History of the Universe timeline

Days that last two years, space microbes bringing life and a moon which always shows its best side. Join us for a series of quick space adventures.

Professor Russell Stannard investigates what is beyond the observable universe and explores claims that the universe might close back on itself.

Discover how scientists have calculated the exact volume of the noise created at the birth of the Universe with this video

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.

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.

This free course shows you how to navigate the night sky, and introduces the wide variety of objects it contains. You will develop a hands-on understanding of telescopic observations using the Open University’s own robotic telescope facility COAST sited on the island of Tenerife. Supported by your own measurements we illustrate how stars...