What prior knowledge is assumed?

The project does not assume any detailed prior knowledge of pulsar astronomy though students should have studied astronomy as a component of Stage 4 Science (Years 7-8). We recommend that the students and teachers work through the material provided on this website prior to an observing session to become familiar with the basic concepts of radio telescopes, pulsars and how to conduct observations.

ICT and Mathematical Skills

Some activities require the use of the Internet, web browsers and a spreadsheet such as ExcelвД?. Detailed instructions accompany these activities. Students should be comfortable with the concept of lines of best fit and simple linear relationships. They will be expected to tabulate and plot data.