Syllabus of ISO 2025

PRELIMINARY LEVEL

The Earth

• Structure of the atmosphere and its layers
  
  
• Earth's orbit and axial tilt
  
  
• Daily phenomena: Rising and setting of the Sun and other stars
  
  
• Yearly phenomena: Seasonal variations
  
  

The Moon

• Phases of the Moon
  
  
• Tides and their relation to Moon and Sun
  
  
• Formation of the Moon
  
  

The Solar System and Beyond

• Sun and the planets – key features
  
  
• Asteroids, comets, and dwarf planets
  
  
• Our nearest stars
  
  
• The Milky Way galaxy
  
  
• Local Group of galaxies
  
  
• Large-scale structure of the Universe
  
  

Measurements in Astrophysics

• Distance measurements: Parallax, Standard candles
  
  
• Velocity measurements: Doppler effect, red and blue shifts
  
  
• Chemical composition: Spectroscopy and dispersion of light
  
  

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

Astrophysics of Stars

• Sun: Energy production (nuclear fusion), structure, and life cycle
  
  
• Stellar evolution: From birth to death
  
  
• High-mass star evolution: Supernovae, neutron stars, and black holes
  
  

Exoplanets

• What are exoplanets?
  
  
• Detection methods: Transit method, Radial velocity, Direct imaging, Microlensing
  
  
• Habitable zones and types of exoplanets
  
  

Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)

• Possibility of life beyond Earth
  
  
• Methods of searching for extraterrestrial signals
  
  
• Technosignatures and biosignatures
  
  
• Drake Equation
  
  

Cosmology

• Hubble’s Law and the expanding universe
  
  
• The Big Bang theory
  
  
• Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation
  
  
• Dark matter and dark energy
  
  

FINAL LEVEL

Space Missions and Satellites

• Types of space missions: Fly-by, Orbiter, Impactor, Lander, Rover, Sample return, Crewed missions – with key examples (e.g., Voyager, Mars rovers, Artemis, OSIRIS-REx)
  
  
• Satellites:
  
  
  • By orbit (LEO, MEO, GEO, Polar, Sun-synchronous)
    
    
  • By use (Communication, Navigation, Weather, Scientific, Military) – with examples
    
    

Rocketry and Orbits

• Newton’s Third Law of Motion and its application in rocketry
  
  
• The Rocket Equation (Tsiolkovsky’s Equation)
  
  
• Types of orbits and orbital maneuvers
  
  
• Launch vehicles and propulsion types
  
  

Telescopes and Observatories

• Types of telescopes: Optical, Radio, Infrared, X-ray, Gamma-ray
  
  
• Classification based on observing wavelength and technology (reflecting, refracting, radio dishes, etc.)
  
  
• Major space telescopes (Hubble, JWST, Chandra, Spitzer, etc.)
  
  
• Ground-based observatories: VLT, ALMA, GMRT, etc.
  
  
• Gravitational wave observatories: LIGO, Virgo
  
  
• Neutrino observatories: IceCube, Super-Kamiokande
  
  
• Cosmic ray observatories: Pierre Auger, HAWC
  
  

History of Space Exploration

• General Timeline of Space Exploration
  
  
• Overview of major space agencies: NASA, ESA, ISRO, Roscosmos, CNSA, JAXA
  
  
• Space technology spinoffs and their applications on Earth