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Introduction To Astronomy PDF

This document provides an introduction to an astronomy course. It will cover topics ranging from planets to stars to galaxies to the universe. The course will use physics and mathematics concepts learned in undergraduate courses as well as current astronomical observations to understand celestial objects and find order in the universe. It lists two textbooks that will be used and provides a table outlining the lecture topics, learning objectives, and reference sections for each lecture.

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Reynaldo Aldamar
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260 views

Introduction To Astronomy PDF

This document provides an introduction to an astronomy course. It will cover topics ranging from planets to stars to galaxies to the universe. The course will use physics and mathematics concepts learned in undergraduate courses as well as current astronomical observations to understand celestial objects and find order in the universe. It lists two textbooks that will be used and provides a table outlining the lecture topics, learning objectives, and reference sections for each lecture.

Uploaded by

Reynaldo Aldamar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Astronomy

& Astrophysics (PHY F215)


Kaushar Vaidya
Ph.D. (Astronomy)
• vastness and scales (sizes, time, temperature-pressure)
(philosophical, exo-planets, detection, alien)
• nothing like anything
• application of physics
Scope and Objective
This course will introduce a student to the current
understanding of the celestial objects starting from
planets to stars to galaxies to the whole Universe. We will
make use of the Physics and Mathematics learned up to
first year undergrad level, and the knowledge of the up-
to-date astronomical observations (spanning the entire
electromagnetic spectrum) of these celestial objects, to
know the working of these objects, and to find an order in
the grand scheme of things called − the Universe.
Books & Coverage
Textbook

An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics


Bradley Carroll & Dale Ostlie

Reference Book

The Physical Universe


Frank Shu
Lecture Reference
Learning Objectives Topics to be covered
No. Section
1-2 Celestial Mechanics Celestial Sphere, Coordinate Systems, Kepler's Laws, Virial Theorem Ch.1, Ch.2

Prerequisite
The Continuous Parallax, Magnitude Scale, Wave Nature of Light, Blackbody Radiation,
3-4 Ch. 3
Spectrum of Light Quantization of Energy, Color Index
Physics 5-6
The Interaction of Light Spectral Lines, Photons, The Bohr Model of the Atom, Quantum Mechanics
Ch. 5
and Matter and Wave-Particle Duality
Basic Optics, Optical Telescopes, Radio Telescopes, Infrared, Ultraviolet, X-
7-8 Telescopes Ch. 6
ray, and Gamma-Ray Astronomy
Binary Systems and Classification of Binary Stars, Mass Determination Using Visual Binaries,
Stellar
9-10 Ch.7
Stellar Parameters Eclipsing Binaries, Search of Extrasolar Planets

Structure & 11-12


The Classification of
Stellar Spectra
Formation of Spectral Lines, H-R Diagram Ch. 8

Atmosphere 13-16 Stellar Atmospheres


Description of Radiation Field, Stellar Opacity, Radiative Transfer, Transfer
Ch. 9
Equation, Profile of Spectral Lines
Hydrostatic Equilibrium, Pressure Equation of State, Stellar Energy Sources,
17-20 Interiors of Stars Ch. 10
Energy Transport, Main Sequence

ISM & Star 21-22 The Sun


Interstellar Medium and
Solar Interior, Solar Atmosphere, Solar Cycle
Interstellar Dust and Gas, Formation of Protostars, Pre-Main Sequence
Ch. 11

Formation 23-25
Star Formation Evolution
Ch. 12

Main-Sequence and
Evolution on the Main Sequence, Late Stages of Stellar Evolution, Stellar
Stellar 26-28 Post-Main-Sequence
Evolution
Clusters
Ch. 13

Evolution & Post-Main-Sequence Evolution of Massive Stars, Classification of


29-30 Fate of Massive Stars Ch. 15
End-States Supernovae, Gamma Ray Bursts, Cosmic Rays

of Stars
Degenerate Remnants
31-32 White Dwarfs, Chandrasekhar Limit, Neutron Stars, Pulsars Ch. 16
of Stars
33-34 Black Holes GTR, Black Holes Ch. 17
Morphology of the Milky Way Galaxy, Kinematics of the Milky Way, Ch. 24, Ch.
Galactic
35-37 Nature of Galaxies
Galactic Center, Hubble Sequence, Spiral, Elliptical, and Irregular Galaxies 25

Astrophysics 38-39
Structure of the
Extragalactic Distance Scale, Expansion of the Universe, Cluster of Galaxies Ch. 27
Universe
& Cosmology Cosmology and Early Newtonian Cosmology, CMBR, Relativistic Cosmology, Observational
40-42 Ch. 29, 30
Universe Cosmology, The Very Early Universe and Inflation, The Origin of Structure
Evaluation Scheme
EC Evaluation Duration Weightage Date, Remarks
No. Component (%) Time &
Venue
1. Mid-Sem 90 Min. 30 TBA Closed/Open Book
Test
2. Tutorial TBA 20 Closed Book/Open
Tests, Book
Assignments
3. Project/Viva TBA 10 TBA Closed Book/Open
Book
4. Comp. Exam 3 Hour 40 08/05 Closed/Open Book
History of Astronomy
Stonehenge, England (2000-3000 BC)
Maya Writing (300-900 AD)
Maya Pyramid (300-900 AD)
Pythagoras (570—490 BC) study
of music intervals and geometry of
right angle demonstrated for the
first time the relationship between
nature and numbers.
The Geocentric Universe
Plato (427—347 BC) proposed that
celestial bodies should move about
Earth with a uniform speed and follow
a circular motion with Earth at the
center of that motion.
Wanderers – The Rule Breakers
The Retrograde Motion of Mars in 2008

Image Source: APOD by Tunc Tezel


Hipparchus (190 – 120 BC)
‘Fixing’ the Problem: Circle upon Circle
The Ptolemaic System
Ptolemy’s 13 volumes— Almagest

Ptolemy (90 − 168 AD) calculated


the sizes and rotation rates of the
epicycles and deferents by using
data of planets of hundreds of
years and could predict the paths
of sun, moon and planets with
high accuracy.
So, what was the problem?

The Ptolemaic system was highly complex and treated


each planet differently. There was no unified way of
explaining the planetary motion.
The Heliocentric Model
Aristarchus (310 − 230 BC)

• Demonstrated Sun is bigger than Earth


• Developed the first Heliocentric Model
• Proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis once a day−
hence the daily rising and setting of sun, moon, and stars
• Explained the retrograde motion of planets

But, there were no ‘buyers’ of this simpler model for


another 2000 years!
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543)

Copernicus developed a ‗new‘


model placing the Sun at the
center of the Universe and could
explain both the retrograde
motion and the arrangement of
planets in the solar system.
Retrograde Motion Explained
Tycho Brahe (1546 – 1601)

Tycho tried to measure the parallax of


the 1572 Supernova and a comet in
1577 but could not find any parallax.

The new ‘stars’ convinced Tycho that


the heavens are not unchanging!
& he concluded that the new ‘stars’
must be too far away.
Tycho Brahe (1546 – 1601)

Tycho failed to detect any parallax


for nearby stars as well hence
concluded that the Heliocentric
model was wrong.

He built sophisticated equipments


in his observatory and made
painstaking observations of the
celestial objects for 20 years!
Tycho Brahe (1546 – 1601)

Tycho failed to detect any parallax


for nearby stars as well hence
concluded that the Heliocentric
model was wrong.

His accuracy was 4‘ (one eighth of


a full moon!)
Johannes Kepler (1571 – 1630)

Using the wealth of the data that


Brahe had accumulated, Kepler
eventually came up with his three
laws of planetary motion.
Kepler’s First and Second Laws

A planet orbits the Sun in an ellipse with the Sun at one


focus of the ellipse.

A line connecting a planet to the Sun sweeps out equal


areas in equal time intervals.
Kepler’s Third Law

P a
2 3

Where P is the orbital period of the planet in years, and


a is the average distance of the planet from the Sun, in
astronomical units (AU).

11
1 AU = 1.496 X 10 m
But why were the planetary orbits
the way they were?
Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)

Galileo proposed the concept of


inertia. He was the first to
realize that objects near the
surface of the Earth fall with the
same acceleration regardless of
their weight.
Galileo Galilei (1564 - 1642)

Galileo made the first ever


telescope around 1608 and
watched the craters of the
Moon, rings of Saturn, different
phases of Venus, and the
moons of the Jupiter.

In 1632, the Church put him under house arrest for the
rest of his life and banned all his work.
Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727)

Using the Mathematical techniques


that he devised, Newton, formulated
the Laws of Gravitation and explained
the Physics behind Keplerian orbits.
Derivation of Kepler’s Laws

Section 2.3 − First Assignment


The Virial Theorem

For a gravitationally bound system in equilibrium, the total


energy is one-half of the time-averaged potential energy
of the system.

1
E  U
2
Image Source: Cartoons by Prof. Biman Nath
Published in ―Mercury‖ 1999
Positions on the Celestial Sphere
The Altitude Azimuth Coordinate System

Pros: Easy to define and


understand

Cons: Coordinates of stars


are observer-dependent
and are not constant
North
Zenith

North
Zenith

North
Zenith

h North

A
What is the time by your watch?
Excuse me, do you mean Solar time or
Sidereal time?

The Sidereal Day is shorter by about four minutes!


Oh, I hate winter!
Blame the tilt of the Earth’s spin axis!

Image Source: Seeds/Horizons – 3rd Ed.


Foundations of Astronomy 1990
The Ecliptic Across Equator
The Equatorial Coordinate System

Pros: Nearly constant


positions of objects

Cons: Less straightforward


Precession means
You need to apply corrections for precision!
Corrections for J2000.0 Equatorial
Coordinates
But, how do we know stars are in
motion?
Radial Velocity and Proper Motion

Radial Motion: Doppler Shift in spectral lines

dθ vθ
Proper Motion:   , useful in membership
determination
dt r
Assignments: 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.11, 2.12, 2.14

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