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Free Astronomy Courses
Free astronomy courses are available online for independent learners who want to explore the field. Students can access text-based lessons and assignment instructions, though they won't receive grades or credit for their work.
Yale University
Yale University offers a study of advancing areas of astronomy via its frontiers and controversies in astrophysics course. The course emphasis is on black holes, extra-solar planets and dark energy.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT offers courses in astronomy online for free. Students can choose from topics such as exploring black holes, extrasolar planets, the early universe, and more.
- Exploring Black Holes: General Relativity and Astrophysics
- Introduction to Astronomy
- Extrasolar Planets: Physics & Detection Techniques
- The Early Universe
- Modern Navigation
- Cosmology
- Particle Physics of the Early Universe
- Astrophysics II
- Modern Astrophysics
Open University
Open University offers free online astronomy courses for interested students. Topics include the Big Bang, Jupiter, the moon, the sun, and more.
- The Big Bang
- Jupiter and Its Moons
- Introduction to Active Galaxies
- The Moon
- The Restless Universe
- The Sun
- Comparing Stars
- Icy Bodies: Europa and Elsewhere
- Telescopes and Spectrographs
- The Evolving Universe
Free Online Astronomy Courses At a Glance
| Course & School | Program Level | Format | Assignments | Quizzes & Exams | Downloadable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics from Yale University | Unspecified | Text/video/audio | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Exploring Black Holes: General Relativity and Astrophysics course from MIT | Undergraduate | Texts/video lectures/projects | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Introduction to Astronomy course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text/study materials | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extrasolar Planets: Physics & Detection Techniques course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| The Early Universe course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text/lecture slides/video lectures | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Modern Navigation course from MIT | Undergraduate | Text/lecture notes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cosmology course from MIT | Graduate | Text/lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Particle Physics of the Early Universe course from MIT | Graduate | Lecture notes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Astrophysics II course from MIT | Graduate | Text/lecture notes/study materials | No | No | Yes |
| Modern Astrophysics course from MIT | Graduate | Text | Yes | No | Yes |
| The Big Bang course from Open University | Advanced | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| Jupiter and Its Moons course from Open University | Beginner | Text/video | No | Yes | Yes |
| Introduction to Active Galaxies course from Open University | Intermediate | Text | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| The Moon course from Open University | Beginner | Text/video | No | Yes | Yes |
| The Restless Universe course from Open University | Intermediate | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| The Sun course from Open University | Beginner | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| Comparing Stars course from Open University | Intermediate | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| Icy Bodies: Europa and Elsewhere course from Open University | Intermediate | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| Telescopes and Spectrographs course from Open University | Intermediate | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
| The Evolving Universe course from Open University | Beginner | Text | No | Yes | Yes |
