ASTRONOMY 101
If you want to learn about astronomy but don’t know where to start, then you came to the right place! What follows is a series of primers that will take you on a journey across the vastness of the cosmos and give you a strong foundation for understanding the universe at every scale, from stars and planets to black holes and the Big Bang, as well as the tools and methods we have developed across history to discover its secrets and expand humanity’s reach into the great beyond. The sections below are ordered in a way that builds on the fundamentals before guiding you further down the rabbit hole, but you can tackle them in whatever order you find fun!
NOTE: Throughout the various sections of Astronomy 101, you can find certain words that will link you to other relevant sections. These words will be highlighted and underlined.
Discover the inner workings and life cycles of these luminous celestial engines that pervade and power the universe.
Take a tour of our cosmic backyard from the shining Sun at the center, to the planets, moons, asteroids and comets that gravitate around it.
Learn how the various gatherings of stars give deeper insights into the cycles that shape the everchanging landscapes of nebulae and galaxies.
Discover how these vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust drive the formation and evolution of stars.
Meet the giants whose shoulders we stand upon today, both human and machine, that brought us evermore into the light of discovery.
Learn the principles behind these powerful instruments that show us the universe in stunning detail, which one is right for you and how to use it.
Get oriented with how we organize the night sky so that we can better navigate its wonders.
Learn about the light we can see, and can’t see, how it interacts with our environment and unlocks the secrets of distant worlds.
Unravel the fundamental force of gravity that gives shape to our universe and choreographs the cosmic ballet in our skies.
All that is, was and ever will be… as far as we know. Explore the universe from our Milky Way to the edge of existence.
Marvel at the grand designs of these complex, gravitationally-bound systems of stars, gas and dust.