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ASTRONOMY - 6 CFU

Teacher

Paolo Cassata

Scheduled Period

III Year - 2 Semester | 28/02/2022 - 11/06/2022

Hours: 48 (16 exercises, 32 lesson)

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Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of calculus, chemistry, general physics and scientific calculation. Knowledge of scientific English.

Target skills and knowledge

Basic knowledge of practical astronomy, celestial mechanics and astrophysics.

Examination methods

Written and oral exam.

Assessment criteria

The preparation of the student will be evaluated based on her/his understanding of the topics covered during the classes and her/his ability to clearly expose the acquired knowledge and to apply it autonomously and consciously.

Course contents

1. Spherical astronomy
• Earth coordinates
• Celestial coordinates
• Coordinate changes
• Coordinate perturbations
• Sidereal and solar time
2. Celestial mechanics
• Equations of motion
• Motion of the planets
• Kepler's laws
3. Solar system
• Earth's orbit
• Orbit of the Moon
• Tides
• Eclipses and occultations
• Planets of the solar system
• Extra-solar planets
4. Photometry and magnitudes
• Intensity, flux and luminosity
• System of magnitudes
• Absolute magnitudes
• Color indices
5. Radiative mechanisms
• Black body radiation
• Wien regime, Rayleigh-Jean regime, Planck law
• Black bodies and color indexes
• Stefan-Boltzmann law
• Other radiative mechanisms
• Continuous spectrum
• Radiation from atoms and molecules
• Formation of spectral lines
6. Astronomical observations and telescopes
• The electromagnetic spectrum
• Laws of reflection and refraction
• Spectroscopy and photometry
• Reflector and refractor telescopes
• Telescope mounts
• Astronomical instrumentation
• Astronomical sites
7. The stars
• Spectral classification and HR diagram
• Equations of the stellar structure
• Mass-luminosity relationship
• Energy production and transport
• Collapse and star formation
8. Stellar evolution
• Evolutionary times
• Presequence phase
• Main sequence stage
• Post-sequence phases: red giant, planetary nebulae, white dwarfs
• Evolution of stars with large masses: supernovae
• The periodic table of the elements and stellar nucleosynthesis
9. The interstellar medium
• Dust and interstellar gas
• Planetary Nebulae
• HII regions
• Supernova remnants
10. The Milky Way
• Distances within our galaxy
• Structure and kinematics of our galaxy
• Rotation curve and dark matter
• Differential rotation
• The galactic center
11. The universe of galaxies
• Hubble classification
• Elliptical and spiral galaxies
• Synthesis of stellar populations
• Extragalactic distances
• Luminosity functions
• Selections of high redshift galaxies
• Spectroscopic surveys
12. The large scale structure of the universe
• The expanding universe
• Big bang, redshift and distances in cosmology
• The thermal history of the Universe
• Primordial nucleosynthesis
• Accelerated expansion and dark energy
• Cosmological supernovae
• Cosmic microwave background

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures and exercises in the classroom. If conditions allow, some lessons could be held at the Museum of the Astronomical Observatory of Padua and at the Asiago Astrophysical Observatory

Additional notes about suggested reading

Updated powerpoint presentations will be provided by the teacher on digital and paper support. All the didactic material and exercises presented during the classes is made available to the students on the course website.

Textbooks (and optional supplementary readings)

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