- Docente: Bruno Marano
- Credits: 6
- SSD: FIS/05
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Teaching and Communication of Natural Sciences (cod. 5704)
Learning outcomes
The course provides the student with a basic knowledge of the evolution of (western) Astronomy and on the relevant teaching approaches. More specifically, he will be able to: a) describe the evolution of the concept of space ; b) connect this evolution and the development of research and instrumentation; c) describe the historical evolution of the description of the Universe (or "World")
Course contents
Observed motion of the sky. 2h
Astronomical Calendars and time measurement. 2h
Earth dimensions: the measure of the position on Earth. 2h
Beyond the Earth: the World systems, Ptolemy and Kopernik -2h
Beyond the Solar System: dimensions of the "World" - 2h
The Stars -2h
Is Chemistry universal? -2h
The Galaxy and the galaxies -2h
The Universe- 2h
Visit to the Torre della Specola -2h
Didactic experiments -2/4h
Visit to San Petronio sundial (pending)
Three selected themes, to be presented by the student as lectures. Examples extracted from a large and flexible list:
- Ancient Calendars
- Influence of the Moon: facts, legends, superstions
- Erathostenes: Earth circumference (III Con. BC)
- Galileo, the Milky Way and Jovian satellites. (1610)
- Kepler, Mars orbit (1610-1620)
- Roemer, Jovian satellites and the speed of light (1676)
- Newton, the apple and the Moon (1687)
- Halley's comet in the history
- The discovery of Helium in the Sun (mid XIX cen.)
- Einstein-Eddington, the gravity bends the light (1919)
- The Galaxy or the Galaxies? (1920-30)
- The expansion of the Universe (1930-today)
Readings/Bibliography
Powerpoint presented during the lectures, available on "Virtuale"
Excerpts fron clasiical texts (Galileo, Dialogo dei Massimi sistemi; Koyrè, History of Astronomy ...").
Selected scientific-historical papers.
Teaching methods
Normal oral lectures.
Some didactic exeperiments
Visita (Museo della Specola, San Petronio Sundial)
Assessment methods
Presentation/lecture given by the student on selected argument/s. (70%). Interview and discussion (30%).
Teaching tools
Lectures. Visits.
Office hours
See the website of Bruno Marano