PLACE: 317 Physics-Astronomy Building (PA)

INSTRUCTOR:

• Prof. Robert Stein, 310 PA Bldg, 353-8661, steinr@pilot.msu.edu

TEXT: Modern Astrophysics by Carroll and Ostlie

Suplementary texts:

Introductory Astronomy & Astrophysics by Zeilik, Gregory & Smith

Fundamental Astronomy by Karttunen, Kroger, Oja, Poutanen & Donner

The Physical Universe, An Introduction to Astronomy by Shu

OFFICE HOURS: To be determined.

GRADE: Your grade will be based on your homework projects (50%) and a midterm and final exam (50%). Homework problems will help you master the material presented in lectures and give you an opportunity to apply it.

GOALS

1. Understand the basic physical processes that control the structure and evolution of stars, galaxies and the universe.
2. Become familiar with the fundamental techniques for measuring the properties of stars, galaxies and the universe.
3. Become aquainted with some of the current problems in astronomy and astrophysics.

1. Observing
   • Coordinates

     Reading: sec. 1.3

     Fundamental Astronomy, chap. 2

   • Telescopes and Detectors

     Reading: chap. 6

     Fundamental Astronomy, chap. 3

   • Radiation

     Reading: chaps. 3, 4, 8, 9

     Fundamental Astronomy, chaps. 4, 5

   Homework #1 (ps file)

2. Stars
   • Structure of Stars

     Reading: chaps. 10, 11, 15

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chaps. 10, 16

     Shu, chaps. 5, 6, 7

   • Measuring Stars

     Reading: chaps. 7, 8

     Fundamental Astronomy, chap. 9

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chaps. 11, 12, 13

   • Evolution of Stars

     Reading: chaps. 12, 13, 15, 16

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chaps. 16, 17

3. Galaxies
   • Milky Way

     Reading: chaps. 22, 23

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chaps. 14, 15, 19, 20

     Shu, chaps. 11, 12

   • Active Galactic Nuclei

     Reading: chap. 26

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chap. 24

     Shu, chaps. 13

   • Clusters of Galaxies

     Reading: sec. 25.3

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chap. 23

4. Cosmology
   • Newtonian Cosmology

     Reading: sec. 27.1

     Fundamental Astronomy, sec. 20.4

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, sec. 25-1

     Shu, chaps. 15

   • Measuring the Universe

     Reading: sec. 25.1, 25.2, chap. 27

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chap. 22

   • History of the Universe

     Reading: sec. 25.2, 27.2, chap. 28

     Zeilik, Gregory and Smith, chaps. 25, 26

     Shu, chaps. 16