Modern science was borne of an effort over many centuries to understand
the motions of celestial bodies. The Copernican Revolution of the 16th
and 17th centuries was the crucial moment in history when we finally
understood the nature of celestial motions, and opened the door to the
modern world. This lecture reviews the problem of celestial motions,
the t ... Show More
Sep 2009
Lecture 3: Imagining Other Worlds
What is the cultural history of our imaginings of other worlds and their possible inhabitants? I will draw examples from history, philosophy, literature, cinema, and popular culture. In the end, our imaginings about other worlds inform us more about ourselves, our
hopes and our f ... Show More
40m 9s
Sep 2009
Lecture 2: Astronomical Numbers
An introduction and review of the basic notation and physical units we will be
using throughout this course. In particular, we will be using the
Metric (SI) system for lengths, masses, times, and temperatures, and
special astronomical units for distances (AU and Light Years) and ... Show More
43m 56s
Mar 2022
Comment calculer l'âge d'une étoile ?
La durée de vie d'une étoile peut nous renseigner sur sa composition et sur l'existence éventuelle de la vie dans le cosmos. mais, en dehors du Soleil, il est assez difficile de déterminer l'âge d'une étoile.
L'importance de la masse
En évaluant, grâce à la radioactivité, l'âge d ... Show More
1m 58s