The study of the celestial bodies has been a driving force in the development of mathematical and astronomical practices around the world and plays an instrumental role in Western science and imagination. While looking up, humans everywhere have sought answers to profound questions about place, time, existence, physics, and the divine. In this course, students will study a variety of sciences of the sky and the mathematical and technological practices that have transformed it into a source of political and spiritual power and a driving force in agriculture, architecture, technology, and imperialism. Alongside the science of astronomy and space travel, students will investigate the many historical and contemporary cultural implications of looking up found within art, science, and popular culture. Topics include: geometry, record keeping, the physics of the solar system, rockets, and telescopy. Circumstances permitting, one or two field trips are planned under open skies and to local observatories.

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