General information

Course type AMUPIE
Module title Astronomy
Language English
Module lecturer prof. UAM dr hab. Anna Marciniak
Lecturer's email am@amu.edu.pl
Lecturer position professor
Faculty Faculty of Physics
Semester 2023/2024 (summer)
Duration 45
ECTS 4
USOS code 04-F-AST-E-45-3L

Timetable

Two-hours lecture and one hour practical classes each week, during 15 weeks.

Module aim (aims)

The course is intended for students of physics programme, during their bachelor's degree. The main
aim of the astronomy course is that students gain skills to apply the knowledge and tools of general
physics and mathematics in practice, to describe astronomical phenomena. Another aim is to
demonstrate that astronomy in its core is the physics in action, often producing spectacular effects.
During the course students also gain knowledge of how the astronomical observations and models
test the theories of physics.

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

To fully grasp the course contents, the students need the knowledge of fundamental physics,
and has mastered basic mathematical skills to describe physical phenomena.

Syllabus

Course learning content:


Astronomy as science. Finding directions on the celestial sphere.
Movement of the celestial bodies in the gravity field.
Electromagnetic radiation as a carrier of the information about the Universe.
Sun as a star: physical properties, activity, structure, and energy sources.
Structure of the Solar System.
Extrasolar planets and techniques to detect them.
Apparent and absolute brightness of the stars.
Stellar spectroscopy. Temperatures and chemical composition of stars.
Hertzsprung-Russel diagram.
Stellar evolution and energy sources.
Distance determination in the Universe.
Binary stars and stellar mass determination.
Structure of our Galaxy, other glaxy types, quasars.
Big Bang and expansion of the Universe.
Gravitational waves.

Reading list