Meaning: Exploring the Big Questions of the Cosmos with a Vatican Scientist

Let the beauty of astronomy inspire your contemplation of creation. An Introduction to the Universe: The Big Ideas of Astronomy will give you a deeper appreciation of the sky and our ever-growing understanding of astronomy. Your guide for this journey through the cosmos is Dr. Guy Consolmagno (Ph.D., University of Arizona), a renowned astronomer and director of the Vatican's astronomical observatory. In his engaging lectures, you'll deepen your sense of joy as you gaze at the stars and planets. Astronomy is something everyone can do: it takes no special equipment or specialized education to look at the sky. But you first need to know what to look for. With this in mind, Dr. Consolmagno teaches you how to examine the sky yourself, recognizing its rhythms and regularities. You'll then explore how professional astronomers and religious texts have understood the stars. As you navigate our solar system and other galaxies, you will explore the meaning of dark energy, dark matter, and the dark skies themselves. Dr. Consolmagno's talks are not a mere recitation of facts but rather a reminder that, like the stars above, you too are a brilliant and living part of this remarkable universe.… (more)