and Mars. |
Gaseous Planets in the Solar System | Discusses outer planets of the solar system. Explains the properties of Jupiter, characteristics of Saturn and moons and atmosphere of Uranus and Neptune. |
Comets, Moons & Asteroids | Examines how satellites are formed, and lists characteristics of asteroids, meteoroids and comets. Identifies moons of the Jovian planets, classifications of meteorites and dwarf planets of the solar system. |
Understanding the Science of the Sun | Teaches about the sun's structure, atmosphere and life cycle. Defines the photosphere and chromosphere, and discusses sunspots, helioseismology and the heliosphere. Provides details about the solar corona, solar wind, solar flares and solar prominences. |
Types of Stars in the Universe | Lists types of stars and star clusters, and defines main sequence and binary stars. Describes the planets around distant stars, constellations and zodiac constellations. |
Formation & Evolution of Stars | Details how stars form, and provides a description of the interstellar medium. Examines different types of nebulae, young stellar objects and protostellar disks, giant stars and forces keeping stars in a stable equilibrium. |
Stellar Death & Remnants | Educates on the definitions of planetary nebulae, white dwarfs, pulsars, cosmic rays, neutron stars and supernova remnants. Explains how lower-main-sequence stars die, and describes the origin of gamma-ray burst and cosmic recycling. |
Formation & Structure of the Milky Way | Outlines how the Milky Way galaxy formed and it was discovered. Describes the structure and mass of our galaxy, nucleus of a galaxy and differences between population I and II stars. |
Properties & Characteristics of Galaxies | Introduces Hubble's law and Hubble's constant, dark matter, quasars and supermassive black holes. Discusses the collision of galaxies and distribution of galaxy properties, and describes types of spiral galaxies and galaxy clusters. Teaches about active galactic nuclei and how to measure the properties of distant galaxies. |
Cosmology Overview | Shares facts about the origins of the universe, evidence for the Big Bang theory, the cosmological principle, cosmic inflation and three models of the universe. Distinguishes between the observable universe and entire universe, and describes the evolution of the early universe. |
Relativity in Space & Time | Defines classical, general and special relativity. Discusses time dilation, space contradiction and the relationship between mass and energy. |
Overview of Life in the Universe | Examines the basic nature of life and origin of life on Earth. Examines intelligent life in the universe and planetary predictors of extraterrestrial life. Compares the human lifetime to the lifespan of the universe. |
Tools & Instruments for Astronomy | Describes types and limitations of telescopes. Explains how telescopes measure and detect light, and outlines factors that hinder astronomical observations on Earth. |
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What to Expect For the Exam
This Study.com course has been evaluated and recommended for college credit. Once you've completed this course, you can take the proctored final exam and potentially earn credit. Follow the steps below to take the exam.
Exam Steps
Pre-Exam Checklist
Before taking the exam, all of the following requirements must be met:
A College Accelerator Study.com membership. | |
Completed the entire Astronomy 101: Intro to Astronomy course and achieved 100% Course Progress. | |
Not attempted to take this exam within the last three days. | |
Have available proctored exams in this month of membership. | |
Complete the exam readiness quiz. |
Please complete all of the pre-requirements in the Pre-Exam Checklist in order to take the exam.
Exam Process Details
1. Register For Exam
Registering for the exam is simple. First, be sure you meet the system requirements. Next, you'll need to agree to the academic integrity policy. Then just confirm your name and the exam name, and you're ready to go!
2. Download Software Secure
You'll receive an unique access code. Please write this down — you'll need it to take the exam. Then download Software Secure and follow the installation instructions.
3. Take Exam
The exam contains 50 - 100 multiple choice questions. You will have two hours to complete the exam, so don't start until you're sure you can complete the entire thing. And remember to pace yourself!
4. Get Exam Results
We will send you an email with your official exam results within 1 to 2 weeks.
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