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Nature of science:
Reality: The systematic measurement of distance and brightness of stars and galaxies has led to an understanding of the universe on a scale that is difficult to imagine and comprehend. (1.1)
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Understandings:
- Objects in the universe
- The nature of stars
- Astronomical distances
- Stellar parallax and its limitations
- Luminosity and apparent brightness
Applications and skills:
- Identifying objects in the universe
- Qualitatively describing the equilibrium between pressure and gravitation in stars
- Using the astronomical unit (AU), light year (ly) and parsec (pc)
- Describing the method to determine distance to stars through stellar parallax
- Solving problems involving luminosity, apparent brightness and distance
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Theory of knowledge:
- The vast distances between stars and galaxies are difficult to comprehend or imagine. Are other ways of knowing more useful than imagination for gaining knowledge in astronomy?
Utilization:
- Similar parallax techniques can be used to accurately measure distances here on Earth
Aims:
- Aim 1: creativity is required to analyse objects that are such vast distances from us
- Aim 6: local amateur or professional astronomical organizations can be useful for arranging viewing evenings
- Aim 9: as we are able to observe further into the universe, we reach the limits of our current technology to make accurate measurements
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Guidance:
- For this course, objects in the universe include planets, comets, stars (single and binary), planetary systems, constellations, stellar clusters (open and globular), nebulae, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and super clusters of galaxies
- Students are expected to have an awareness of the vast changes in distance scale from planetary systems through to super clusters of galaxies and the universe as a whole
Data booklet reference:
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