OLLI0050 - An Exploration of Astronomy’s History, Science, and Discoveries

Course Description

Over the past century, the telescopes and technology of astronomy have improved by leaps and bounds. This and the numerous tricks up their sleeves have allowed astronomers to make discoveries that were once thought only to be science fiction. In this course, we will cover a wide variety of topics such as how astronomers are able to determine distances to objects and their characteristics, and how they are able to detect (and in some cases characterize) more than 4,000 planets orbiting other stars. We will explore some “oddball” stars – stars which have more going on with them than what meets the naked eye. We will focus on one of the most famous astronomers of all time, Galileo Galilei, the ground-breaking discoveries he made with his own telescope and how those discoveries clashed with the view of the universe during his time. Lastly, we will examine the life and accomplishments of a world-famous astronomer who was born right here in Nashville, Tennessee – Edward Emerson Barnard. No previous knowledge of astronomy is required. Watch video