This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of our home planet Earth, the Universe, and our place within them from both the scientific and philosophical perspectives. It also considers the development of astronomy in China and the West from the historical and cultural perspectives.
The course focuses on the frontiers of human knowledge, new discoveries, new evidence, new understandings, and cutting-edge issues in astronomy and their influence on human beings. By exploring the past and future of the Universe, the course provides students with the means to explore who we are as human beings and contemplate the ultimate meaning of life.
Interactive learning activities in the form of quizzes, group discussions, project presentations, astronomy labs and field trips form important parts of the course.