Physics 3160: Stellar & Galactic Astronomy

Section I.  Review of Stellar Astronomy.   You will already be familiar with some of this material from PHYS 2151, but we will go into greater depth and be more technical, with most things.  This section will review astronomical observation (magnitudes, colours, spectra, radial velocities, distances, etc.), and basics about stars (spectral classification, the HR diagram, stellar evolution). 

Section II.  General Observational Properties of Galaxies.   After a review from PHYS 2151, you will learn more about general galaxy properties – morphologies, sizes, luminosities, surface brightness profiles.  You’ll also find out about the luminosity function for galaxies, and be introduced to active galaxies and a “nature vs. nurture” debate.

Section III.  Galaxies in Detail.  We'll look at the nature of elliptical, spiral, and irregular galaxies in some detail.  In addition to covering the stellar and gaseous components of the galaxies, you’ll be learning about their dynamics and chemical evolution.  As we study spiral galaxies, we’ll spend a fair bit of time looking at our own Galaxy.

Section IV.  Active Galaxies.   “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”, so we’ll devote a few days to these spectacular show-offs.

Section V.  Galaxy Clusters.  Groups of galaxies and their large-scale distribution in space.  Here’s where you’ll find two pretty spiffy ways to find the mass of galaxy clusters - even if you can’t see most of it!

Section VI.  (Liddle) An Introduction to Modern Cosmology.   And now for the really cool stuff!  As the author of your second text says: “By a lucky chance, and a subtle bit of cheating, the correct equations describing an expanding Universe can be obtained from Newtonian gravity.  From this basis, one can study all the triumphs of the Hot Big Bang cosmology – the expansion of the Universe, the prediction of its age, the existence of the cosmic microwave background, and the abundances of light elements such as helium and deuterium – and even go on to discuss more speculative ideas such as the inflationary cosmology.”   Which is just what we’ll do!