Stars (Stars | SPA5307)

This course has its own web page.

Year: 2 | Semester: B | Level: 5 | Credits: 15

Course organiser: Dr David Tsiklauri | Course deputy: Dr Karim Malik

Synopsis:

Stars are a vital building block in the Universe: forming out of interstellar gas and dust, and themselves being a major component of galaxies. They are also vital for providing the nuclear reactions that create the elements from which planets and even ourselves are formed. This course describes how the fundamental properties of stars are related to observations. Temperatures and densities in the centre of stars reach values that are unattainable in the laboratory. Yet the application of basic physical principles can help us determine much about the internal structure and evolution of stars, from their formation to their ultimate end states in such exotic and spectacular objects as white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes.

Aims:

To provide students with an understanding of the physical properties of stars and how they are determined from observations. To show how, using basic physical principles, it is possible to model many properties of main sequence stars, such as the Sun, and to explain their formation and evolution. To give an understanding of the ultimate end states of stars, such as white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. To provide students with an understanding of the physical properties of stars and how they are determined from observations.

Recommended books:

"Introduction to Modern Astrophysics", B.W. Carroll and D.A. Ostlie 
(2nd edition 2007) ISBN-10: 0321442849 ISBN-13: 9780321442840

"Physics of Stars", A.C. Phillips (2nd edition)