Using publicly available data from NASA of actual satellite observations of astronomical x-ray sources, we explore some of the mysteries of the cosmos, including neutron stars, black holes, quasars and supernovae. We will analyze energy spectra and time series data to understand how these incredible objects work. We utilize an imaging tool called DS9 to explore the amazing diversity of astronomical observations that have made x-ray astronomy one of the most active and exciting fields of scientific investigation in the past 50 years.
Each week we will explore a different facet of x-ray astronomy. Beginning with an introduction to the nature of image formation, we then move on to examples of how our imaging program, DS9, can aid our understanding of real satellite data. You will using the actual data that scientists use when doing their work. Nothing is "canned". You will be able to appreciate the excitement that astronomers felt when they made their important discoveries concerning periodic binary x-ray sources, supernovae and their remnants, and extragalactic sources that have shaped our understanding of cosmology.
Status: Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Instruments
Engineering, Scientific, and Technical Instruments
Status: Image Analysis
Image Analysis
Beginner·Course·22 hours
Featured reviews
RS
5.0·Reviewed May 23, 2020
Really an amazing and super insightful course.Literally the best course on coursera with an amazing professor explaining every minute details and teaches at very basic yet complex methods
JD
5.0·Reviewed Nov 4, 2019
Challenging, fascinating, stimulating - hard work but well worth it. Prof Matilsky is inspiring
KS
5.0·Reviewed Mar 2, 2021
My absolute favourite course. I will return to it and DS9 for sure. Highly recommend it.
JS
4.0·Reviewed May 29, 2019
This professor is an interesting character. Course uses software that, while I was able to download it, froze on my computer.
GP
5.0·Reviewed Dec 18, 2018
I took he course a few years ago. It was really interesting and I enjoyed every video I watched!
AV
5.0·Reviewed Mar 27, 2021
Brilliant. Prof Matilsky is clearly very jubilant in his way of teaching. I have a lot of takeaways from this course and to mention, the material on the course wiki was great too.
WC
5.0·Reviewed Aug 17, 2020
Fantastic course! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and it has sparked so much more additional interest in the subject matter.
JW
5.0·Reviewed Oct 23, 2018
Fantastic introduction to Astronomy and X-ray observing and analysis.
DP
5.0·Reviewed Jul 1, 2020
It a beautiful course..Even beginners with little mathematics and enormous interest can join this course. A wonderful journey.
YD
5.0·Reviewed Feb 13, 2021
The course was very interesting and encouraged me to dive deeper and deeper into the topics studied. I really enjoyed the lectures and the use of DS9 program.
CC
5.0·Reviewed Feb 22, 2020
It is very interesting because it gives the opportunity of working with real data and with software that may be used by the astronomers.
SS
5.0·Reviewed Apr 20, 2021
I find it helpful in my university programs. And help me to get good knowledge about universe.
All reviews
Showing: 20 of 89
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Sabine Lackner
1.0
·Reviewed Apr 3, 2017
The lectures are rather simple and easy to follow, but it's impossible to pass the quizzes with only a basic knowledge of mathematics/physics, only for experts. With the information provided in the video lectures you won't recieve a grade, there's a lot of extra work necessary with no other help given then some wiki that only a math genius would understand without any further help.
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Arnav Verma
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 27, 2021
Brilliant. Prof Matilsky is clearly very jubilant in his way of teaching. I have a lot of takeaways from this course and to mention, the material on the course wiki was great too.
R
Ritik Shah
5.0
·Reviewed May 24, 2020
Really an amazing and super insightful course.Literally the best course on coursera with an amazing professor explaining every minute details and teaches at very basic yet complex methods
R
Raphaël Rockus
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 8, 2021
This course has been a pleasure to follow. The lectures are great, the quirky humour is refreshing and the material is very interesting. The quizzes are on the difficult side, but nothing impossible if you know how to handle and transform equations. The access to actual data from Chandra and other sources is what makes this course amazingly captivating. A huge thank you to Dr. Terry A. Matilsky and his team. I hope you'll make other courses like this in the future. Raphaël Rockus.
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Alejandro Robles Toledo
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 1, 2018
An amazing course. I learned a lot of tools for an astronomical analysis. The topics was very well explicated and the lectures was very helpful.
Will be awesome if there were a week/topic where explain all the ds9's tools and options, or at least a tutorial on a web page.
K
Knulp Rittmeyer
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 1, 2021
This course was great in the sense that the concepts were presented. Formulars were derived. Next was the exercises for applying the concepts.
Interesting to learn what can actually be deducted by combining the knowlegde and the observations.
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Arnaud Dion
5.0
·Reviewed Aug 16, 2018
The course is really interesting ! The lecture are easy to understand, and Prof. Matilsky is fascinating. I truly liked the exercices based on real astronomical data and observation from Chandra Satellite.
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Russell T. Frizzell
5.0
·Reviewed May 26, 2018
We learned this fantastic method for analyzing astronomical images using ds9. Dr. Matilsky is a great teacher, he made the difficult topics fun and correctly showed how to solve the problems.
M
Mauro Benjamin Mistretta
5.0
·Reviewed Jan 17, 2019
I love the way the professor explains things, and the fact that this course is evidently tailored to the Coursera audience. Strongly recommended!
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Deleted Account
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 2, 2017
A very good course to start with while analyzing the astrophysical data with opensource software..... a must learn by all astrophysics student.
K
Katja
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 29, 2018
Thank You! Very good course, different with actual data to handle. Thank You Terry Matilsky for your lessons. They were excellent.
O
Owen McCusker
5.0
·Reviewed Feb 11, 2019
Amazing detail, amazing insight. Take your time with this course, and dig in. I may have to take if a few times if I have time.
G
Georgios Papavasileiou
5.0
·Reviewed Dec 19, 2018
I took he course a few years ago. It was really interesting and I enjoyed every video I watched!
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Ajinkya Gujar
5.0
·Reviewed Jun 10, 2018
Learning some tools to look at actual data was the best part of the course
J
James Wetzel
5.0
·Reviewed Oct 24, 2018
Fantastic introduction to Astronomy and X-ray observing and analysis.
J
JOHN RAY
5.0
·Reviewed Nov 18, 2018
Excellent presentation of interesting material
J
Jonathan Golland
2.0
·Reviewed Mar 29, 2018
Fascinating but way too much math
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Arya Raj Khadka
5.0
·Reviewed May 12, 2020
This course was indeed a very helpful one for me. This course helped me grow in the field of astronomy by providing some crucial information that I had never learned before. My understanding level of space and universe enhanced after doing this course and the professor of this course very experienced and well versed with the syllabus. I would really want to thank him for all his dedication and the knowledge he gave me throughout this course.
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Anish Kumar
5.0
·Reviewed Mar 28, 2020
Amazing and Amusing Professor. Great for someone getting into astronomy or to freshen up your memory. Vast amount of topics are covered over 6 weeks. The main study material are not the videos but the wikis at the end of the weeks. Assignments are amazing and challenging as they cover both the numerical and theoretical aspect. I always found myself spiralling down in web pages at spending 4-5 hours in them but I learnt A LOT.
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Themistocles Stantzos
5.0
·Reviewed Jul 31, 2017
This is a great course for anyone who is interested in X-ray astronomy: pulsars, black holes, white dwarfs, quasars, neutron stars, etc. The professor Dr. T.Matilsky is exceptional together with his team at Rutgers University. A close encounter with a very interesting and important region in knowledge. This is not an easy promenade but this is rewarding. Hands on encounter with grave science.
