Astronomy and Astrophysics for Gifted and Talented, Intellectually Curious, Students: three weeks in a planetarium 9AM-noon and one week in West Virginia camping with your parents learning  about the universe.

What happens when a sun explodes? What causes the stunning "Northern Lights"?  What mysterious and powerful force holds the universe together? When did  theWhirlpool galaxy, M51,  &  Eagle Nebulae, M16, in our Galaxy, both Hubble Space Telescope images universe all  start and where is it going?  Learn the answers to these questions and have fun doing hands-on activities that will stimulate your imagination and curiosity. The class will meet in the modern Montgomery College Planetarium and use real data collected by spacecrafts and observatories. Algebra and use of Texas Instruments graphing calculators is required. Investigate topics in astronomy and learn the physics necessary to make sense of the universe.   This course is designed so that you could start or continue a meaningful science fair project in space science using real data perhaps collected by a spacecraft or earth borne observatory, if you chose to.  This is a research based course where instead of learning about science you actually are expected to do science.  Science as a verb not a noun.

The  instructor for the course is Dr. Harold Williams, and I want to be your mentor.

Send e-mail to Dr. Harold Williams at

Links to Sites we will use during the class:

To register for the course call Sharon Wolfgang 240-567-7264 or 240-567-7917.  The course is SCH980 and the section  number is CRN16600.  Tuition is $320+ Fee $70 = $390 (Non-resident, outside of Maryland, additional fee of  $160).
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Web page by Dr. Harold Alden Williams, last modified  9:37PM June 10, 2008.