Course Description
This course is primarily intended for students enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme in Physics/Astronomy with a focus on Astronomy, as well as students of Computer Science, Mathematics, Geography, Geology, and teacher education programmes with an Astronomy module. The course may also be taken as part of the free elective credits.
After introducing key fundamental concepts, such as cosmic distance scales and the physical state variables of stars (e.g. luminosity, temperature, mass), the course covers the basics of star formation, stellar evolution, and final evolutionary stages of stars (white dwarfs, supernovae, and neutron stars, etc.). The composition, structure and dynamics of the interstellar medium, the Milky Way and other galaxies will be explored. The second half of the semester will delve into large-scale structure and the origins and expansion of the Universe. It will include lectures on Big Bang theory, dark matter, and the standard model of cosmology.
Quizzes and homework assignments are integrated into the lecture. The course concludes with a written examination.
