PSCI 1503 Introduction to Astronomy Syllabus W01 Spring 2026

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Credit Hours 3.00 Lecture Hours 3 Clinical/Lab Hours 0
Type of Credit
Baccalaureate/Transfer
CIP Code
40.0201
Course Description

This course is designed to introduce the non-science major to the basic concepts of astronomy. The student will examine the structure, properties, evolution and dynamics of earth, our solar system, stars, galaxies and the universe. IAI: P1 906.

Course Alignment

IAI Number
P1-906
IAI Title
Physical Sciences
General Education Outcomes

General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:

  1. Communication
  2. Critical Thinking

Faculty Contact Information

Faculty Name
Jessica Kawa
Faculty Email
jkawa@kcc.edu

Course Information

Course Outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe the process of and apply the scientific method, detailing the role of hypothesis, prediction, experiment, and theory.
  2. Explain the motions in the night sky, the Sun-Earth-Moon system, and Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion.
  3. Describe structure and origin of the solar system and discuss the features and properties of the following: Sun, Moon, Earth, terrestrial planets, Jovian planets, moons, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets.
  4. Describe stars, including our sun, in terms of their types, properties, location on Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams and discuss life cycle of stars based on their masses (low, intermediate, high).
  5. Describe the interstellar medium and the various types of nebulae.
  6. Describe the properties of black holes.
  7. Describe the characteristics of the different types of galaxies, including the Milky Way.
  8. Describe the large-scale structure of the universe.
  9. Discuss the Big Bang Theory and possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.
Topical Outline
  1. Introduction to Science and the Universe
    1. Define astronomy
    2. Scientific method, laws and theories
    3. Numbers in astronomy
    4. Light years
    5. Light and fundamental forces
    6. Quick tour of the universe
    7. Elements in the universe
    8. Timeline from the big bang to now
  2. Observing the Sky
    1. Celestial sphere
    2. Motions of stars, sun, moon and planets from earth
    3. Constellations
    4. Ancient Greek astronomers and their discoveries
    5. Discoveries/contributions of Copernicus and Galileo
  3. Orbits and Gravity
    1. Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
    2. Newton's Laws of Motion
    3. Universal Law of Gravitation
    4. Orbits of planets
    5. Asteroid and comets in our solar system
  4. Earth, Moon and Sky
    1. Latitude and longitude
    2. Right ascension and declination
    3. Reason for seasons
    4. Solar day
    5. Phases and motions of the moon
    6. Ocean tides and the moon
    7. Lunar and solar eclipses
  5. Radiation and Spectra
    1. Properties of light and the electromagnetic spectrum
    2. Spectral lines and composition of gases
    3. Structure of the atom
    4. Doppler effect
  6. Astronomical Instruments
    1. Optical and radio telescopes
    2. Hubble telescope
    3. Observations from outside earth's atmosphere
  7. Introduction to the Solar System
    1. Composition and structure of terrestrial and Jovian planets, moons, asteroids and comets
    2. Dating and origin of objects in the solar system
  8. Earth
    1. Earth's interior
    2. Magnetic field
    3. Crust
    4. Atmosphere
    5. Life on earth
    6. Greenhouse effect
  9. Cratered Worlds - The Moon and Mercury
    1. Properties of the moon, lunar surface and impact craters
    2. Origin of the moon
    3. Properties of Mercury
  10. Earthlike Planets - Venus and Mars
    1. Properties, Geology and atmosphere of Venus
    2. Properties, Geology, Water and life on Mars
  11. The Giant Planets - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
    1. Composition, properties and characteristics
    2. Appearance and rotation of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
  12. Planetary Rings, Moons and Pluto
    1. Properties of major moons (Galilean, Titan and Triton)
    2. Ring systems of Jovian planets
    3. Pluto
  13. Comets and Asteroids
    1. Composition and types of asteroids
    2. Near-earth objects
    3. Oort cloud
    4. Kuiper belt
    5. Comets
  14. Origin of the Solar System
    1. Meteors and meteorites
    2. Formation of the solar system
    3. Other planetary systems
    4. Planetary evolution
  15. The Sun and its Structure and Properties
    1. Structure and composition of the sun
    2. Solar cycle
    3. Solar activity
  16. The Sun and its Energy
    1. Forms of, conservation and transformation of energy
    2. Matter and energy
    3. Atoms
    4. Nuclear forces and reactions
    5. Thermonuclear fusion
    6. Interior of the sun
    7. Equilibrium
    8. Energy balance
    9. Energy movement
  17. Analyzing Starlight
    1. Brightness, color, temperature and spectra of stars
    2. Using spectra to measure composition and motion of stars
  18. The Stars
    1. Physical properties including masses and diameters of stars
    2. Classification
    3. H-R diagrams
  19. Celestial Distances
    1. Metric system
    2. Astronomical unit
    3. Distances to stars
    4. Parallax
    5. Variable stars
  20. Interstellar Medium - Gas and Dust
    1. Properties of interstellar medium, gas, dust
  21. Star Formation
    1. Star formation
    2. Exoplanets
    3. Planet formation
  22. Life Cycle of Stars
    1. Life cycle of main sequence stars
    2. Red giants
    3. Star clusters
    4. Planetary nebulae
    5. Formation of chemical elements
    6. Massive stars
  23. The Death of Stars
    1. Death of low mass stars, Massive stars and supernova
    2. Pulsars and neutron stars
    3. Binary star systems
    4. Gamma-ray bursts
  24. Black Holes and Curved Spacetime
    1. Basic introduction to general relativity
    2. Gravity
    3. Warping of spacetime
    4. Blackholes and evidence of their existence
  25. The Milky Way Galaxy
    1. Structure and main components of Milky Way galaxy
    2. Stellar populations in the galaxy
    3. Formation of galaxy
  26. Galaxies
    1. Types of galaxies and their properties
    2. The expanding universe
  27. Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Blackholes
    1.    a. Characteristics of quasars
    2.    b. Super massive black holes
  28. The Evolutions and Distribution of Galaxies
    1. Distant galaxies
    2. Galactic collisions
    3. Distribution of galaxies
    4. Dark matter
    5. Formation and evolution of galaxies
  29. The Big Bang
    1. Age and expansion of the universe
    2. The beginning of the universe
    3. Cosmic microwave background
    4. Composition the universe
  30. Life in the Universe
    1. Conditions for life on earth
    2. Chemical building blocks of life
    3. Habitable environments
    4. SETI
Academic Division

Liberal Arts & Sciences

Dean, Jennifer Huggins; 815-802-8484; R310; jhuggins@kcc.edu; Division Office- W102; 815-802-8700

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College Policies

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Copyright & Syllabus Disclaimer

The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright. 
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.