The Turner Science Courses

An introduction to astronomy for ages 8 and up (and their parents!)

NOW REGISTERING FOR THE 2024-25 COURSES: INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY and HISTORY OF SPACEFLIGHT.

Contact me at aaron.n.turner@gmail.com
  

Introduction to Astronomy : This course consists of a series of lectures and presentations describing the Universe surrounding us, from the objects in our solar system, to the stars in our galaxy, to the most distant galaxies that Man has discovered.  The material presented assumes no previous knowledge of astronomy.  I describe the nature of astronomical objects in great detail, and introduce the physical processes that govern their formation, progression and interactions.  In addition, on each class night with clear skies, we observe from our front yard (in Southbury, CT) through my 10" telescope - viewing planets, double stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies, as well as artificial satellites and the occasional meteor.

Classes will meet Tuesday every other week (subject to change depending on schedules of the families that enroll) at 7pm starting in late-August, and ending in mid to late Spring, 2024. There are a total of 19 biweekly sessions.  Attending in person is preferred; however, a limited number of families may attend through Skype.

The History of Astronomy: This course is available for ages 10 and up, or for any student who has completed the Introduction to Astronomy course.

Starting from prehistoric evidence of observations of the motions of the Sun and Moon, this course traces the development of our understanding of the Universe through the early theories of the Greeks, then through the Copernican and Galilean revolutions of the Renaissance, Kepler, Newton, and the dawn of modern astronomy in the 18th-20th centuries. We will carry through to the latest discoveries of the 21st century, and peer into what lies ahead. 

The course runs for 19 sessions on the weeks between sessions of the Introductory course.  

The History of Spaceflight: This course will start with a brief review of the early experiments with rockets and balloons, and proceed through the development of increasingly powerful rockets for military use in the 20th century.  The bulk of the course will start at the dawn of the space race following World War II.  We will cover both the American and Soviet space programs from the mid-1950s through the incredible progress made in the 1960s leading to the landing of man on the moon in 1969.  Then we will proceed to cover in depth each of the Apollo moon landings in the early 1970s, before moving on to cover the early space stations (Skylab, Salyut, Mir), the Space Shuttle program, and the construction and missions of the International Space Station.  The course will end with the development of private spaceflight, and a look ahead to the missions to Mars.  

The course runs for 19 sessions on the weeks between sessions of the Introductory course.

Location: Southbury, CT

Cost: The price for the class is $250 per student and can be paid in full or in monthly installments. Parents attend (and are encouraged to attend) for free. 

Tonight's Observing Conditions