Astronomy Olympiad Prep
Learn the physics of the sky, one problem at a time.
The USA Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (USAAAO) is open to any student and leads to the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). Our self-paced course teaches the ideas and the problem-solving habits the exams reward.
The course is self-paced, so a student works whenever it suits the family. The first module is free. Every problem in the course is written by us, and none is copied from a past contest.
The contest
Real astronomy, solved with math and physics.
USAAAO problems ask a student to work out something about the sky: how fast a planet moves, how bright a star looks, how far away a galaxy sits. They use geometry, algebra and physics, not memorized facts.
The organizer publishes past exams and a problem book for free. Our course teaches the thinking behind them and gives a student an order to work in.
Who can enter
Who can enter
- The organizer says any student is welcome to take part.
- To make the US team for the international event, a student must be a US citizen or permanent resident and a high school student.
- Our course is written for students in grades 6 to 12.
The rounds
From the First Round to the international team
- 01
First Round
A proctored exam taken in person at the student's school, with a teacher supervising. Past cycles ran it in February.
- 02
National Astronomy Competition
A written exam of two and a half hours for students who advance from the First Round.
- 03
Third exam and team training
A third exam in June, plus free team training. The US team is chosen from the combined results.
- 04
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics
The US team competes at the IOAA. The 2027 date and host are to be announced.
Dates
Key dates for 2027
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration | Date to be announced by the organizer |
| First Round | Date to be announced by the organizer |
| National Astronomy Competition | Date to be announced by the organizer |
| International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics | Date to be announced by the organizer |
The organizer has not published 2027 dates yet. We will add them as soon as the official site does. We last checked on November 11, 2026. Dates can change, so confirm them on the official site before you register.
The course
What the course covers
Eight modules, taken in order or one at a time. Each one has:
- A lesson that teaches the idea from the ground up
- Worked examples, explained step by step
- A practice set with a full solution for every problem
The course ends with a timed mock exam. It is self-paced, the first module is free, and every problem is original.
- Module 1
The math and estimation toolkit
Units, scaling, order-of-magnitude estimates and the trigonometry astronomy leans on.
- Module 2
The sky and its coordinates
The celestial sphere, coordinate systems, time and the seasons.
- Module 3
Orbits and gravity
Kepler's laws and Newton's gravity, used to solve for periods, speeds and masses.
- Module 4
Light and telescopes
Brightness, magnitudes, spectra and how a telescope collects light.
- Module 5
Stars
Star properties, the life of a star and how to read a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram.
- Module 6
The Sun and the solar system
Planets, moons, eclipses and the physics of our own star.
- Module 7
Galaxies and the universe
The Milky Way, other galaxies, expansion and the first ideas of cosmology.
- Module 8
Data and observation problems
Reading charts and tables, handling error, and writing a clean solution.
Waitlist
Hear first when the free module opens.
We are building this course now. Join the list and we will email you once, when the free first module opens.
EduAvenues is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USA Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad and the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics. Contest names belong to their organizers and appear here only to say which contest a student is preparing for.