ASTRO 2211 - Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies, and Cosmology

(PBS-AS, PHS-AS)

Spring. 4 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: introductory calculus or co-registration in MATH 1110 or MATH 1910 or permission of instructor. Intended for: first- and second-year students with interests in astronomy and astrophysical science, including (but not limited to) engineering and physical sciences students.

D. Riechers.

Course surveying the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang onwards: what happens in the first few minutes of the universe’s life; star formation, structure, and evolution; the physics of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes; galaxy formation and structure; and cosmology. The roles of quantum physics, particle physics, and relativity in astrophysics are discussed (no prior knowledge of these is assumed). The course is more in-depth than ASTRO 1101/ASTRO 1103. All course materials are made available online.