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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Data-driven Astronomy by The University of Sydney

4.8
stars
1,336 ratings

About the Course

Science is undergoing a data explosion, and astronomy is leading the way. Modern telescopes produce terabytes of data per observation, and the simulations required to model our observable Universe push supercomputers to their limits. To analyse this data scientists need to be able to think computationally to solve problems. In this course you will investigate the challenges of working with large datasets: how to implement algorithms that work; how to use databases to manage your data; and how to learn from your data with machine learning tools. The focus is on practical skills - all the activities will be done in Python 3, a modern programming language used throughout astronomy. Regardless of whether you’re already a scientist, studying to become one, or just interested in how modern astronomy works ‘under the bonnet’, this course will help you explore astronomy: from planets, to pulsars to black holes. Course outline: Week 1: Thinking about data - Principles of computational thinking - Discovering pulsars in radio images Week 2: Big data makes things slow - How to work out the time complexity of algorithms - Exploring the black holes at the centres of massive galaxies Week 3: Querying data using SQL - How to use databases to analyse your data - Investigating exoplanets in other solar systems Week 4: Managing your data - How to set up databases to manage your data - Exploring the lifecycle of stars in our Galaxy Week 5: Learning from data: regression - Using machine learning tools to investigate your data - Calculating the redshifts of distant galaxies Week 6: Learning from data: classification - Using machine learning tools to classify your data - Investigating different types of galaxies Each week will also have an interview with a data-driven astronomy expert. Note that some knowledge of Python is assumed, including variables, control structures, data structures, functions, and working with files....

Top reviews

SK

Sep 10, 2020

Really amazing course! Gave me insights into how data analysis works in the field of astronomy and how one can use different machine learning techniques to classify the huge amounts of data generated.

DA

Sep 17, 2020

Very Nice course, materials well explained though the programming exercises were very difficult for me, as I did not had that much in depth knowledge of python, for which I had to take additional help

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376 - 382 of 382 Reviews for Data-driven Astronomy

By Antariksha M

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Sep 10, 2019

Great Learning

By rishyap

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Aug 19, 2023

Although the course content and structure is well organized and easily to follow, there are not enough lectures on the actual coding itself? The videos only really tell you the purpose and background of your code rather than how the coding process itself goes, for which, you are really just left with reading material that you eventually start to trip over and get disinterested in.

By José A T D

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Aug 1, 2022

The couse is interesting to practice python but not for learling astronomy or data science.

By Deepak A K

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Jul 21, 2023

I just felt some of the concepts should have been explained more extensively

By Robert N

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Nov 25, 2017

Sorry, but this course was one of the weakest I have followed.

By Stephen C

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Apr 18, 2022

insufficient guidance for me in python exercises - unable to progress

By Shalini s

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Jun 17, 2020

actually i wrongly pressed this course and its not unenrolling