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To provide students with an opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the key principles and applications of astronomy laboratory and research skills, and their relevance to current developments in astronomy.

Timetable 11.30am - 5pm

This course is normally only open to students who meet the requirements for entry, or progression, for a degree programme which includes Astronomy Skills 2 as an elective or compulsory course.

Astronomy Project for 4M students is a compulsory course for the following degree programmes:

MSci (Honours) Combined Astronomy

Astronomy Project for 4M students is a prohibited course for the following degree programmes:

BSc (Honours) Physics, BSc (Honours) Combined Physics, BSc (Honours) Combined Astronomy, BSc (Honours) Chemical Physics, BSc (Honours) Physics with Astrophysics, BSc (Designated) Physics, BSc (Designated) Combined Physics, BSc (Designated) Physics with Astrophysics, MSci Physics, MSci Theoretical Physics, MSci Combined Physics, MSci Physics with Astrophysics, MSci Chemical Physics, MSci Chemical Physics with Work Placement

  Astronomy Laboratory 2, Astronomy Skills 2

Laboratory 100% (of which lab report 63%, practical skills 12%, viva 25%)

To present an integrated course of study providing students with knowledge and understanding of the astrophysical universe, and of the methods and principles of astrophysical enquiry. To provide training and experience in the principles and practice of astronomical observation and measurement and in the reduction and analysis of observational data. To develop the students' ability to work effectively, singly and in small groups, to reinforce their individual responsibility for their own learning and understanding and to develop their written and oral communication skills.

By the end of the course, students will be able to: programme straightforward procedures in a high level computer language, or use professional-level astronomical software, to solve astrophysical problems and analyse data from astronomical sources; plan and execute experimental investigations of physical processes using bench and/or astronomical equipment; evaluate uncertainties inherent in experimental measurements and errors introduced by numerical computations; make a critical analysis and draw valid conclusions from the results of experimental investigations; write clear and concise reports, and give oral presentations, in a scientific style, containing a full description of the research background and context, aims, methods, errors and uncertainties, outcomes and conclusions of a piece of laboratory work.

Students should be able to: prepare a written presentation on their project, including setting it in a broader research context; prepare and deliver an oral presentation on their project; apply logical analysis to problem solving; interact positively with colleagues in a small group context; appreciate the nature of open problems.