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Instructor's Notes
    Section/Topic - [page] - file
    Introductory Remarks [1] pdf (I.A-B)
  1. Positional Astronomy
    1. The Celestial Sphere and the Horizon System [2]
    2. The Equatorial Coordinate System [4]
    3. The Ecliptic and Other Coordinate Systems [7] pdf (I.C-D)
    4. Conversion of Coordinates [9]
    5. Precession, Aberration, and Refraction [10] pdf (I.E-F)
    6. Parallax and Stellar Distances [15]
  2. Properties of Electromagnetic Radiation
    1. Light as Waves and Photons; the Electromagnetic Spectrum [17] pdf (II.A)
    2. Basic Quantities of Radiation (Specific Intensity, etc.) [20] pdf (II.B)
    3. Blackbody Radiation [27] pdf (II.C)
  3. Photometry: Measuring Stellar Brightness
    1. Luminosity, Distance, and Flux [31] pdf (III.A-C)
    2. The Stellar Magnitude Scale [32]
    3. Absolute Magnitude and the Distance Modulus Law [34]
    4. Photometric Bands and Colors [35] pdf (III.D-E)
    5. Bolometric Corrections [39]
  4. Effects of the Earth's Atmosphere
    1. Photometric Extinction Corrections [41] pdf (IV.A)
    2. The Diffraction Limit and Atmospheric "Seeing" [45] pdf (IV.B-D)
    3. Atmospheric Absorption and Transmission [48]
    4. Atmospheric Skyglow and Emission [51]
  5. Observational Tools and Techniques
    1. Ingredients of an Astronomical Observation [53] pdf (V)
    2. Instruments and Techniques [55]
    3. Astronomical Detectors [57]
  6. Spectroscopy and Stellar Spectra
    1. Types of Spectra: Kirchhoff's Laws [60] pdf (VI)
    2. Stellar Spectral Types [62]
    3. Atomic Energy Levels and the Formation of Spectral Lines [65]
    4. The Bohr Atom [67]
  7. Interpreting Stellar Spectra
    1. Excitation and Ionization Equilibria: Boltzmann and Saha Equations [69] pdf (VII.A)
    2. The Uses of High-Resolution Spectroscopy [74] pdf (VII.BC)
    3. Line Profiles [76]
    4. Equivalent Widths and the Curve of Growth [78] pdf (VII.D)
    5. Elemental Abundances [82] pdf (VII.E)
  8. The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram [85] pdf (VIII.AB)
    1. The Color-Magnitude Diagram
    2. Main Sequence Stars and the Mass-Luminosity Relation
    3. Luminosity Class, Surface Gravity, and Spectroscopic Parallax [90] pdf (VIII.CD)
    4. The Uses of Cluster HR Diagrams
  9. Stellar Motions and Orbits
    1. Proper Motion and Transverse Velocity [93] pdf (IX.A-C)
    2. Kepler's Laws of Orbital Motion [94]
    3. Newton's Form of Kepler's Third Law: Masses from Orbits [95]
    4. Elements of Elliptical Orbits [97] pdf (IX.D)
  10. Binary Stars
    1. Visual (Astrometric) Binaries [99] pdf (X.A)
    2. Spectroscopic Binaries [102] pdf (X.B)
    3. Eclipsing Binaries [to be posted]
    4. Close and Interacting Binaries [to be posted]
  11. Overview of Stellar Evolution [slide set] pdf










 









28 November 2007
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
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