# Astronomy (ASTR) courses

Solano Community College · 2025-2026 Catalog · 7 courses

Source: https://solano.elumenapp.com/catalog/catalog2025-2026/department/astronomy

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Spring 2026.

### ASTR 010 — General Astronomy

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 6 sections (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/astr.md)
- General Education: SCC: Area 5SCC: Area 5
- Cal-GETC: Area 5

An introductory study of the universe, including the properties and evolution of galaxies, stars, pulsars, black holes, quasars, the sun, planets and life in the universe. Field trip may be required.

### ASTR 020 — Astronomy Laboratory

- **Units:** 1
- **Hours:** 3 hours lab weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** ASTR 010 (General Astronomy) May enroll concurrently. or ASTR 030 (The Solar System) May enroll concurrently. or ASTR 040 (Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology) May enroll concurrently. or ASTR 045 (Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Life in the Universe) May enroll concurrently.
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 4 sections (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/astr.md)
- General Education: Cal-GETC: Area 5C

In this course, students will become familiarised with the sky, telescopes, and other astronomical equipment. Students will conduct experiments in physics related to astronomy. Topics covered will include the Moon, planets, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Field trips may be required.

### ASTR 030 — The Solar System

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/astr.md)
- General Education: SCC: Area 5SCC: Area 5
- Cal-GETC: Area 5A

This course will provide students with an introduction to the astronomy of our solar system, the physics related to that astronomy, the planets and their moons, the Sun, solar system debris, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. UC Transfer limitation of credit: 3 units between ASTR 030 and ASTR 040. Field trip may be required.

### ASTR 040 — Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule
- General Education: SCC: Area 5SCC: Area 5
- Cal-GETC: Area 5A

This course will provide students with an introduction to the study of stars, galaxies, the universe, and the physics related to these topics. The syllabus includes insight into the Sun, stellar lifetimes, supernovae, black holes, and the cosmos. UC Transfer limitation of credit: 3 units between ASTR 030 and ASTR 040. Field trip may be required.

### ASTR 045 — Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Life in the Universe

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** 3 hours lecture weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Spring 2026, 1 section (/c/solano-community-college/schedule/spring-2026/astr.md)
- General Education: SCC: Area 5; Cal-GETC: Area 5A

This course will invite students to explore the possibility of life beyond the Earth. Topics include the origin and evolution of life on Earth, the formation of Earth and other planets in the solar system, the likelihood of life existing on other planets or moons within our solar system, attempts to locate life within our solar system, and attempts to communicate with intelligent life in other parts of the galaxy.

### ASTR 049 — Astronomy Honors

- **Units:** 1-3
- **Hours:** 9 hours lab weekly, 162 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** ASTR 020 (Astronomy Laboratory) ability to work independently; permission of the School Dean based on instructor availability or ASTR 045 (Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Life in the Universe) ability to work independently; permission of the School Dean based on instructor availability
- **Transfers to:** CSU
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

Universities and research laboratories across the country critically depend on ordinary citizens to collect the data that they need for their research projects. These people are known as "Citizen Scientists". In this course, students will contribute to a current Citizen Science research project in Astronomy. This project requires the ability to work independently, and the approval of a faculty member sponsor, and permission of the School Dean.

### ASTR 050 — Astronomical Optics

- **Units:** 1
- **Hours:** 3 hours lab weekly, 54 contact hours total
- **Prerequisite:** ASTR 040 (Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology) May enroll concurrently or ASTR 045 (Introduction to Astrobiology and the Search for Life in the Universe) May enroll concurrently or ASTR 010 (General Astronomy) May enroll concurrently or ASTR 030 (The Solar System) May enroll concurrently
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** not on the Spring 2026 schedule

This course will introduce students to the principles of astronomical optics. They will apply these principles to the design, fabrication, and use of a telescope, which will be tested under the night sky. Primary mirrors will be ground, smoothed, polished, and figured by hand. Optics and optical testing theories will be presented. Students will design and build a custom optical tube assembly and telescope mount. A field trip to test the finished telescope will be required.