Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Astronomy

Content and assessment overview

• Paper 1: Naked-eye Astronomy (*Paper code: 1AS0/01)

Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes 50% of the qualification 100 marks

• • Content overview

● Topic 1 – Planet Earth

● Topic 2 – The lunar disc

● Topic 3 – The Earth-Moon-Sun system

● Topic 4 – Time and the Earth-Moon-Sun cycles

● Topic 5 – Solar System observation

● Topic 6 – Celestial observation

● Topic 7 – Early models of the Solar System

● Topic 8 – Planetary motion and gravity

• • Assessment overview

A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations, graphical, and extended-open-response questions.

• Paper 2: Telescopic Astronomy (Paper code: 1AS0/02)

Written examination: 1 hour and 45 minutes 50% of the qualification 100 marks

• Content overview

● Topic 9 – Exploring the Moon

● Topic 10 – Solar astronomy

● Topic 11 – Exploring the Solar System

● Topic 12 – Formation of planetary systems

● Topic 13 – Exploring starlight

● Topic 14 – Stellar evolution

● Topic 15 – Our place in the Galaxy

● Topic 16 – Cosmology

• Assessment overview

A mixture of different question styles, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer questions, calculations, graphical, and extended- open-response questions.