Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives At the completion of this subject students should be able to give an account of astronomical observations of the sun and their astrophysical explanation; understand the observational properties of the stars, their correlations on the HR diagram, and their physical interpretation; understand the main ideas behind stellar evolution; understand the general features of the Milky Way galaxy; know current ideas on galaxy evolution; be familiar with the Hubble classification of galaxies; know about galaxy dynamics and populations; know how galaxy distances are measured; know the significance of the Hubble constant and how it is measured; know the observational properties of active galaxies and the models used to account for them; be able to do simple black hole calculations.
Synopsis This is an introduction to astrophysics, in which physical ideas gained in first year and in PHS2251 are developed and used to understand how data from the cosmos are obtained and interpreted. Laboratory work introduces experimental techniques and illustrates and extends the lecture material. Students may undertake their own astronomical observations. Topics covered are the stars (the sun, HR diagram, variable stars, evolution of stars, stellar energy sources); the Milky Way (evidence for present picture of the structure of the Milky Way, the influence of dust on observations, star-forming regions, interstellar molecules); galaxies and cosmology, (including classification and evolution of galaxies, Hubble's law, `missing mass' in galaxies, the nature of quasars and the possibility that black holes trigger their power output).
Assessment Examination (3 hours): 67% + Laboratory work: 33%