The Big Questions of Astronomy

Harvard FAS

We will discuss the big questions of astronomy that have engaged scientists and the general public alike for centuries: How did the universe begin? What is the ultimate fate of the Sun? How do planets form? Is there life outside the Solar system? Students will engage with these questions through readings and problems based on contemporary questions and cutting edge research in astronomy and astrophysics. We will discuss how astronomy has evolved to use a combination of observations,…