| Weeks |
Topics covered |
| 1 |
None (admin) |
| 2 - 3 |
Introduction: what is cosmology,
overview of its development (4 major eras: prehistoric, classical,
renaissance, modern).
The prehistoric era:
measurements of the sun,
moon, eclipses, planets (retrograde motions), stars; Babylonian
astronomy/cosmology as a case study. |
| 3 - 4 |
Classical era: the shape of the earth
- Pythagoras' perfect shape sphere philosophy, Aristotle's observation
of a sphere. Eratosthenes' measurement of the earth's
size. Aristarchus' measurement of relative earth/moon/sun sizes; the
first ever heliocentric model; the parallax problem. Motion of the
planets - geocentric models, Ptolemy's epicycles. Islamic and Asian
contributions. |
| 4 - 5 |
Renaissance period: demolition of the
geocentric models. Copernicus' role; Tycho and Kepler; Kepler's 3
laws: thinking about the universe mathematically and in terms of
physical laws. Music of the spheres. Galileo's
contributions. |
| 6 - 7 |
Modern astrophysics: Newton and his
laws of motion and gravity. The growth of astrophysics: (i) New
discoveries - further planets, the extragalactic universe (Hubble &
Slipher), the Hubble expansion, the microwave background. (ii) New
technologies - better optics, bigger telescopes, photography,
electronics & computers, space technology. The "Big Bang" cosmology.
|
| 8 - 13 |
The major issues/challenges of
modern cosmology
- John Webb |
| 14 |
Internal 1 hour exam |
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