Undergraduate Course: Astronomy 1S: Stellar and Planetary Science (PHYS08027)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | THIS COURSE IS NO LONGER RUNNING. There are five modules: Stars and the Universe - The Structure of Stars - The Birth of Stars and Planets - Stellar Evolution - Star Death. Each module gives a physical grounding in its subject and together they build a full picture of stellar and planetary science.
Next year (2013/2014) a new course called Introductory Astrophysics will run which will be a prohibited combination with this course. We recommend 1st year students who wish to take an Astronomy course both in their 1st and 2nd year take Discovering Astronomy (PHYS08039) this year (2012/2013). |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course the student should:
1) have a thorough understanding at the appropriate level of the basic observational results of stellar astrophysics and of the theoretical tools used in their interpretation.
2) understand the physics of the internal structure of a main sequence star
3) understand the current knowledge of formation of stars and planets
4) know how stars evolve from the main sequence, how they transmute the elements in their cores and how this relates to the history of the Universe
5) understand the ways in which different stars die: white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes.
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Assessment Information
1 coursework exercise, 16.7%, tutorial exercise 16.7%
Degree Examination, 66.6% |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
¿ Introduction
¿ Celestial Mechanics; Radiation and Matter; Spectra; Distances and Magnitudes; The HR diagram
¿ Stellar Structure
¿ Review of Observations; Dynamical timescales; Thermal equilibrium; Nuclear reactions; The Main-sequence; Post-main-sequence evolution
¿ The Origin of the Planets
¿ The Solar Systems; The formations of planets; Extrasolar planets; Impacts
¿ The Evolution of Stars
¿ Star birth; The evolution of the Sun; Star clusters; The origin of chemicals in the Universe; The life cycle of a star
¿ Star Death
¿ The life of a star; White dwarfs; Neutron stars; Black holes
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Ast1S |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Ken Rice
Tel: (0131) 668 8384
Email: wkmr@roe.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Paula Wilkie
Tel: (0131) 668 8403
Email: Paula.Wilkie@ed.ac.uk |
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