Astronomy
Celestial coordinates, sky motion, telescopes, stellar observation, and practical sky knowledge.
Syllabus
Domains of knowledge & reasoning.
GAAC tests six formal domains across both the individual qualification round and the collaborative team knockout. Mastery of each field is essential for top performance.
Six Domains
Formal areas for qualification and team rounds.
Astrophysics
Stellar physics, radiation, spectra, compact objects, galaxies, and physical interpretation.
Planetology
Planetary systems, surfaces, atmospheres, orbital behavior, and comparative planet science.
Cosmology
Expansion, large-scale structure, cosmic distances, early-universe ideas, and observational evidence.
Observational Astronomy
Data reading, charts, images, measurement, instrument limits, and observational reasoning.
Computational Astronomy
Numerical reasoning, model interpretation, data patterns, simulation logic, and applied calculation.
Round Structure
How each round uses these domains.
40 Multiple-Choice Questions
The 50-minute qualification round draws questions from all six domains. Participants compete individually; the three team member scores are summed to determine team ranking.
7 Open-Ended Team Questions
- 1 Observational Astronomy question
- 3 Astrophysics questions
- 1 Cosmology question
- 1 Planetology question
- 1 Computational Astronomy question
Preparation
Resources to get you competition-ready.
Our partners — WolframAlpha, Art of Problem Solving, and Brilliant — provide tools and materials to help every team prepare across all six domains. Free Wolfram accounts are issued to all registered participants.