Spring 2027

From Aliens to the End of the Universe

Explore big astronomical topics like alien existence, the fate of the universe, and AI impacts, reflecting on humanity's place in the cosmos.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Nicholas Mcconnell3.8/5

Summary

What you’ll be able to do

  • Evaluate competing scientific hypotheses using evidence-based reasoning.

  • Explain the physics principles governing cosmic phenomena, from planetary systems to the expansion of the universe.

  • Qualitatively outline and explain concepts related to origins of life and the search for extraterrestrial life.

  • Connect astronomical concepts to broader societal contexts and the challenges facing human civilization.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

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average GPA
letter grades

No recorded grade history.

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Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
ASTRON 101

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.20/5 from 10 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

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Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

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SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 1000

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records

Student experience

the class

Explore big astronomical topics and ideas and reflect on humanity's place in the universe. Covers modern day topics in astronomy, such as alien existence, the fate of the universe, how space can kill you, and impacts of artificial intelligence (AI).

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Alien existence
  • The fate of the universe
  • Space hazards
  • Impacts of artificial intelligence
  • Humanity's place in the universe

Skills

  • Evaluating competing scientific hypotheses using evidence-based reasoning
  • Explaining physics principles governing cosmic phenomena, from planetary systems to the expansion of the universe
  • Qualitatively outlining and explaining concepts related to origins of life and the search for extraterrestrial life
  • Connecting astronomical concepts to broader societal contexts and the challenges facing human civilization

Grades

Instructor

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Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

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Selected offering source records
ASTRON 101 · Spring 2027

From Aliens to the End of the Universe

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:188:027359",
    "course_id": "ASTRON 101",
    "course_uid": "course_bc8a44864dd3da1619634c06",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "027359",
    "source_subject_id": "188",
    "title": "From Aliens to the End of the Universe",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Not Applicable"
  }
]
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Madgrades

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Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "512c55910653bd974912df6d7c28390c07ed0068be0b29095faa0c1fadf131b8",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}