Learning Outcomes

In this free course, you will learn how to:

• Identify the main units used to measure distances in space
• Explain how telescopes and detectors collect light to reveal information about distant objects
• Describe how gravity shapes the motion of planets, stars, and other objects in space
• Classify the different types of planets and small bodies found in planetary systems
• Recall how stars are born, evolve, and produce chemical elements through nuclear reactions
• Distinguish between white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes based on how they form
• Recognise the high-energy events that occur when stars explode or matter falls into compact objects
• Classify galaxies as spiral, elliptical, or lenticular based on their shape and structure
• Discuss how gas and dust between stars influence how new stars and galaxies evolve
• Summarise how dark matter, cosmic expansion, and early universe events shaped the structure of space