Syllabus for ScienceX Astronomy Olympiad
Astronomy (SAO) for Class 11 & 12: The SAO syllabus primarily encompasses Physics and Mathematics, akin to the Senior Secondary School level (up to and including class XII of CBSE India Board). It also includes introductory Astronomy concepts, such as the positions of stars, constellations, and night sky observation.
The Astronomy syllabus encompasses three key components:
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Foundations of Astronomy
Additionally, a solid grasp of Science and Mathematics topics studied up to Class 10 is assumed. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Physics:
Referring to the aforementioned Physics syllabus.
Mathematics:
This section corresponds to the CBSE Class 12 Mathematics syllabus and includes the following topics:
- Sets And Functions
- Sets; Relations and Functions
- Trigonometric Functions; Inverse Trigonometric Functions
- Algebra
- Principle of Mathematical Induction
- Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations
- Linear Inequalities
- Permutations and Combinations
- Binomial Theorem
- Sequence and Series
- Matrices
- Determinants
- Coordinate Geometry
- Straight Lines
- Conic Sections
- Introduction to Three-dimensional Geometry
- Calculus
- Limits and Derivatives
- Continuity and Differentiability
- Applications of Derivatives
- Integrals
- Applications of Integrals
- Differential Equations
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Statistics & Probability
- Statistics
- Probability
- Vectors And Three-dimensional Geometry
- Vectors Algebra
- Three-dimensional Geometry
- Linear Programming
Elementary Astronomical Notions:
This section covers fundamental concepts in astronomy and includes:
- Basic knowledge of the Solar System and its phenomena, including the Sun, Planets, Moons, Comets, Asteroids, Diurnal motion of Earth, Phases of the Moon, Seasons, Eclipses, and Tides.
- Familiarity with structural elements of the Universe, such as Stars, Galaxies, and Clusters of galaxies.
- An understanding of the night sky, including the brightest stars, common constellations, the Milky Way, paths of solar system objects in the night sky, and the rising and setting of stars.
- Knowledge of the working principles of Telescopes.
- Awareness of major historical landmarks in the development of Astronomy.
While in-depth knowledge of astronomy is not a prerequisite, basic familiarity with astronomical terminology, objects, and phenomena is expected. This can be acquired through an interest in astronomy, such as reading popular books or listening to popular lectures.