units

ASP3012

Faculty of Science

18 September 2017 22 November 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Science
Organisational UnitSchool of Physics and Astronomy
OfferedClayton Second semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)Dr Rosemary Mardling

Synopsis

Stellar photometry; observing the stars; star formation; equation of state; reduced equations of stellar structure; polytropic stellar models; full equations of stellar structure; the main sequence; post-main-sequence evolution. Galactic morphology and stellar content; elliptical and spiral galaxies; large-scale structure of the Milky Way; dark matter; potential theory; galactic dynamics-orbits in spherical and axisymmetric potentials. Field trip. Astronomical data reduction.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Understand the nature of stars - their life histories, how they produce energy, how they synthesise the chemical elements, and their ultimate fates;

  1. Build a simple polytropic numerical stellar model;

  1. Distinguish and discuss different types of galaxies;

  1. Understand the relationships between stellar evolution, galactic evolution, and the creation of the elements;

  1. Model computationally the motion of stars in galaxies;

  1. Understand the implications of the observed nature of galaxies for theories of the universe;

  1. Describe the morphology and kinematics of the Milky Way;

  1. Understand the significance of dark matter to galactic structure;

  1. Understand the use of optical telescopes for data collection;

  1. Write an observational research report.

Assessment

Examination (3 hours): 60%
Assignments: 20%
Computer laboratories: 10%
Field-trip report: 10%

Workload requirements

Three 1-hour lecture, one 1-hour support classes per week and one 1-hour computer laboratory in most weeks

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Rosemary Mardling

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Astrophysics
Mathematics and statistics

Prerequisites

One of MTH2010 or MTH2015, plus MTH2032, or equivalent