Astronomy
311, Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fall 2015
MWF
Room 219 JCL
Dr. Chris Fragile
Office: JCL 207
Office hours: Tu/Th 11:00-12:00, 12:30-1:30
But if you see me in my office at other times, you are welcome to stop in.
Phone: 953-3181
Tentative Schedule (Subject to change as we go.)
|
DATE |
COURSE MATERIAL |
ASSIGNMENTS/NOTES
|
| 26 Aug | 3.3 Wave Nature of Light | |
| 28 Aug | 3.2, 3.4-3.5 Magnitudes, Blackbody Radiation & Quantization | HW 1, Solutions |
| 31 Aug | 5.1-5.2 Spectral Lines & Photons | |
| 2 Sep | 5.3 Bohr Model | |
| 4 Sep | 8.1 Formation of Spectral Lines | HW 2, Solutions |
| 9 Sep | 8.2 H-R Diagram | |
| 11 Sep | 10.1 Hydrostatic Equilibrium | HW 3, Solutions |
| 14 Sep | 2.4 Virial Theorem | |
| 16 Sep | 12.2 Formation of Protostars | |
| 18 Sep | 12.3 Pre-Main-Sequence Evolution | |
| 21 Sep | 9.1 Radiation Field | HW 4, Solutions |
| 25 Sep | 9.2 Stellar Opacity | |
| 30 Sep | 9.3 Radiative Transfer | |
| 2 Oct | Test #1, Solutions | |
| 5 Oct | 9.4 The Transfer Equation | HW 5, Solutions |
| 12 Oct | 9.5 Profiles of Spectral Lines | Project |
| 16 Oct | 10.3 Stellar Energy Sources | HW 6, Solutions |
| 19 Oct | No class! | |
| 21 Oct | 10.4 Energy Transport & Thermodynamics | |
| 23 Oct | 10.5 Stellar Model Building | HW 7, Solutions |
| 26 Oct | 11.1 Solar Interior | |
| 28 Oct | 11.2 Solar Atmosphere | |
| 30 Oct | 10.6 The Main Sequence | |
| 2 Nov | Nucleosynthesis | HW 8, Solutions |
| 4 Nov | Nucleosynthesis | |
| 6 Nov | Nucleosynthesis | |
| 9 Nov | 13.1 Evolution on the Main Sequence | |
| 11 Nov | 13.2 Late Stages of Evolution | |
| 13 Nov | Test #2, Solutions | |
| 16 Nov | 15.1 Post-Main-Sequence Evolution | HW 9, Solutions |
| 18 Nov | 13.3 Stellar Clusters | |
| 20 Nov | 15.2-15.3 Supernovae | |
| 23 Nov | 16.3-16.4 Degenerate Matter | |
| 25-27 Nov | Thanksgiving Break! | |
| 30 Nov | 16.2 White Dwarfs | HW 10, Solutions |
| 2 Dec | 16.6 Neutron Stars | |
| 4 Dec | 16.7 Pulsars | |
| 7 Dec | 17.3 Black Holes | |
| 9 Dec | Final Exam, 12-3 pm, JCL 219 |
Prerequisites/Corequisites: MATH 221 and ASTR 231
Required text: An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, B. W. Carroll & D. A. Ostlie (2nd Ed.)
Recommended text: An Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics, F. LeBlanc
Attendance: Attendance is the responsibility of the student. Assignments are expected to be turned in when they are due. Late submissions will be penalized, if they are accepted at all.
The basic concepts of the physics of stars and stellar systems are explored. Topics covered include: celestial mechanics, formation of spectra, stellar interiors and atmospheres, classification of stellar spectra, formation and evolution of stars, degenerate remnants of stars, pulsating stars, and binary stars.
Learning Outcomes:
Your grade will be assessed based upon two midterm exams, approximately weekly homework assignments, a final exam, and a course project. Each assignment category will be given equal weight. The formal grading scale might change depending on how the class performs, but the final scale will be no more stringent than the one below.
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