Unit name | Galaxies and the Universe |
---|---|
Unit code | PHYS11500 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Professor. Worrall |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
PHYS10600 Stars and Planets |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Physics |
Faculty | Faculty of Science |
This course provides a broad introduction to the structure of our own Milky Way Galaxy and of external galaxies and to the observational techniques which allow us to observe the Universe. It discusses key concepts regarding stellar populations in galaxies, the gaseous interstellar medium and the kinematics of both stars and gas. It describes the way in which stars form and how this affects the evolution of galaxies as a whole. It discusses how distances to galaxies are determined and how galaxies are distributed in the Universe, as well as introducing active galaxies. Telescopes and detectors and the required observation techniques at optical, radio and X-ray wavelengths are all described.
Aims:
To describe the different instruments that are needed in modern astronomy to make observations over a wide range of wavelengths, and the coordinate and time systems which are required to allow observations of specific astronomical objects.
To describe the observed contents and kinematics of our Milky Way Galaxy, the evolution of its components and how it might appear to an outside observer. To compare it to external galaxies, illustrating how we deduce their mass, luminosity, kinematics, clustering properties, evolution and level of activity. To describe how contemporary measurements have influenced our understanding of how the Universe has evolved.
Students will be able to:
Lectures, problems classes and practical work.
The unit mark comes from:
A final 2 hour examination (85%), continuously assessed practical work (10%) and problem sheets (5%)
The practical work and the problem sheets also provide formative feedback.