A word from the Curriculum Consultant

By Donna L. Young, HOA Manual Principal Author & Curriculum Consultant (taken from the Foreword in the manual)

Hands-On Astrophysics is an invitation to embark upon a journey into the very hearts of stars--to listen to the rhythms of their pulsations, and begin to gain an understanding of the processes by which they evolve. Along the way, students will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to determine and comprehend the message encoded within starlight, but the strength and power of the journey is that it involves a complete immersion into the scientific process--the very foundation of how we construct knowledge. Those who undertake this journey will also realize an added benefit: an appreciation of the stellar inhabitants of our universe that may result in a lifelong avocation as an amateur astronomer, with the potential of making significant contributions to science.