Astrophysics and Laboratory Practice in Astronomy
Course code
MLF6012.LT
old course code
Course title in Estonian
Astronoomia praktikum ja astrofüüsika
Course title in English
Astrophysics and Laboratory Practice in Astronomy
ECTS credits
3.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester
Katrin Laas (language of instruction:Estonian)
lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
To enable the acquisition of the basic knowledge of astrophysics. Allow students to deepen their understanding of astronomy development field, creating opportunities to control the pattern of real and practical tasks through observation in day and night following the safety procedures.
Brief description of the course
Spectrum and spectral classification. Sun and the model of a star. Parameters of stars: apparent brightness, total luminosity, the magnitude system (apparent and absoluute magnitude), parallax, temperature and color, color indexes, mass and radius. HR diagram and its composition and interpretation, luminosity classes, turn off point. The evolution of stars: birth, life and death of low mass and high mass stars. A star’s life in the close binary system. Our Galaxy. The structure and evolution of galaxies. Active galaxies and quasars.
Practical tasks indoors and outdoors:
- modelling a telescope;
- geography of the Moon, observing,
photographing and measuring the Moon;
- properties of planets, observing and
photographing planets, distance measurements of
planets;
- using the Bahtinov mask in focusing the
telescope;
- observing constellations and sky sphere;
- observing double stars;
- photographing and measuring the spectra of stars (including the Sun), classification of stellar spectra (including the Sun’s);
- measuring parallax on landscape;
- indoor practical tasks on our Galaxy’s spiral structure, pulsars and the classification of galaxies;
- measuring the Suns’ rotation period with sunspots (if possible);
- measuring the solar constant;
- HR diagram.
This course includes the outdoor tasks also in the dark (outside of Tallinn).
Practical tasks indoors and outdoors:
- modelling a telescope;
- geography of the Moon, observing,
photographing and measuring the Moon;
- properties of planets, observing and
photographing planets, distance measurements of
planets;
- using the Bahtinov mask in focusing the
telescope;
- observing constellations and sky sphere;
- observing double stars;
- photographing and measuring the spectra of stars (including the Sun), classification of stellar spectra (including the Sun’s);
- measuring parallax on landscape;
- indoor practical tasks on our Galaxy’s spiral structure, pulsars and the classification of galaxies;
- measuring the Suns’ rotation period with sunspots (if possible);
- measuring the solar constant;
- HR diagram.
This course includes the outdoor tasks also in the dark (outside of Tallinn).
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- knows the physics of stars and galaxies and isable to solve the relevant tasks;
- knows different telescopes, can set up and perform the functions of a telescope in outdoor
practice;
- is familiar with the night sky, the movement regularities and survey techniques;
- relates the acquired theory in astronomy to the actual observations.
- knows the physics of stars and galaxies and isable to solve the relevant tasks;
- knows different telescopes, can set up and perform the functions of a telescope in outdoor
practice;
- is familiar with the night sky, the movement regularities and survey techniques;
- relates the acquired theory in astronomy to the actual observations.
Teacher
Dots Katrin Laas PhD
Prerequisite course 1
Study programmes containing that course