Courses

    Introduction to the night sky, planets, moons, and the life in our solar system. Highlights the latest discoveries from space. For non-science majors. Some lectures may be held at Fiske Planetarium. Offers opportunities for nighttime observations at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Similar to ASTR 1010, but without lab. Credit for only one of ASTR 1000, 1110, 1010, or 1030. Meets MAPS requirement for natural science: nonlab. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science (sequence).

    Introduction to the night sky, planets, moons, and the life in our solar system. Highlights the latest discoveries from space. For non-science majors. Some lectures may be held at Fiske Planetarium. Requires nighttime observations at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Similar to ASTR 1000, but with additional lab. Credit for only one of ASTR 1000, 1110, 1010, or 1030. Meets MAPS requirement for natural science: lab. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science (lab, sequence).

    Non-science majors learn the nature and workings of the Sun, stars, neutron stars, black holes, galaxies, quasars, structure and origins of the universe. Some lectures may be held at Fiske Planetarium. Offers opportunities for nighttime observations at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Includes recitation. Sequence link ASTR 1010. Credit for only one of ASTR 1020, 1200, 1120, or 1040. Prereq., ASTR 1010 or 1000. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science (sequence).

    Covers principles of modern astronomy summarizing our present knowledge about the Earth, Sun, moon, planets, and origin of life. Requires nighttime observation sessions at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Required in ASTR major/minor. Prereq. or coreq., Calculus I (MATH 1300 or APPM 1350). Students may receive credit for only one of ASTR 1030, 1010, 1000, or 1110. Similar to ASTR 1010 and 1000, but taught at a higher intellectual level, including a significant amount of quantitative analysis. Approved for GT-SC1. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Covers principles of modern astronomy summarizing our present knowledge about the Sun, stars, birth and death of stars, neutron stars, black holes, galaxies, quasars, and the organization and origins of the universe. May require nighttime observing sessions at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Required in ASTR major/minor. Includes a recitation. Prereq., ASTR 1030. Prereq. or coreq., Calculus I (MATH 1300 or APPM 1350). Students may receive credit for only one of ASTR 1020, 1040, 1200, or 1120. Similar to ASTR 1020 and 1200 but taught at a higher intellectual level including a significant amount of quantitative analysis. Approved for GT-SC2. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Non-science majors are introduced to the nature and workings of the Sun, stars, neutron stars, black holes, interstellar gas, galaxies, quasars, plus structure and origins of the universe. Some lectures may be held at Fiske Planetarium. Offers opportunities to attend nighttime observation sessions at Sommers-Bausch Observatory. Credit for only one of ASTR 1200, 1120, 1020, or 1040. Formerly ASTR 1120. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science (non-sequence).

    Documents the numerous ways in which observational astronomy and cosmology have been features of ancient cultures. Includes naked eye astronomy, archaeoastronomy, ethnoastronomy, concepts of time, calendrics, cosmogony, and cosmology. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science or human diversity.

    Introduces modern cosmology to nonscience majors. Covers the Big Bang; the age, size, and structure of the universe; and the origin of the elements and of stars, galaxies, the solar system, and life. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Covers physical principles of performing astronomy from space for science and exploration. The basic design of launch vehicles and spacecraft, orbital dynamics, and instruments will be described in the context of specific space missions (e.g. Hubble Telescope, Mars rovers) as well as prospects for future space observatories in orbit and on the Moon. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Black holes are one of the most bizarre phenomena of nature. Students are introduced to the predicted properties of black holes, astronomical evidence for their existence and formation, and modern ideas about space, time, and gravity. Approved for the arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Introduces the scientific basis for the possible existence of life elsewhere in the universe. Includes origin and evolution of life on Earth and the search for evidence of life in our solar system, including Mars and Jupiter's moon Europa. Discusses the conditions necessary for life and whether they might arise on planets around other stars. Credit only for ASTR 2040 or ASTR 3300. Same as GEOL 2040. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: natural science.

    Introduces the basics of atmospheric and space sciences, space exploration, spacecraft design, rocketry, and orbits. Students design, build, and launch a miniature satellite on a high altitude balloon. Explores the current research in space through lectures from industry. Same as ASEN 1400. Prerequisites: Restricted to Astronomy (ASTR) or Physics (PHYS) majors only.

    Introduces practical research skills and provides orientation to computational tools commonly used in research by astrophysicists and planetary scientists.

    May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Prereq., instructor consent.

    Discusses the scientific basis for the possible existence of extraterrestrial life. Includes origin and evolution of life on Earth; possibility of life elsewhere in the solar system, including Mars; and the possibility of life on planets around other stars. Prereq., one-year sequence in a natural science. Credit for only one of ASTR 2040 or ASTR 3300. Same as GEOL 3300.

    Lab course in astronomical observation and instrumentation. Hands-on exercises include obtaining and analyzing multi-wavelength data, basic optical design and instrumentation, and statistical analysis of data, with emphasis on imaging applications. A significant number of night time observation sessions are required. Prereq. or coreq., Calculus 2 (MATH 2300 or APPM 1360), one year of college physics, and one year of college astronomy. Elective for APS majors. Elective for APS minors on space available basis. Prerequisites: Restricted to Astrophysics (ASTR) majors only.
    Lab course in observation and instrumentation. Hands-on exercises include obtaining and analyzing multi-wavelength data, optical design and instrumentation, and statistical analysis, with emphasis on spectroscopy. A significant number of night time observation sessions are required. Prereq., ASTR 3510 or instructor consent. Elective for APS majors. Elective for APS minors on space available basis. Prerequisites: Restricted to Astrophysics (ASTR) majors only.

    Covers the origin of planetary systems and their dynamical evolution. Topics include the physics and chemistry of planetary formation, orbital mechanics, and extrasolar planets. ASTR 3710, 3720, and 3750 may be taken in any order. Prereqs., Calculus 2 (MATH 2300 or APPM 1360), one year of college physics and one year of college astronomy. Elective for APS major and minor.

    Explores the physics and chemistry of the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Titan. Examines evolution of the atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars; and the escape of gases from the Galilean satellites, Titan and Mars; the orbital characteristics of moons, planets, and comets. Uses recent results of space exploration. Prereqs., Calculus 2 (MATH 2300 or APPM 1360), one year of college physics and one year of college astronomy. Elective for APS major and minor. Same as ATOC 3720.

    Provides a quantitative introduction to the radiative and gravitational physics relevant to stellar and galactic astrophysics, as applied to understanding observations of tars, stellar evolution, stellar remnants and the structure of the Milky Way. Prereqs. or coreqs., PHYS 2130 or 2170, and MATH 2400 or APPM 2350. Elective for APS major and minor.

    Special and general relativity as applied to astrophysics, cosmological models, observational cosmology, experimental relativity, and the early universe. Prereqs. or coreqs., PHYS 2130 or 2170, and MATH 2400 or APPM 2350. Elective for APS major and minor.

    Approaches the physics of planets, emphasizing their surfaces, satellites, and rings. Topics include formation and evolution of planetary surfaces, history of the terrestrial planets, and dynamics of planetary rings. Both ASTR 3720 and ASTR 3750 may be taken for credit in any order. Elective for APS major and minor. Prerequisites: Requires prerequisite course of PHYS 1110 and PHYS 1120 and MATH 1300 and MATH 2300 or APPM 1350 and APPM 1360 (all minimum grade C-).

    Explores the physical processes linking the Sun and planets, emphasizing solar radiative and particulate variability and the response of planetary atmospheres and magnetospheres. Topics include the solar dynamo, solar wind, coronal mass ejections, cosmic ray modulation, magnetospheres, aurora, the space environment, and climate variability. Prereqs./coreqs., PHYS 2130 or 2170 and MATH 2400 or APPM 2350. Recommended prereq., PHYS 3310. Elective for APS major and minor.

    Introduces scientific data analysis from a practical perspective. Covers statistical analysis, model fitting, error analysis, theoretical compliance and image analysis with examples from space-based and ground-based astronomy. Introduces application programming in Python. Prereqs. or coreqs., ASTR 1040 or equivalent, PHYS 1120 or equivalent, and MATH 2400 or APPM 2350. Elective for APS major.

    The second semester of a year-long introduction to astrophysical processes. The physical processes developed in ASTR 3730 are applied to topics in extragalactic astronomy, including galaxies, supermassive black holes, galaxy clusters and cosmology. Prereqs. or coreqs., ASTR 3730, and PHYS 2130 or 2170, and MATH 2400 or APPM 2350. Elective for APS major and minor.

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