Comparing stars

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Comparing stars provided by OpenLearn is a comprehensive online course, which lasts for 16 hours worth of material. Upon completion of the course, you can receive an e-certificate from OpenLearn. The course is taught in Englishand is Free Certificate. Visit the course page at OpenLearn for detailed price information.

Overview
  • Stars can necessarily be observed only at a distance. Comparing stars is a 16-hour free course that introduces the HertzsprungRussell diagram, an essential tool in understanding the nature of stars...

Syllabus
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
    • 1 The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
    • 1.1 Constructing the H-R diagram
    • 1.2 The main classes of stars
    • 1.3 How can we explain the distribution of stars on the H-R diagram?
    • 1.4 Stellar masses and stellar evolution
    • 1.5 Star clusters and stellar evolution
    • 2 Observing through the interstellar medium
    • 2 Observing through the interstellar medium
    • 2.1 Introduction
    • 2.2 Interstellar space is not empty
    • 2.3 The effect of interstellar gas
    • 2.4 The effect of interstellar dust
    • 2.5 Using stars to probe the interstellar medium
    • 3 Summary
    • 3 Summary
    • 3.1 The H-R diagram
    • 3.1.1 Stellar masses and stellar evolution
    • 3.1.2 Star clusters and stellar evolution
    • 3.1.3 Observing through the interstellar medium
    • 4 Questions
    • 4 Questions
    • Conclusion
    • Acknowledgements