Greg’s Elective Profiles: Astronomy

This is a new series of articles I will be writing throughout the year, up until March, to help students pick electives for next year, or the following year. This week, I asked Dr. Duncan, a Physics teacher at NEST+m, about his Astronomy elective. 

Curriculum:

During the class, Dr. Duncan teaches a multitude of subjects, ranging from the Solar System and our “neighborhood” to black holes, stellar formation and the Big Bang. The course takes place every other day, as it is a science elective. 

Difficulty:

According to Dr. Duncan, he would rate his class as a 3 out of 5 on the difficulty scale. Though there aren’t any prerequisites placed by the school, you should have some basic knowledge of physics and chemistry. 

Goals:

Hopefully, by the end of the class, you will come out with a smile and “a new sense of wonder at the complexity of the Universe.” 

Personal Experience:

Since I am taking this class this year, I can guarantee you that this class is what it lives up to. At the time of writing this article, we have had research projects regarding satellites and exoplanets, and have taken notes on most of the solar system. He allowed us to work together with our peers in groups during these projects.