OAC
A free, international astronomy competition for high school students, featuring two rounds with multiple-choice and olympiad-style problems.
About the Online Astronomy Competition
The Online Astronomy Competition (OAC) is a free, international astronomy competition designed to make astronomy accessible and exciting for high school students everywhere. Conducted entirely online and open to all eligible students at no cost, OAC provides a unique opportunity for young astronomers to test their knowledge, engage with challenging problems, and compete on a global stage.
The mission of OAC is to democratize astronomy education and foster a community of passionate student astronomers worldwide, regardless of background or location.
Competition Format
Two-Round Structure
The OAC features an innovative two-round format that caters to different levels of competition:
Round 1: Open Round
- Open to all eligible students worldwide
- Multiple-choice and short-answer questions
- Covers a wide range of astronomy topics
- Accessible online format
- Tests foundational knowledge and problem-solving skills
Round 2: Invitational Round
- Exclusively for top performers from the Open Round
- Subjective, olympiad-style, open-ended problems
- Requires deeper understanding of astronomy concepts
- Emphasizes creative thinking and analytical rigor
- Problems written with mathematical rigor and depth
High-Quality Problem Curation
The competition features problems written by IOAA medalists and accomplished astronomers, ensuring:
- Challenging & Fair: Problems test genuine understanding, not memorization
- Diverse Topics: Coverage across positional astronomy, photometry, celestial mechanics, astrophysics, and more
- Unique Elements: Portions of the competition focus on practical application and research-oriented thinking
- International Standard: Problems align with International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics standards
Research & Practical Focus
Unlike many competitions that focus solely on theoretical knowledge, OAC incorporates:
- Practical application of astronomical concepts
- Research-oriented problem-solving
- Real-world astronomy scenarios
International Community
- Connects aspiring astronomers from around the world
- Represents diverse educational backgrounds and approaches
- Fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange among global participants
Getting Involved
For Students
- Register for the competition
- Join the Discord community for updates and discussions
- Check the archive to see previous competition problems
Contact & Community
- Email: onlineastrocompetition@gmail.com
- Discord: Join the OAC server
Vision & Impact
The OAC was created to address a gap in international astronomy competition opportunities. By providing a free, online, globally-accessible competition with high-quality problems written by accomplished young astronomers, OAC aims to:
- Inspire the next generation of astronomers and physicists
- Provide equal opportunity regardless of geographic or economic background
- Create a supportive community of astronomy enthusiasts
- Demonstrate that excellence in astronomy education can be accessible to everyone
The competition embodies the principle that talent and passion for astronomy should be the only barriers to participation, not cost, location, or institutional constraints.