Stars and Galaxies
PHY2106.01
Course Description
Summary
All but a handful of the objects you see in the night sky are stars in our Galaxy, the Milky Way. Although we know about these stars only from studying their light, we know today that they are not just points of light, but large, gravitationally‐bound balls of plasma governed by the laws of physics. Stars, together with dust, gas, and dark matter, are found in larger structures – galaxies. In turn, galaxies, are located in even larger structures called galaxy groups and galaxy clusters. In this course, we will study the formation and evolution of stars and galaxies and, through this study, gain insight into how the large scale structure of the universe has changed since its formation nearly 14 billion years ago.
Learning Outcomes
- A quantitative understanding of the physics of light, stars, and galaxies
- An understanding of how to work through quantitative and qualitative problems
- An understanding and appreciation for the scale of astrophysical systems and processes