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Galaxy Stars Syllabus and Reading List Horsehead Nebula in Orion

We will be able to cover only the highlights of each topic during class time.
Textbook readings will both reinforce that material and expand upon it by delving deeper into the physics.
The readings in Carroll & Ostlie are required; those in Kartunnen et al. are optional.

some topics may be rearranged as term progress
 

Week Dates Topics Carroll & Ostlie Chapter/s Kartunnen Chapter/s Notes
1 28 Sep - 2 Oct Astronomy vs. Physics
Scale of Solar System ==> Galaxy
Coordinates & Time; Motion
1 1
2
lynne away wednesday;
we will either make up a lecture another day or jake will run class
2 5 - 9 Oct Optics, Telescopes, Measurement 6 9.6
11
3 12 - 16 Oct Light from Stars ==> Galaxies
Magnitudes, Colors
Spectral Lines
Blackbody Radiation
end of 1.3, 3.1
3.2, 3.6
5, 9.4
3.3-3.5, 9.1
4
5.1-5.4
9.1-9.4
4 19 - 23 Oct The Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram
Stellar Parameters
Stellar Atmospheres
8.2

8.1, 9.2, 9.3, 11.2 (pp 360 - 369)
5.5-5.6,6
9.5,9.7
5 26 - 30 Oct finish Stellar Atmospheres
Stellar Interiors
8.1, 9.2, 9.3, 11.2 (pp 360 - 369)
10.1 10.3, 10.5 (pp 330-334), 10.6, 11.1 (pp 349-355)
3
(Midterm period begins wednesday)
6 2 - 6 Nov Interstellar Medium, Star Formation, Pre-Main Sequence, Planet Formation 12, 23 16.1-16.4
12.1-12.3
(Midterm period ends tuesday)
7 9 - 13 Nov Orbital Mechanics
Fundamental Parameters
Normal to Exotic Binary Systems
2
7
18 (skim)
7
10
12.6
8 16 - 20 Nov Post-Main Sequence Stellar Evolution
Stellar Pulsators
Stellar Remnants
13
14.1-14.2
15, 16.2, 17.3 (skim these for terminology and gist; we will not be able to cover all of the physics)
12.4-12.5,12.8
14
15,16.5-16.6
9 23 - 27 Nov The Sun
Our Solar System: Census and Formation
11.3, 14.5
19,20,21,22
(skim these chapters; much more detail than we can cover in class)
13
8
(Institute holiday thursday and friday)
10 30 Nov - 4 Dec Star Clusters
The Galaxy: Structure and Kinematics
13.3
24 (parts)
17
18
11 7 - 11 Dec [Study/Exam Period] review all listed above review all listed above (Finals period begins monday)