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Study Materials



Readings

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Required Readings


Amazon logo Bohm-Vitense, Erika. Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics. 3 vols. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1989. ISBN: 9780521344029.

Amazon logo Binney, James, and Scott Tremaine. Galactic Dynamics. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1987. ISBN: 9780691084442.

Amazon logo Clayton, Donald D. Stellar Evolution and Nucleosynthesis. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1983. ISBN: 9780226109534.

Amazon logo Hansen, Carl J., and Steven D. Kawaler. Stellar Interiors: Physical Principles, Structure, and Evolution. New York, NY: Springer, 2004. ISBN: 9780387200897.

Amazon logo Mihalas, Dimitri, and James Binney. Galactic Astronomy. San Francisco, CA: W.H. Freeman, 1981, chapter 2. ISBN: 9780716712800.

Press, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics

Amazon logo Shu, Frank H. The Physical Universe. Mill Valley, CA: University Science Books, 1982. ISBN: 9780935702057.

Schechter, Paul. 8.902 Notes on Cosmology (PDF)#



Readings by Session



SES #TOPICSREADINGS
1

Introduction

Equatorial coordinates and sidereal time

Mihalas, Dimitri, and James Binney. Galactic Astronomy. San Francisco, CA: W.H. Freeman, 1981, chapter 2. ISBN: 9780716712800.
2

Galactic coordinates

Distances to stars

Mihalas, Dimitri, and James Binney. Galactic Astronomy. San Francisco, CA: W.H. Freeman, 1981, chapter 2. ISBN: 9780716712800.
3Magnitudes (apparent and absolute) and color indicesPress, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1, and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
4

Spectral classification

The Kepler problem

Press, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1, and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
5Parametric solution to KeplerPress, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1, and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
6

Masses of stars

Mass radius relation

Press, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1, and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
7Guest lecture: Mass measurements for exoplanets and our black holePress, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1, and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
8Guest lecture: TelescopesPress, William H. Introduction to Astrophysics. Chapters 2, 3.5, 4.1 and 4.2 through 4.2.5.
9Polytropic starsClayton. Sections 2-4.
10

Classical and quantum statistics

The Saha equation

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 7.1-7.2.2.
11

Equations of state

Application of Lane-Emden solution: White dwarfs

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 7.1-7.2.2.

Clayton. Sections 2-4.

12Simple results for the sun and other stars

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 7.1-7.2.2.

Clayton. Sections 2-4.

13Radiative transportHansen, and Kawaler. Sections 3.1-3.5 and 7.1-7.2.
14

Opacities

Scaling laws

Convection

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 3.1-3.5 and 7.1-7.2.
15

Energy generation

Coulomb penetration factor

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 3.1-3.5 and 7.1-7.2.
16Nuclear "burning" in the sun and other starsHansen, and Kawaler. Sections 3.1-3.5 and 7.1-7.2.
17Evolution of stars of low, intermediate and high mass

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 6.3-6.5.

18Stellar atmospheres

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 6.3-6.5.

19Lines in stellar atmospheres

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 6.3-6.5.

20In-class exam
21Introduction to the interstellar medium

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 6.3-6.5.

Bohm-Vitense. Vol. 2. Chapters 5, 6, and 10.

22Photoionized nebulae (H II regions and planetaries)

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Section 6.3-6.5.

Bohm-Vitense. Vol. 2. Chapters 5, 6, and 10.

23Supernovae and shocks

Clayton. Section 4.3 through equation (4-62).

Hansen, and Kawaler. Sections 6.3-6.5.

Bohm-Vitense. Vol. 2. Chapters 5, 6, and 10.

24Adiabatic supernova shocksShu. The Physics of Astrophysics, Volume II: Gas Dynamics. Chapter 15 (pp. 214-217) and 17.
25Galaxy morphologyBinney, and Tremaine. Chapter 1 and section 3.1.
26

Quantifiable properties of galaxies

Collisional relaxation times

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 1 and section 3.1.
27Collisionless Boltzmann equation (cartesian) and its momentsBinney, and Tremaine. Chapter 4 through equation (4-45).
28Boltzmann and the 4 jeans equations (spherical)Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 4 through equation (4-45).
29Galaxy disks: Rotation and epicyclic motionBinney, and Tremaine. Chapter 4 through equation (4-45).
30Galaxy models: Potentials, orbits, and distribution functionsBinney, and Tremaine. Chapter 4 through equation (4-45).
31Clusters of galaxiesBinney, and Tremaine. Chapter 4 through equation (4-45).
32

Evidence for the expansion and homegeneity of the universe

Newtonian derivation of Friedmann universe

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

33Galaxy formation

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

34Friedman-Robertson-Walker metric

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

35Friedman equation with radiation and other stuff

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

36Supernovae and cosmic acceleration

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

37Recombination and helium production

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

38Fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background

Binney, and Tremaine. Chapter 10.

8.902 Notes on Cosmology. Sections 3.1-3.3.

Final exam

 








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