SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Extra-Curricular Activity GCSE Astronomy 2 Year Course (1 hour per week) Introduction to the course Revision of:- A day and a year The link between tilt of the Earth and the seasons Edexcel old course Location and nature of the main objects of our Solar System (planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, centaurs and Trans-Neptunian Objects - TNOs). The scale of the Solar System. The Sun moves in the Ecliptic Equinox and Solstice. Measuring the circumference of the Earth (Eratosthenes) this lesson is close to the Autumn Equinox. Seasonal variations in the rising and setting of the Sun. Interpreting charts and graphs showing variation of daylight length through a year. 1.18 1.21 1.25 2.1a 2.1b 2.1c 1.1e 1.4l 1.4m Appearance of stars, double stars, The link between the movement of stars asterisms, nebulae, constellations, open and the Earth s rotation - explain the Elliptical orbit of the Earth clusters and globular clusters. Equator, tropics, latitude, longitude, apparent east-west motion of the night Perihelion and Aphelion. Constellations Ursa Major (with the pole, horizon, meridian and zenith. sky. An Astronomical Unit (1 AU). Plough), Orion, Cygnus & Cassiopeia. Axis of the Earth tilted Equator and Stars cross the observer s meridian and Greatest elongation, conjunction, Using constellations to find:- Ecliptic. culminate when they are due south. opposition, transit and occultation. i Arcturus and Polaris Star data and charts to find the time a ii Sirius, Aldebaran & the Pleiades star crosses the observer s meridian. iii Fomalhaut & the Andromeda Galaxy. 1.1i 2.1d 2.1f 2.1g 2.1e 2.1i 3.1a 3.1d 3.1e 3.2l 3.2m 3.2n The official list of constellations. Right ascension and declination. Stars in constellations are not physically Light pollution. Using a planisphere, start charts or related. Stars in clusters are associated Plan the equipment needed for a nakedeye observation session. computer software in order to plan an gravitationally. observing session. Naked-eye observing techniques. examinations/testing Labelling stars in constellations related Understanding the terms ecliptic and to their brightness (Greek letters α to ε). The Messier Catalogue. zodiacal band on a star chart. Distinguish between optical double stars and binary star systems. 3.2a 3.2g 3.2h 1.1d 3.2i 3.2j 3.2k 3.1c 3.3a 3.1b 3.3b Circumpolar stars. The elevation of Polaris above the northern horizon is equal to the observer s latitude. A star will be circumpolar from a given latitude provided declination > 90 - latitude. 3.1f 3.2b 3.2f 3.2d 3.2c 3.2e 1.4j 1.4k Some constellations visible throughout the year, others are seasonal. The declination of Polaris is +90 : why Polaris appears fixed in the night sky. Analyse and interpret long-exposure photographs of star trails to work out the rotation period of the Earth. Year 1 Autumn Term Observations with a shadow stick - linking to the winter solstice. Anticlockwise spin of Earth. Mention of Time Zones. Sundials. Christmas Holiday
Year 1 Spring Term JANUARY The Milky Way - its appearance as seen with the naked eye, binoculars or a small telescope. The observed Milky Way is the plane of our galaxy. An understanding of the size and shape of our galaxy, the position of the Sun, dust, sites of star formation and globular clusters. Spiral, barred spiral, elliptical and irregular galaxies. Hubble Tuning Fork classification of galaxies. The Milky Way is an Sb type galaxy. The Local Group of galaxies, including the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, the Andromeda galaxy (M31) and the Triangulum galaxy (M33). Galaxies are grouped in larger clusters and superclusters. The birth and death of stars. (the link to their evolution with a solar mass, or a much greater mass). The birth of stars is linked to emission nebulae, absorption nebulae and open clusters of stars. The death of stars is linked with planetary nebulae and supernovae. 4.1a 4.1b 4.1c 4.2a 4.2b 4.2c 4.2d 4.2i 4.2j 4.2k 3.4a 3.4b 3.4c FEBRUARY The nature of neutron stars and black holes. How astronomers gain evidence of neutron stars and black holes. The Sun is a star generating energy by nuclear fusion of hydrogen to helium in the core. The Sun s diameter, distance from Earth and the temperature of the photosphere. The solar atmosphere (chromosphere and corona). The temperature of the corona is about 2 million K. Safe observing of the Sun. The appearance and nature of sunspots. Using observations of sunspots to determine the Sun s rotation period = 25 days at the equator and 36 days at the poles. Long-term drift in latitude of sunspots. The length of the solar cycle and the prediction of the next solar maximum. 3.4d 3.4e 1.3i 1.3b 1.3c 1.3d 1.3a 1.3e 1.3g 1.3f 1.3h MARCH The classification of stars according to their spectral type. A star s colour is related to its temperature. The Hertzsprung (HR) diagram Apparent magnitude (observed brightness of stars) and the log scale. Practical on the Inverse Square Law the effect of distance on light and heat received by an object like Earth. 3.3o 3.3p 3.3q 3.3c 3.3d 3.3h
Year 1 Summer Term APRIL Easter Holiday The Sun and Moon appear the same size when viewed from Earth. Appearance of partial and total solar and lunar eclipses. Diagrams to show how solar and lunar eclipses occur. The duration of total solar and lunar eclipses are different they do not occur every new and full Moon. Lunar phase cycle lasts 29.5 days. Lunar phases. The main features of the Moon. The diameter of the Moon and its distance from Earth. Distinguish between lunar seas (maria) and highlands (terrae). Rilles and wrinkle ridges. MAY JUNE Moon s rotational period and orbital period are both 27.3 days. Why we do not see the far side of the Moon. How we know the appearance of the far side of the Moon and how it differs from the near side. 1.4a 1.4e 1.4f 1.4g 1.4b 1.4c 1.2a 1.2b 1.2f 1.2i How the Moon was formed. Why are craters almost always circular? Crater formation the relative numbers of craters in the seas and highlands implies different ages. (Practical session) The orbits of Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHOs). The need to monitor PHOs. Consequences of a collision between an impactor and the Earth. Impacts within the Solar System. 1.2c 1.2d 1.2e 1.2l 1.2m 1.2g 1.2h 2.2j 2.2k 2.2l 2.2m examinations/testing How astronomers have detected exoplanets. The problems detecting individual planets. Goldilocks zones. Water is an essential for life. Searching for the origin of water on Earth (the Rosetta probe). Life elsewhere? The Drake equation. How astronomers are searching for evidence of life in the Solar System. Extraterrestrial life the benefits/dangers of discovery. 2.4a 2.4b 2.4g 2.4c 2.4d 2.4e 2.4f 2.4h 2.4i JULY Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (CMB) its significance. The discovery of CMB radiation. Recent observations of CMB, including WMAP and their importance to astronomers. Dark matter. Dark energy. The observational evidence for an expanding universe. The Big Bang. An understanding of the past evolution of the universe. Other evolutionary models (past and future) why cosmologists are unable to agree on a model. Summer Holiday 4.3i 4.3j 4.3k 4.3l 4.3m 4.3n 4.3o 4.3p
Year 2 Autumn Term SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Drawbacks of the Earth s atmosphere to astronomers. Features of the Earth. The nature and origin of meteoroids, Reflecting and refracting telescopes. Earth s atmosphere is transparent to Why we have blue skies. meteorites and micrometeorites. Why large Earth telescopes are visible light, microwaves and some Benefits of the atmosphere to humans. Meteors, fireballs and annual meteor reflectors rather than refractors. radio waves. How the atmosphere of Venus can be showers. Looking at a range of telescopes used How infrared, ultraviolet and X-rays used to illustrate the danger of extreme Annual meteor showers linked with by astronomers. are affected. global warming. cometary orbits. The radiant point. The location of observatories dependent on the atmospheric effects. 2.2g 2.2h 2.2i 1.1k 1.1l + BTEC Observation section 1.1j 1.1m 1.1n 1.1o 1.1a 1.1c 1.1b 2.1k The contributions of Copernicus, Tycho and Kepler. The discoveries of Ceres, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto the techniques involved. The main discoveries of Galileo. Observing the Sun at different wavelengths visible, X-ray and Hydrogen alpha. What studying at different wavelengths can identify. Physical characteristics of planets. Using space probes to gain data about planets and other Solar System objects. Direct and retrograde motion of planets. The variety of origins and structures of planetary satellite systems. The appearance, physical nature and composition of planetary ring systems. The Apollo space programme. ALSEPs Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package. Problems of manned space travel through the Solar System. 2.3a 2.3e 2.3d 2.1j 2.1l 2.1h 2.1n 2.1o 1.2k 2.1m The structure and nature of the solar wind. Describe the nature and discovery of Looking at past papers and the Van Allen Belts. examination techniques Aurorae how they are caused and where they can be observed. 1.3j 1.3k 1.3l 1.1p 1.4p 1.4q Galaxies can emit radio waves & X-rays. An Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) has a supermassive black hole. The existence and properties of AGNs are studied by observing at different wavelengths. Active galaxies Seyfert, blazers & quasars. Radio waves used to determine the rotation of our galaxy. The Doppler principle for radial velocities. Light from distant galaxies is red shifted. Calculations to determine the radial velocity of a galaxy. Hubble s Law. Using the Hubble Constant to find the age of the universe. Local Group galaxies can show a blueshift. Quasars have a high redshift (distant galaxies). The discovery of quasars. 4.2e 4.2f 4.2g 4.2h 4.1d 4.3a 4.3b 4.3c 4.3g 4.3h 4.3d 4.3e 4.3f examinations/testing Christmas Holiday
Year 2 Spring Term JANUARY Measuring star distances: heliocentric parallax. Parsecs. Identify light curves, calculate periods and understand causes of variability in:- a binary star Cepheid variables Revision of apparent magnitude. Absolute Magnitude. Calculations using:- M = m + 5 (5 x log d) How Cepheid Variables are used as distance indicators. A stellar spectrum in a telescope. Emission and absorption lines. Fraunhofer spectrum and the chemical composition of stars. Using a spectrum to find star temperatures and radial velocities. 3.3e 3.3f 3.3j 3.3k 3.3l 3.3m 3.3d 3.3g 3.3i 3.3k 3.3n FEBRUARY Revision of the Inverse Square Law applied to gravitational attraction and distance. The Moon s lack of atmosphere linked to its low gravity. The work of Kepler and his laws of planetary motion:- 1 Planets move in elliptical orbits. 2 Sun-planet line sweeps equal areas in equal times. Refresher lesson on Kepler s first and second laws. Kepler s third law:- Orbital period related to planetary distance. Practice calculations with Kepler s third law. Structure of comets and their orbits. Oort Cloud Long period comets. Kuiper Belt Short period comets. MARCH 2.3f 1.2j 2.1f 2.3b 2.1f 2.3b 2.3c 2.2d 2.2a 2.2e 2.2f 2.2b 2.2c The shape and diameter of Earth. Evidence that the Earth is nearly Solar and sidereal days. spherical. Why a solar day is longer than a Continued practice with calculations:- Apparent Sun and mean Sun. Rotational period of the Earth = 23 sidereal day. Apparent Sun and mean Sun. The Equation of Time (EOT). hours 56 minutes. (Why the lunar phase cycle is longer The Equation of Time (EOT). The time to rotate through 1 = 4 than the orbit period of the Moon). minutes. 1.1f 1.1g 1.1h 1.4h 1.4i 1.4d 1.4n 1.4o 1.4n 1.4o Using this timetable, the course information will be completed by the end of the Easter Term in the second year. This allows time for preparation for the written examination in the summer term. Coursework does need to be completed in good time to allow for marking and for work to be sent to examiners usually at the end of April.