Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Free Science Courses (from the OU)
This might be of interest to people here.
Astronomy with an online telescope
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/ ... p?id=74591
Lots of others here.
Any take your fancy?
Astronomy with an online telescope
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/ ... p?id=74591
Lots of others here.
Any take your fancy?
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
- Boustrophedon
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Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Some of them look interesting. I did explore the idea of another science degree with the OU, but I was put off by a course structure that gave no credit or leeway for previous experience, I would have basically have had to start by doing an A level style access course first and the expense made it untenable.
Perit hic laetatio.
- Pucksoppet
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Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
I too was looking forward to using the OU to improve my education, but the course fees put the kibosh on that. I was looking forward to retiring somewhere warm and doing some serious study. Sigh.Boustrophedon wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:37 pmSome of them look interesting. I did explore the idea of another science degree with the OU, but I was put off by a course structure that gave no credit or leeway for previous experience, I would have basically have had to start by doing an A level style access course first and the expense made it untenable.
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Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Been working my way through this. It's pretty good but the multi choice quizzes are annoying.Gfamily wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:06 pmThis might be of interest to people here.
Astronomy with an online telescope
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/ ... p?id=74591
1. "Hamal is a magnitude 2.0 star and Al Dhanab has magnitude 3.0. Approximately how many times brighter is Hamal than Al Dhanab?"
My answer of 2.51 marked as wrong. The correct answer is 2.5.
2."In a reflecting telescope the primary element or objective is a X mirror."
Options for X included curved and convex. I answered convex as that was my vague recollection from O level physics but the correct answer is curved. Can anyone explain to me why convex is wrong?
Anyway only a minor irritation as the scores don't count towards anything. In the next lesson we get to play with the COAST telescope in Tenerife.
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Convex means it's curved outwards, and causes incoming parallel rays to diverge. You need a concave mirror for the primary of an imaging optical telescope*.MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:59 amBeen working my way through this. It's pretty good but the multi choice quizzes are annoying.Gfamily wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:06 pmThis might be of interest to people here.
Astronomy with an online telescope
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/ocw/mod/ ... p?id=74591
1. "Hamal is a magnitude 2.0 star and Al Dhanab has magnitude 3.0. Approximately how many times brighter is Hamal than Al Dhanab?"
My answer of 2.51 marked as wrong. The correct answer is 2.5.
2."In a reflecting telescope the primary element or objective is a X mirror."
Options for X included curved and convex. I answered convex as that was my vague recollection from O level physics but the correct answer is curved. Can anyone explain to me why convex is wrong?
*Other telescopes are available.
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- Clardic Fug
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Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Haha f.cking hell I triple checked that I had got convex and concave the right way round and still got them confused. Thanks for not calling me a moron.
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
concave is hollowed out...MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:04 pmHaha f.cking hell I triple checked that I had got convex and concave the right way round and still got them confused. Thanks for not calling me a moron.
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Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Yeah I used to know that, and I can picture the ray diagram clearly in my mind. My only excuse is that when I did check it the first google hit was this page, https://www.ducksters.com/science/physi ... scopes.php which saysdyqik wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:12 pmconcave is hollowed out...MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 2:04 pmHaha f.cking hell I triple checked that I had got convex and concave the right way round and still got them confused. Thanks for not calling me a moron.
Getting old is no fun.Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to focus the light. A convex mirror is used to gather light and reflect it back to a focal point.
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
I've just sent them a correction. From my work email address, with my full title in.MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 3:35 pm
Yeah I used to know that, and I can picture the ray diagram clearly in my mind. My only excuse is that when I did check it the first google hit was this page, https://www.ducksters.com/science/physi ... scopes.php which saysGetting old is no fun.Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to focus the light. A convex mirror is used to gather light and reflect it back to a focal point.
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
Blackboard Monitor Dyqik; tell us you used your Blackboard Monitor Dyqik title
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
I don't know if this is what they are thinking, but 2.51 is spurious precision given the magnitudes are only given to two sf. But that's picky.MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 11:59 am1. "Hamal is a magnitude 2.0 star and Al Dhanab has magnitude 3.0. Approximately how many times brighter is Hamal than Al Dhanab?"
My answer of 2.51 marked as wrong. The correct answer is 2.5.
Re: Free Science Courses (from the OU)
It's fixed now.dyqik wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 4:42 pmI've just sent them a correction. From my work email address, with my full title in.MartinDurkin wrote: ↑Wed Mar 04, 2020 3:35 pm
Yeah I used to know that, and I can picture the ray diagram clearly in my mind. My only excuse is that when I did check it the first google hit was this page, https://www.ducksters.com/science/physi ... scopes.php which saysGetting old is no fun.Reflecting telescopes use mirrors instead of lenses to focus the light. A convex mirror is used to gather light and reflect it back to a focal point.