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Astronomy, Archaeology and Landscapes for 15-17 year olds

  • Level(s) of Study: Short course
  • Course Fee:

    £525

  • Start Date(s): 28 July 2025
  • Duration: 28 July - 1 August 2025, Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm, one week
  • Study Mode(s): Full-time
  • Campus: City Campus
  • Entry Requirements: More information
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Introduction:

Have you ever wondered how people throughout history have used the sky to understand and interpret the mysteries of the universe? This hands-on summer course brings together astronomy, archaeology, and cutting-edge technology to explore the fascinating connections between the stars and the landscapes around us.

You’ll track celestial movements, uncover how ancient sites align with the sky, and even customise your own digital landscapes using professional planetarium software. With access to modern telescopes, immersive planetarium sessions, and expert-led field trips, you’ll develop skills in astronomical observation, digital mapping, and landscape interpretation.

Perfect for anyone passionate about astronomy, archaeology, or environmental science, this course gives you a real taste of university life, access to professional research tools, and the opportunity to take your interest in the cosmos to the next level.

  • Be transported across space and time in NTU’s custom-built planetarium, where you’ll explore the sky like never before through interactive simulations and immersive visuals.
  • Explore how sites like Stonehenge and standing stones were used for celestial tracking and rituals through the fascinating field of archaeoastronomy.
  • Get exclusive access to NTU’s Observatory, where you’ll operate high-powered telescopes and, weather permitting, observe celestial objects firsthand.
  • At the end of the course, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance, showcasing your new skills and experience, perfect for university applications.

Doing your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award?

This course can count as your Gold DofE Residential Award and is an amazing opportunity to make new friends and memories. It will be fun and gently challenging, allowing you to follow your passion and discover talents you never knew you had.

DofE participants must book both the course and accommodation on campus for this to count towards your Gold Award.

You must also attend the social events that are planned on Monday and Wednesday evenings, and you must plan and attend your own social activities with other participants on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

What you’ll study

This course is your first step into university-level observational astronomy, designed to introduce key concepts used in professional astronomy and archaeology.

You’ll start by learning how to track stars, planets, and the Moon, using Stellarium software to explore the night sky in incredible detail. You’ll then take it further by linking what you see in the sky to real landscapes and archaeological sites.

We keep lectures short and engaging, the real learning happens through hands-on workshops, immersive planetarium sessions, and an expert-led field trip ensuring you’ll experience astronomy in a way that’s practical, immersive, and unforgettable.

Everything you create including digital landscapes, observations, and custom planetarium settings are yours to keep, so you can continue exploring long after the course ends.

During the course, you will:

  • track how the Sun, Moon, stars, and planets move across the sky, using the same techniques as professional astronomers
  • avigate the stars, create your own digital landscapes, and connect astronomy to real-world sites
  • investigate how ancient civilisations used the sky for navigation, rituals, and construction
  • learn imaging and surveying techniques to create a custom astronomical landscape
  • train your eye to decode the geological past and ancient settlements
  • operate NTU’s high-powered observatory telescopes for real astronomical observations
  • explore Gardom’s Edge, a 4000-year-old astronomically aligned standing stone in the Peak District with the expert who helped uncover its astronomical secrets.

Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll study during the course.

  • Learn celestial coordinate systems and how astronomers track motion
  • Get hands-on with Stellarium software to explore key astronomical concepts
  • Practical lab: model star movement and night sky motion
  • Explore the origins of archaeoastronomy and its connections to ancient civilisations
  • Investigate alignments and horizon-based astronomy
  • Practical lab: survey and analyse astronomical alignments using Stellarium
  • Optional night visit to NTU Observatory (8.30 pm – Midnight): operate telescopes and (weather permitting) observe celestial objects
  • Learn the basics of telescope observation and how they are mounted
  • Experience an interactive planetarium session to improve visualisation skills
  • Capture images & create your own custom Stellarium landscape
  • Explore a 4,000-year-old standing stone aligned with the stars
  • Learn how to read and analyze landscapes
  • Survey the site and capture images for digital mapping
  • Process and calibrate your digital landscape
  • Use your landscape to illustrate key observational astronomy concepts
  • Engage in a group discussion on heritage, astronomy, and society

How you’re taught

The course is designed to give you a real experience of university life, make new friends who share similar interests and develop your portfolio so that ultimately, you can make an informed decision about your future.

Contact hours

With 25 hours of expert tuition, you’ll be guided by experienced tutors who will help bring astronomy and archaeology to life through a mix of practical learning, immersive experiences, and real-world exploration.

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Tutor Profile:

Associate Professor Daniel Brown is an astronomer, science educator, and archaeoastronomy researcher, leading the NTU Observatory and bringing astronomy to life for students, researchers, and the public alike.

As a lecturer in NTU’s Physics with Astrophysics programme, he teaches students at all levels, sharing his passion for the universe and how we observe it. But his expertise goes beyond the classroom, he’s a go-to astronomy expert for national and international media, regularly featuring in news articles and even hosting a monthly astronomy news slot on TV, where he breaks down the latest celestial events.

His research in archaeoastronomy and skyscape archaeology explores how past civilisations used the sky to shape their world. Most recently, he helped uncover a groundbreaking discovery at King Arthur’s Hall in Cornwall, proving it’s an astonishing 4,000 years older than previously thought!

Careers and employability

This course isn’t just about astronomy and archaeology, it’s about experiencing university life, meeting like-minded people, and gaining skills that will set you apart in your future studies and career.

Whether you’re considering a degree in astronomy, archaeology, environmental science, or another interdisciplinary field, this course will give you hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, real research tools, and expert-led investigations. You’ll explore how astronomy connects with history, geography, and science, giving you a unique perspective on the world around you and helping you make an informed decision about your future.

At the end of the week, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance to add to your personal statement or CV, proving your ability to apply scientific concepts in real-world settings.

Campus and facilities

This course takes place in person at Nottingham Trent University, giving you a real taste of university life. You’ll split your time between:

  • NTU’s City Campus, where you’ll dive into hands-on workshops and interactive sessions.
  • The NTU Observatory at Clifton Campus, where you’ll get to control real telescopes and explore the night sky up close.
  • Gardom’s Edge in the Peak District, for an unforgettable full-day field trip to investigate an ancient, astronomically aligned site.

You’ll also have access to our library to use outside of your short course; whilst you can’t reserve or take away books, you are welcome to use them as a resource for research and referencing.

You will receive an email one week before the course starts with joining instructions on where to go for the first day.

Social Events

This isn’t just about astronomy, it’s about having an amazing summer experience. Our Student Ambassadors will host fun social events on Monday and Wednesday nights, where you will make new friends and meet students from other summer courses. These events are completely free and a great way to connect with others who share your interests.

Entry requirements

Level: Open to all. No prior knowledge required, just a passion for astronomy, history, or archaeology

Age: You must be 15, 16, or 17 years old at the time of the course.

Fees and funding

The fee for this course is £525.

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Secure your place with a deposit - If you're booking more than two months before the course starts, we can accept a £200 deposit to secure your place, and the balance is due one month before the course starts.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies and include great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

All your materials and equipment will be provided, but you may also want to bring with you:

  • Notepad and pen
  • Mobile phone or camera for recording images.

Please note that lunch is not provided, so bring your packed lunch or money to buy food on the city campus. The city centre, with plenty of cafés and grocery shops, is just a 5-minute walk away. You can also check which campus buildings have café outlets using MazeMap.

For the field trip to Gardom’s Edge (Peak District) on Thursday, please bring with you:

  • Sensible clothing for the weather (both warm and wet weather: hat, suncream, waterproof coat
  • Sensible, fully covered shoes
  • a packed lunch and water, as there will be nowhere to buy refreshments in the Peak District
  • Fully charged mobile phone.

You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.

Need accommodation?

Accommodation can be booked separately to the course; the rooms are only a few minutes’ walk from our studios and classrooms, and cost £259 per week, which is ideal if you're looking to be based in Nottingham's lively city centre and want an economical place to stay.

These are single rooms with a private bathroom in shared apartments in Nottingham Trent University’s city campus accommodation.

If you're aged 16 or 17 then you can stay unaccompanied with agreement from a parent/guardian (to support safeguarding, all guests aged 16 and 17 will be accommodated together in the same halls of residence and there is a dedicated Warden available).

If you're aged 15 then you can stay as long as you are accompanied by a parent/guardian (you must book two separate rooms and let us know so we can place you in rooms next to each other).

This option is particularly popular with students completing their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award.

Find out more and book your accommodation here.

Looking to turn your one-week course into a two-week experience?

If you can match this with any second course, you’ll receive a 10% refund on your course fees (email the short course team with your order number to claim the refund).

How to apply

You can book this course via the NTU online store:

28 July - 1 August 2025, Monday to Friday 10 am - 4 pm

Browse all our summer courses for 15 – 17 year olds.

Any questions?

Contact the short course team: