The Astrophysics course will establish a firm introduction of the forces at work upon the fabric of the universe and how these dynamics interplay to create the structure and harmony that we observe today.
Beginning from the cosmic chaos, astrophysics will delineate the foundation goals of the field through tracing the evolution of the universe from its origins through to modern times and probing into its future fate.
Students will delve into the depths of the cosmos to push their understanding to the very frontier of the unknown, and perchance beyond that! Students embarking on this adventure will be introduced to the wave-particle duality of light, radiation and stellar evolution, illuminating their curiosities in the process. They will then explore advanced topics in cosmology such as supermassive black holes, spacetime fabric and mapping the large-scale structure of the cosmos. Studies will culminate with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
The curriculum is supported by computational simulations of dark matter and galactic formation, physical demonstration, student-led discussions and thought experiments. Observational astronomy will be interlaced into the course using solar and night sky observational telescopes, focusing on techniques for identifying the constellations and naked-eye astronomy. Students will pursue their final research in a self-selected specification of interest. Projects vary but are all relevant to modern professional research and exploration, such as observational astrophysics, astroparticle physics or physical cosmology. Their final research projects will incorporate real data from working telescopes and research laboratories.
*Extended Day Campers attend camp from 9am to 9pm seven days a week (except check-in and check-out days, which are half days), with lunch and dinner provided in the dining hall each day.