Assumed background:High school physics or #8 of any university level Physics or Mathematics.

Teaching mode: Thirty-nine contact hours. Tutorial problems may be set and worked during any session as appropriate. Students are expected to bring a calculater each session. Three of the hours may be set aside for observing sessions.

Resource materials: The lectures are based on Abell's Exploration Of The Universe. Any edition or any book with the same call number can be used. A planisphere (available in the book store) might prove useful for spotting stars and constellations. The SKYGLOBE (DOS) planetarium program is recommended.

You can download skyglb36.zip the shareware version of skyglobe but for a measley $US20 you can get the full blown version of SKYGLOBE like I have. It's worth it and you feel good too!

Assessment: The award is based on a two hour final (100 multiple choice) and optional one hour (50 multiple choice) midterm examination. The optional midterm will only count if it improves the %. There is no penalty for guessing an answer, but I give a quarter mark if no answer is given. I award a "4" if 50% is achieved. The result may be expressed as %=maximum(final marks, (final marks+midterm marks)/1.5).

1. FUNDAMENTAL DATA: STELLAR DISTANCES

The baseline: distances in the solar system, the AU. Direct measurement of distances to the nearest stars (annual parallax), definition of the parsec.

2. THE LOCAL NEIGHBOURHOOD

Stellar motions, motions of the sun and stars, secular and statistical parallax, moving cluster parallax.

3. STELLAR COLOURS AND MAGNITUDES

Apparent brightness and colours of stars. Apparent magnitudes, colour systems (UBVRI, ubvy). Variable stars.

4. SPECTRAL ANALYSIS

The spectroscope, atomic energy levels, spectrum analysis, classification of stellar spectra (OBAFGKMRNS), stellar photospheres.

5. BINARY STARS

Double stars: determination of stellar masses and radii. The mass of the sun. Dynamical parallax.

6. PROPERTIES OF STARS WITHIN FIFTY PARSECS

Typical stars, the mass-luminosity relation, the Hertzsprung-Russel (HR) diagram, main sequence (MS), spectroscopic parallax.

7. THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

Interstellar gas and dust: composition, distribution, gas and dust clouds, giant molecular complexes (GMCs).

8. STELLAR FORMATION AND EVOLUTION

The Virial theorem,

pre main sequence evolution and lower limit to the main sequence,

Stellar structure and models,

nuclear energy sources, the PP chains, the CNO cycle,

Evolution away from the zero age main sequence

white dwarf star ashes.

The later stages of stellar evolution, helium burning, red giants.

***1999 NEW*** The first and second dredge-ups, Wolf-Rayet stars.

Supernovae

9. OBSERVATIONAL EVIDENCE

Star clusters: Globular clusters, galactic clusters, cluster ages (MS turnoff), cluster dynamics.

Protostars in GMC's.

10. OUR SUN

The outer layers: photosphere, chromosphere, corona, the solar wind. Comparison with other stars. The solar interior, neutrino astronomy.

11. GENERAL RELATIVITY

Flat spacetime, principle of equivalence, curved spacetime, tests of the theory, black holes, gravitational radiation.

12. THE MILKY WAY GALAXY

General properties: the "great debate", (Spiral) structure, rotation, mass, nucleus, disk, halo, globular clusters, population types.

13. GALAXIES

Types and properties,

The distance scale,

Hubble's distance-redshift law and the expanding universe,

Active galactic nuclei: Quasars, BL Lac, N, Seyfert galaxies.

14. THE UNIVERSE

Distribution of galaxies: Clusters and superclusters or froth? Formation and evolution of galaxies.

15. COSMOLOGY

Cosmological models: Cosmological principles, steady state, big bang models. Evolution after 10-35s in the standard (big bang) model: Formation of the elements, cosmic background radiation.

The age of things at redshift z.

The three families of quarks and leptons.

Problems with the standard model, the inflationary universe.