This course covers many topics. It will start with an overview of the sky's appearance to the unaided eye - as it was viewed by observers over the past 5,000 years. After learning about how remote sensing has revolutionized the way we study our home world, we'll explore the terrestrial planets and study the differences that makes each one unique.

We will then move outward to the outer gas planets. They will be described and compared to reveal the profound influence of the natural laws. Numerous pictures will show the stark and bizarre beauty of these alien worlds. This information will then be used to deduce how our solar system formed and how it has evolved.

In the second half of the term we will explore interstellar and intergalactic space. Using the diverse objects in our galaxy we will develop our understanding of star formation and evolution. These will be placed in perspective as we learn about other galaxies and what they tell us about the formation and evolution of our Universe.