FIZ 466E - Astrophysics II

Course Objectives

1. To gain an understanding of the physical properties of compact objects, and how they astrophysically manifest themselves.
2. To learn the properties of galaxies, to understand why it is conjectured that most of the universe is made of dark matter, to know the hierarchy of the large scale structure of the universe.
3. To learn the basic concepts of the dynamics of the universe.

Course Description

Physics of compact objects: structure of white dwarfs, properties of neutron stars, radio pulsars, black holes.
Astrophysics of compact objects: accretion disks in binary systems and active galaxies, X-ray pulsars, radio pulsars
Galaxies and structure in the Universe: Galaxies, local group and clusters of galaxies, superclusters of galaxies, large scale structure, dark matter.
Cosmology: Olbers paradox, cosmological principle, Hubble’s law, Friedman equations, big bang, cosmic microwave background radiation.