This year-long course starts with the solar system, and how we know what we know about all the interestingly varied bodies that comprise it. Students will make their own measuring instruments to perform naked-eye astronomy, learning major constellations and how to locate planets along the way. Historical methods of astronomical scientific discovery will be discussed and used, leading to an appreciation of how our knowledge of the solar system has blossomed. The underlying physical principles governing the makeup and operation of the solar system will be investigated in activities, reading and discussion. In the second semester, we will extend our study beyond the solar system and investigate the larger universe beyond our immediate neighborhood, using the recent advances in science and technology that have led to a rapid expansion of our understanding of the operation of the universe. Extensive use is made of audiovisual material in presenting the historical, scientific, and aesthetic aspects of the material covered.