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AST 309N · Cosmic Catastrophes    1   2  


Schedule

  1. Setting the Stage: The Universe is a Strange Place (Week 1)
    1. Introduction
    2. Background - Gravity and Quantum Theory, Forces

  2. Dancing with Stars (Weeks 2-3)
    1. Binary Stars
    2. Accretion Disks
    3. White Dwarfs

  3. Stellar Catastrophes (Weeks 4-6)
    1. Supernovae
    2. Supernovae 1987A

  4. Neutron Stars (Week 7)

  5. Black Holes in Theory: Into the Abyss (Weeks 8-9)
    1. Event Horizon and Singularity
    2. Black Holes in Space and Time
    3. Black Hole Evaporation: Hawking Radiation
    4. Fundamental Properties of Black Holes
    5. Inside Black Holes

  6. Black Holes in Fact: Exploring the Reality (Weeks 10-11)
    1. Black Hole X-ray Novae
    2. Miniquasars
    3. Supermassive Black Holes

  7. The Universe: Long, Long Ago and Far, Far Away (Weeks 12-13)
    1. Gamma-Ray Bursts: the Birth of Black Holes
    2. Probing the Size, Shape, and Fate of the Universe with Supernovae

  8. Black Holes, Worm Holes, and Beyond: the Frontiers (Week 14)
    1. Worm Holes
    2. Time Machines
    3. Quantum Gravity
    4. String Theory
    5. When the Singularity is not a Singularity
    6. Extra dimensions
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15 January 2008
Astronomy Program · The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, Texas 78712
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