ESS 151 - Stellar and Galactic Astronomy

4 hours
This course addresses the large scale structure and development of the universe. Beginning with stellar life cycles, it explores how an understanding of the birth and death of stars shapes our understanding of the structure of the Milky Way galaxy and the foundations for extra‐galactic astronomy. In addition, a qualitative exploration of Einstein’s general theory of relativity is introduced to conceptualize black holes and other exotic artifacts of stellar evolution. The course examines classification and distribution of galaxies and concludes with an introduction to Big Bang cosmology. Throughout, concepts in astrophysics are used to illustrate the scientific method and engage with larger questions of origins, structure, and cosmological fine‐tuning. Laboratory component involves deep‐sky observations and online simulations.
GER: Physical Science. UG