New e-textbook completed and online

The OCR P7 Further Physics - Studying the Universe has been completed to match the current specification.  We love the look of our latest work and already schools have been in touch to use the new resource with their students.  There are superb images from our visits to Astronomy centres around the globe.  Simulations to help explain the Physics concepts are included.  The nuclear reactions of stars are clearly presented in balanced equations matched by straightforward diagrams.  Every aspect of the course is covered and as always, Starlearner has matched our work with the exam board specification.  We are starting to renew our other OCR courses to match the current specifications and once complete we will be sending our work to OCR for their endorsement. 

Telescopes are massive - compare the size to the people.  The Subaru 8.3 metre telescope is seen with the incredible dome of the  Keck 1 10 metre telescope towering above.

(Part of our new Section 5.2 describing major astronomical observatories)

A STAR LEARNER IS IN FOR A BIG SURPRISE!

One of our successful GCSE Astronomy students from last summer is in for a big surprise.  She is to receive a Royal Astronomical Society award for being one of the top 12 students in the country.  We are delighted for her - all will be revealed once the surprise has been sprung!

Starlearner is proud to say that this is the fourth time an award of this nature has been made to our students.  This is a great honour.

The eclipse seen from the Ghana Planetarium

With Starlearner being global these days, we had a brilliant email from Sarah, one of our distance learners in Accra, Ghana.  Sarah is very involved at the Ghana Planetarium in Accra which was in a great location to view the eclipse at the weekend.  This is what Sarah said:-

The eclipse was fab!!  We had a very successful event at the Planetarium, lots of people, lots of media coverage and perfect weather.  The only downside was that I was so busy organising that I didn't get a chance to take any photos!!  So unfortunately I won't be able to do the eclipse for my practical work. 

You are excused Sarah!  Let the photos that her friends took tell the story.

Thank you to Stephen Adam, Steve Wilson and Jane Ashong (a director of the Planetarium) for the brilliant photos.  Another part of Sarah's email:- 

Steve Wilson was the one who brought that group of local kids from the community where his business is based (I think) - he said most of them have never even been out of their part of the city, so it was a huge adventure for them.  The driver got lost on the way but that turned out to be an added bonus because the kids got to see more of Accra!

LIVE STREAM of Comet ISON - Join Keck 2 in Hawaii to see the comet

The huge Keck 2 telescope is focusing on Comet ISON today (Saturday).

Use the link to see the action live (hover your mouse to the right of 

LIVE FROM KECK for the direct link to the Keck Observatory website) 

OR type in the URL - http://www.keckobservatory.org/

Check the times to view

• http://www.keckobservatory.org/

  LIVE FROM KECK

  Live from Keck: Comet ISON Observing Run

  SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2013

  04:30 AM - 05:30 AM

  07:30 am - 08:30 am Pacific 
  10:30 am - 11:30 am Eastern

  Join us for a rare look into an observing...

US Federal Government action affects some website links in our e-textbook

Some of the links to the e-textbook will not function at present due to the US Federal government being unable to reach an agreement on the budget for the year ahead.  As a result, many government offices and services have been closed until the matter has been resolved in Congress.  Sites like NOAA.gov will display a webpage like this.  Normal service will be resumed soon we hope.

Some feedback from the class of 2013

I'm really pleased with my result and I would like to thank you for all the help and support you've given me.  It was a really good experience and I now know a lot more about astronomy.

Stuart H (Aberdeenshire)   A* grade

Thank you so much for all the help you gave me over the past year and for doing the online course...  

We just wanted to say thanks too, sorry we missed you at the coursework day.  You really inspired Joel.  He is now hoping to do Astronomy at University, so we are keeping all the notes!!

Joel T (Nottingham) B grade  + comments from Julia & Peter T, Joel's mum & dad

Just got an email from the school - managed an A pass.  Happy with that and thanks for all your help - enjoyed the course and I'm sure it will stand me in good stead!

Ian G (Morpeth)   A grade

I got a good solid A, which is what I was hoping for so very happy.  Thanks for all your help and support - I found the course materials really good and it was very interesting.  It was also great to meet you in Edinburgh.

John H (Edinburgh)   A grade

I thought that the exam was really tough so I'm really chuffed to have done so well. Thanks for what was a really enjoyable experience, it's nice to have a reason to look forward to winter evenings now so I can get the telescope out again :-)

Scott L (Mid Calder)   A grade

Thanks for all your help.  It was an interesting course to follow.  You might want to perhaps consider turning you digital material into a proper published book at some point, since most of the current printed publications are not that good!  

Bob A (West Bridgford)   A* grade

Just to let you know our daughter Charlotte got her results this morning and got an A.  We are very pleased of course and look forward to using Starlearner again in the future with our two younger sons who also love astronomy.

Charlotte H (Uxbridge)   A grade

Many thanks to Liz and yourself for the help and encouragement you gave, I really was not sure I wanted to carry on with the course after my problems last year.  As a result of the course, I have been asked to teach my daughters cub group for their astronomy badge, so hopefully I may be able to inspire some of them.

Steve C (Braintree)   A grade

Thank you so much for your excellent course, it was wonderful to have an opportunity to have an extra qualification in something I really enjoyed studying.

Laura D (Alton)   A grade

Thank you for all your generous help and support.  He most certainly couldn't have got there without you!

Rupert A's mum (Cambridgeshire)   A grade

Matt and I picked up our results today.  We are both really pleased.  Many thanks to both of you for helping us through the course and for all the work you have put in to putting it together.  It has been really enjoyable and worthwhile.

Paul and Matt B (Harpenden)  A* and A grades   (Father and son team)

Never had an A* before.
Duncan T (Bramhall)  A* grade

WELL DONE! Star Learners do it again!!

Incredible results again!  100% success for our Starlearner Distance Learners.  An amazing 76% achieving A* or A grades.  All the hard work was rewarded.  We really enjoyed meeting our distance learners on our tour of the UK in April as we supervised the controlled assessment writing up days.  This year we drove up as far as Edinburgh for our record number of entries.  Already, the number entering for June 2014 will be our biggest entry yet.

Alan sent this photo in after completing his exam - it is great to know that the GCSE is just the stepping stone to really enjoying the night sky, having learnt so much more about Astronomy through the course. 

Congratulations again to all of the Starlearner Distance Learners who've worked so hard - it was totally worth it and we're very proud of all our STAR LEARNERS!  If you are reading this and wondering about having a go?  Give it a go!  The GCSE Astronomy course is superb and one to be enjoyed.