Courses in Astronomy (Division 326)

101. Introductory Astronomy: The Solar System. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 111, 130, or 160. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Three lectures and a one-hour discussion period each week. Lecture topics include sun, planets, earth-moon system, comets, and asteroids, including information obtained from recent space probes; telescopes; time and the seasons; and the origin of the solar system and of life. Discussion sections feature planetarium visits, observing sessions with telescopes, demonstrations of astronomical phenomena, and student-inspired topics.

102. Introductory Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 112, 130, or 160. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Three lectures and a one-hour discussion period each week. Lecture topics include properties and evolution of stars; interstellar luminous nebulae; recent discoveries involving galaxies, quasars, and black holes in space; and the present state of our knowledge regarding the origin and ultimate fate of the universe and possibilities of finding and communicating with life outside the solar system. Discussion section format is similar to that in Astronomy 101 but concentrates on the universe beyond the solar system.

111. Introductory Astronomy: The Solar System. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 101, 130, or 160. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Three lectures and a two-hour evening laboratory section each week. Lectures deal with such topics as the sun, planets, earth-moon system, comets, and asteroids, including information obtained from recent space probes. Also telescopes, time and the seasons, origin of the solar system and of life. The laboratories and discussions feature planetarium demonstrations, observations with telescopes, astronomical photography, and student-inspired dialogue. Two years of high-school mathematics or equivalent are recommended.

112. Introductory Astronomy: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102, 130, or 160. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
Three lectures and a two-hour evening laboratory section each week. Lectures deal with such topics as the properties and evolution of stars, interstellar luminous nebulae, and recent discoveries involving galaxies, quasars, and black holes in space. Also the present state of our knowledge regarding the origin and ultimate fate of the universe and possibilities of finding and communicating with life outside the solar system. The laboratories and discussions feature planetarium demonstrations, observation with telescopes, astronomical photography, and student-inspired dialogue. Two years of high school mathematics or equivalent are recommended.

120. Frontiers of Astronomy. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Astro. 125. (3). (NS). (BS).
Topics emphasized stem from modern extragalactic astronomy, with a stress on areas that are still emerging, such as dark matter, expansion of the universe, and formation of structures in the universe.

122. The Origin of the Elements and the History of Matter. (3). (NS). (BS).
Seminar focusing on the creation of the elements, which were made in the big Bang and in the center of stars. Students learn how clues to the history of matter were found in abundance patterns in a variety of astronomical objects.

125. Observational Astronomy. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in Astro. 120. (4). (NS). (BS).
Astronomy is an observational science that requires obtaining, reducing, and analyzing data. In this seminar, supplemented by an observational laboratory, students work with telescopes and data as well as read on topics of major interest to the field.

127. Naked Eye Astronomy. (1). (Excl).
Students learn about the nature of the most common astronomical objects that can be observed by eye, such as the Sun, Moon, planets, stars, comets, and meteors. The motion of these objects in the sky is studied along with their influence on the Earth

130. Explorations in Astronomy. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 101, 102, 111, 112, or 160. (3). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
A one-term introductory course. The present status of knowledge of the universe, its organization and evolution, and the relationship of astronomy to other sciences.

135/AOSS 135. Exploration of the Solar System. Astro. 101 or 111. (3). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
This course presents the development of space exploration with a concentration on the major scientific breakthroughs resulting from the exploration of the solar system from the earliest rockets to the latest HST and Galileo results.

160. Introduction to Astrophysics. Math. 115, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 140. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 102, 112, or 130. (4). (NS). (BS). (QR/2).
A survey of astronomy and astrophysics. We explore several of the most exciting phenomenon in astrophysics. Fundamental astrophysical processes are explained as are the telescopes and instruments used for the observation of astronomical objects. A major theme is stars, with emphasis on their structure, evolution, and the transfer of radiation. We study the evolution of stars from their birth in giant molecular clouds through their death, which leads to the creation of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. Galaxies and their distribution is the last theme. Among the topics discussed are the missing or dark matter in galaxies, interactions between galaxies, and the large-scale distribution of galaxies in the Universe.

204/AOSS 204/Geology 204. The Planets: Their Geology and Climates. High school mathematics through plane geometry and trigonometry. Those with credit for GS 113 may only elect Astro. 204 for 2 credits. (3). (NS). (BS).
Structure, composition and evolutionary history of the surfaces and atmospheres of the planets and their satellites, with special emphasis given to comparative aspects of geology and climatology. Intended for non-science concentrators with a background in high school math and science.

261/Naval Science 301. Navigation. (2). (Excl). (BS).
Theory and practice of celestial navigation, elements of piloting, dead reckoning, and the sailings.

361. Astronomical Techniques. Astro. 160. (4). (Excl). (BS).
Topics include astronomical instrumentation, techniques for obtaining observational data, and the reduction and analysis of observations. Emphasis is placed upon obtaining and analyzing data in such fields as astrometry, radio astronomy, and spectroscopy. Three lectures and two hours of laboratory or observing weekly.

389. Individual Studies in Astronomy. Permission of instructor. (1-3). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for credit.
Individual reading and study in astronomy under the guidance of the instructor.

399. Introduction to Research. Permission of instructor. (1-3). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for credit.
For students in astronomy who are prepared to undertake a limited research project under the guidance of a member of the staff of the Department of Astronomy. Open to qualified students in other departments subject to approval by concentration advisors and members of the staff of the Department of Astronomy.

401. Solar System Astrophysics. Phys. 140 and Math. 116, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Studies the properties of the planets, comets and asteroids, their formation, composition, chemistry, geology, and atmospheric activity.

402. Stellar Astrophysics. Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. (3). (Excl). (BS).
This course examines the appearance, structure, and evolution of stars. We examine the basic physical processes that cause stars to have their observed structures; a study of the energy generation through nucleosynthesis; the basic physical laws that lead to the structure of stars; the transfer of radiation through the outer parts of the star; how spectroscopic information informs us as to the composition and motion of stars; and an in-depth look at the late stages of stellar evolution and stellar death.

403. Astrophysics of the Interstellar Medium. Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240. (3). (Excl). (BS).
The interstellar medium (the gas between stars) comprises a wide variety of material that interacts closely, and often violently, with individual stars and the host galaxy. The underlying atomic and molecular physics is developed; we examine how gas is ionized by hot stars and supernova remnants; we analyze the content of the cold pervasive atomic and molecular gas in the galaxy, how it often lies in spiral arms, and why giant molecular clouds are the most active sites of star formation. Recent discoveries are highlighted.

404. Galaxies and the Universe. Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Examines the properties of galaxies, large-scale structure in the universe, and cosmological models. The basic aspects of galaxies are explained, orbital theory, spiral arms, the missing mass in galaxies, galaxy evolution, and the starburst phenomenon. The clustering of galaxies, the hot intracluster medium and the dynamical evolution of clusters. Expansion of the universe, the cosmic microwave background, the inflationary universe, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, and the origin and growth of structure in the universe.

405. High Energy Astrophysics. Math. 216, and prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 340. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Examines the accretion disk and jets of plasma around black holes and other compact objects. How stellar-mass black holes form the rapidly variable x-ray binary sources and how supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies produce quasars. The explosions of massive stars (supernovae) and the possibly resulting neutron star or black hole. The origin of x-ray and gamma-ray background radiation fields, the origin of gamma-ray bursts, and the nature of cosmic rays.

406. Computational Astrophysics. Math. 216, prior or concurrent enrollment in Phys. 240, and some knowledge of programming. (3). (Excl). (BS).
Develops a practical working knowledge of the most widely used numerical methods in astrophysics. Theory is put into practice by development and use of numerical routines (some already written) in the personal computer or workstation environment. Interpolation, curve fitting, root finding, quadrature, numerical integration of differential equations, and matrix solutions of sets of linear equations. Fourier methods. Numerical statistical analysis, with particular emphasis on the peculiarities and pitfalls associated with real astronomical data.

429. Senior Seminar. Open only to senior concentrators. Astro. 401, 402, and 404. (2). (Excl). (BS).
Student-faculty discussion of selected problems in two or three currently active areas. This is also the Astronomy Department's senior writing course. Attendance at weekly department colloquia is required.

520. Cosmochemistry. Astro. 401, 402, and 404. (3). (Excl). (BS).
An introduction to the nuclear and chemical processes responsible for the origin of the chemical elements in planets, stars, and galaxies. Open to advanced undergraduates.

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