Professor
Harriet Dinerstein
Office: RLM 16.324
Hours: M 1:30-2:30, W 10:30-11:30, or by appt
Phone: (512) 471-3449
email
Course Website
TA
Jessica Wood
|
 |
Subject Matter:
Stars are obviously fundamental to the subject of astronomy; its very name means "study of the
stars"! Stars are the building blocks of galaxies, the central bodies of planetary systems, and the
nuclear ovens in which all of the elements heavier than helium were created. Astronomy 352K is
a technical, junior/senior-level introduction to stellar astronomy and astrophysics, designed for
astronomy or physics majors, or those in closely related majors. We will approach the subject
the way professional astronomers do, by examining the "observable" properties of stars. These
are the quantities that we can measure even from great distances, such as the color and brightness
of the light they emit. By applying physical principles, we will show how one can infer the
intrinsic (true) properties of stars - such as surface temperature, radius, and luminosity (total
radiative energy output) - from these observables. This requires a detailed understanding of how
to read the information encoded in light, and how it is determined by conditions in the material
emitting the light. We will discuss the various instruments and measurement techniques used by
astronomers, and what can be learned from each method. Towards the end of the semester, we
will give a brief overview of the life stories of stars from birth to death, and cover special topics
selected partly according to the interests of the class.
Prerequisite & Approach:
Physics: The prerequisites are Physics 316 or equivalent (lower-division E&M), and its
prerequisite, Physics 301 (Mechanics), as well as the accompanying math courses. However,
astronomy draws on such a wide variety of areas of physics - for example, atomic structure,
statistical mechanics, & the theory of radiation - that we cannot expect you to have
|
