Suitable for ages 18+

Essential information

Type
Courses
Location
Date and times 10-week module held on Tuesday evenings beginning 8 September and 1 December 2026, 9 March 2027
Prices £220 per module
See all available courses

Our Foundation Astrophysics programme provides you with the opportunity to study a number of topics in astronomy at foundation degree level, without the costs associated with accreditation or the pressure of exams.

While not formally accredited, students are assessed through coursework and receive certificates of achievement from the Royal Observatory Greenwich on the completion of all modules.

There are six ten-week modules in the programme, which do not have to be studied in order. Each module runs on consecutive Tuesdays with gaps during holidays. When making your booking, simply select the start date of the module you'd like to join.

Please note

With the exciting renovation project occurring at the Royal Observatory, our on-site courses have relocated down the hill to the National Maritime Museum. Our expert tutors will run their sessions in a unique environment with access to a range of resources provided by the galleries and exhibitions of the Museum.

Visualisation of a supermassive black hole surrounded by a disk of material called an accretion disc
Echo mapping in a black hole accretion disk (NASA JPL-Caltech)

What can I study?

The modules running for the 2026/27 academic year are below. All of these courses require knowledge of basic science and algebra.

Module 1: Planetary Science

8 September - 24 November 2026 | 6.30-9pm (holiday on 27 October and no session on 22 September)

This module offers an introduction to planetary science, exploring current scientific theories on the formation and evolution of the Solar System, the structure of the planets and the processes that continue to shape their surfaces to this day. We try to explain why there are two such different types of planets. We will also glance at some of the moons and probe types of atmospheres.

Module 2: Exoplanets and Astrobiology

1 December 2026 - 2 March 2027 | 6.30-9pm (holidays from 15-29 December and on 16 February)

We explore the scientific techniques used in the discovery of exoplanets and the nature of the planetary systems discovered so far. The module then delves into the origin of life on Earth. This has implications for life and the search for it elsewhere in the Solar System and on planets orbiting distant stars. We will also cover the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Module 3: Solar Physics 

9 March - 25 May 2027 | 6.30-9pm (holidays from 6-13 April). Please note the 27 April class will run on Monday 26 April instead

This is an introduction to solar physics, exploring our current understanding of the formation, evolution and behaviour of the Sun. We will therefore cover the basic astrophysical principles of this. Our Sun is the only star which we can study in such detail.

Note: Each course is intended to be run on-site at the National Maritime Museum, although occasional online sessions may become necessary in rare circumstances. Please only book if you are certain you will be able to attend an on-site course. 

Everyone taking a course is also entitled to a 10% discount on books purchased from Royal Museums Greenwich – please check with your course tutor for more details.

Ages: 18+

Meet the tutor - Roger O'Brien

Roger has been an amateur astronomer for more than six decades. He graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a BSc in Astronomy in 1995, where staff sponsored him as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. His professional tutoring experience includes teaching at the Open University, City Lit and the Royal Observatory Greenwich, leading a wide range of courses from very basic to undergraduate level. Roger finds the variety stimulating and still enjoys doing some actual observing, volunteering as a demonstrator at the Hampstead Observatory. On the more theoretical side, he has a keen interest in Cosmology. 

A well-organised course. Roger is an excellent tutor.

Course participant, autumn 2022

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Main image: James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam Image of the 'Cosmic Cliffs' in Carina Nebula (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI)