AST3301 Solar and Stellar Astronomy

Course Description

This course covers key areas stellar physics and astronomy. Students learn the physics to build a simple model star, and how astronomers exploit starlight and detailed information from Solar studies to probe our physical understanding of stars. It also covers the birth, life and death of stars at different masses. Students will learn how to solve quantitative problems in stellar astronomy, and critically review current literature in stellar astrophysics. The written report and viva voce assessments will give students the opportunity to demonstrate skills in written and verbal communication of scientific concepts.

Topics

1. Fundamental Stellar Parameters

2. Stellar Spectra 

3. Stellar Atmospheres

4. The interior structure of stars 

5. The Sun and stellar magnetism

6. Star formation

7. Post-main sequence stellar evolution

8. Supernovae and stellar remnants