Has the force has been awakened in you? Or you prefer the dark side? Check out our great articles, and then tell us your thoughts on the eternal question: What shall we learn about? Stars or Wars?
Also: How to tell a moon from a fully operational deathstar.
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Jediism: Will the Real Religion Please Stand Up
Can Jediism be classed as a religion, or is it merely a cultural fad? Check out our article then watch a short video on its characteristics.
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Star Wars: Myth and fairy tale
What storytelling styles and genres can be applied to Star Wars? Sara Haslam investigates...
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May the Forza be with you: Star Wars in other languages
Which language has Jabba the Hut's name literally translated to Jabba the Forester? How can you translate Yoda's syntax into other languages? Find out:
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Star Wars: La syntaxe du français avec Maître Yoda
How does a 900 year-old Jedi master sound in French? Try your hand at reordering sentences, you must.
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Star Wars: The use of myth
How does a science fiction franchise have any resonance for audiences nowadays? The use of myth helps with familiarity...
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Small Data: Star Wars release & broadcast dates
Do the lengths between US, UK & UK TV debuts of the first six Star Wars film tell us anything about changes in the entertainment industry?
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How to build a real lightsaber
Creating a light yet powerful tool that uses a blade of energy to defeat the Dark Side and also act as an effective shield against laser blasts is tricky. Here's a start:
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The five billion dollar franchise: How much will Disney make from Star Wars merchandise
The launch of the toys from the forthcoming Star Wars film was an event in its own right. How much money are Disney going to make from all this stuff?
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Galaxies, stars and planets
This free course, Galaxies, stars and planets, is a general introduction, including scale of the universe from the very large to the very small; orbits and gravity; the Solar System; the Sun and other stars; galaxies and the composition of astronomical objects.
Stars vs. Wars?
Would you rather learn about stars or wars? Cast your vote below and pick the tab above to explore your chosen topic.
Stars: Top 10
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Virtual planisphere
Use our virtual planisphere to track the night skies throughout the year - and to get a close-up view of stars and planets.
Activity
Level: 1 Introductory
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Galaxies, stars and planets
This free course, Galaxies, stars and planets, is a general introduction, including scale of the universe from the very large to the very small; orbits and gravity; the Solar System; the Sun and other stars; galaxies and the composition of astronomical objects.
Free course
8 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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The colour of stars
Ever wondered why some stars appear slightly blue and others red? Looking at the life cycle of a star will explain why...
Article
Level: 1 Introductory
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60 Second Adventures In Astronomy: Supernovae
Learn how all the elements in the Universe were formed, and where, exactly, your favourite silver necklace comes.
Video
Level: 1 Introductory
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Photographing Orion
Space scientist, Professor Monica Grady, gives us some tips on photographing Orion in this short video.
Video
Level: 1 Introductory
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Stargazing on a budget
You don't need to invest in your own radio telescope to explore the night sky - you can get great results with really simple kit
Article
Level: 1 Introductory
Wars: Top 10
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World War 100
World War 100 is a reflective countdown to the start of the Great War where we'll be looking at the key events which led to the start of world-changing war on their 100 year anniversaries.
Article
Level: 1 Introductory
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The First World War: trauma and memory
In this free course, The First World War: trauma and memory, you will study the subject of physical and mental trauma, its treatments and its representation. You will focus not only on the trauma experienced by combatants but also the effects of the First World War on civilian populations.
Free course
9 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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War Memorials
Learn the secrets of the past, revealed by clues on the high streets of today
Article
Level: 1 Introductory
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What was the war in 1864 about?
As Danish drama 1864 comes to BBC Four, what was the war at the heart of the series all about?
Article
Level: 1 Introductory
Wait... that's no moon! Or is it?
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Moons of our Solar System
In this free course, Moons of our Solar System, explore the many moons of our Solar System. Find out what makes them special. Should we send humans to our Moon again?
Free course
24 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
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An introduction to exoplanets
This free course, An introduction to exoplanets, introduces our galaxy's population of planets, and some of their many surprises. It explains the methods used by astronomers to study exoplanets, and provides a general introduction to the methods of scientific inquiry. The course culminates in discussion of life elsewhere in our Galaxy.
Free course
24 hours
Level: 1 Introductory
how to talk like Yoda
May the course be with you
You don't just have to stick with all things to do with stars and wars. Browse a range of free courses now - we've got everything from Start writing fiction to Forensic psychology.
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Article reviews
I (*Mark Tompkins) was on the premiere of Star Wars the other week and I can say that the movie is every bit as awesome as they have told us that it would be. I mean, yes, they literally bombarded us with commercials, ads and everything else - but the promotion is nothing if the compared movie pales and cannot justify. Well, the point is that the new movie has some new tricks up it's sleeve [trying not to make some spoilers here], but I would like to learn so much more about stars... Eventually it is so that put all of this in my report
[OpenLearn Moderator: link to commercial website removed 22.12.15]