# Astronomy (ASTRO) courses

San Jose City College · 2026-2027 Catalog · 2 courses

Source: https://catalog.sjcc.edu/course-descriptions-information/course-descriptions/astro/

"Offered" lists sections in this catalog year's class schedules: Summer 2026, Fall 2026, Spring 2027.

### ASTRO 010 — Introduction to Astronomy

- **Units:** 3
- **Hours:** Lecture Hours: 3
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Summer 2026, 2 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/summer-2026/astro.md); Fall 2026, 3 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/fall-2026/astro.md); Spring 2027, 4 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/spring-2027/astro.md)
- Repeatable: No
- Grading: L
- Cal-GETC: 5A District GE: 5A
- Advisory Level: Read: 3 Write: 3 Math: 2
- Degree Applicable: AA/AS

Students will study astronomical processes related to the structure and origin of the solar system, the Milky Way, the lives of stars, galaxies, and the search for extraterrestrial life. The relationship of these processes to each other and to overarching astronomy concepts, such as the evolution of our universe and the laws of physics will be examined. Major focuses include communicating scientific concepts, the impact these processes have on civilization and recent research. The scientific method is illustrated as it relates to analyzing astronomy problems. Fieldtrips may be required.

### ASTRO 010L — Introductory Astronomy Lab

- **Units:** 1
- **Hours:** Lab Hours: 3
- **Corequisite:** ASTRO 010
- **Transfers to:** CSU, UC
- **Offered:** Summer 2026, 2 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/summer-2026/astro.md); Fall 2026, 3 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/fall-2026/astro.md); Spring 2027, 3 sections (/c/san-jose-city-college/schedule/spring-2027/astro.md)
- Repeatable: No
- Grading: L
- Advisory Level: Read: 3 Write: 3 Math: 1 Cal-GETC: 5C District GE: 5C
- Degree Applicable: AA/AS

Students will make observations with portable telescopes on campus and use computer simulations to help visualize astronomical events. Students will make use of models to reproduce the apparent motion of planets and stars in the sky. They will investigate the properties of light and how our view of astronomical phenomena is affected by those properties. They will also explore astronomy in the news including current NASA missions and the search for signs of life's footprints outside of Earth. Fieldtrip(s) may be required.