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School of Physical Sciences
ଜାତୀୟ ବିଜ୍ଞାନ ଶିକ୍ଷା ଏବଂ ଗବେଷଣା ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠାନ
राष्ट्रीय विज्ञान शिक्षा एवंअनुसंधान संस्थान
National Institute of Science Education and Research

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  2. P463 Astronomy and Astrophysics

P463 Astronomy and Astrophysics

Course Code
P463
Credit
8
Prerequisite

P201 (Classical Mechanics I), P204 (Electromagnetism I) & P304 (Special Theory of Relativity)

Total Hours
42 Lectures + 14 Tutorials
Outcome of the Course
This course teaches the students important concepts and methods in astronomy and astrophysics, with the aim to build their background for future research work in this area.
Approval
UG-Elective
Syllabus

Part I: Introduction and Tools

  • Tools - astronomical objects, scales, distance ladder, astrometry, magnitude scale
  • Gravity - Kepler’s law, Virial theorem
  • Radiation physics - radiative flux, transfer function, absorption, scattering and emission, Einstein coefficient, local thermodynamic equilibrium, source function and line formation, concept of opacities

Part II: Stars

  • Stars and stellar structures - stellar spectra, HR diagram • Equilibrium in stars
  • Star formation and Protostar
  • Stellar evolution
  • Supernovae
  • Black holes and gravitational waves

Part III : Interstellar medium

Part IV: Galaxies

  • The Milky way Galaxy - distribution of matter, differential rotation, formation of the spiral arms
  • Elliptical and Spiral Galaxies
  • Evidence for dark matter
  • Active Galaxies - Active Galactic Nuclei, Seyfert Galaxies, Quasars, Blazers

Part V: Magnetic Fields

  • Astrophysical phenomena where magnetic fields are critical
  • Galactic magnetic fields - dust and synchrotron polarization, Faraday rotation, Zeeman measurements

Part VI: Gravitational Lensing

Part VII: Clusters and Superclusters (optional)

Part VIII: Cosmology (optional)

  • Cosmological Observations and the Cosmological Principle
  • Newtonian Cosmology and Cosmological Models
  • Cosmic Microwave Background
Reference Books
  1. Fundamental Astronomy by H. Karttunen, P. Kröger, H. Oja, M. Poutanen, K. J. Donner
  2. Introduction to Modern Astrophysics by B. W. Carroll and D. A. Ostlie
  3. An invitation to Astrophysics by T. Padmanabhan
  4. Astrophysical Concepts by Martin Harwit
  5. Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics by Zelike and Gregory
  6. Universe by Roger Freedman
  7. Physical Universe by F. Shu
  8. Astrophysics Processes by Hale Bradt
  9. Radiative processes in Astrophysics by Rybicki and Lightman
  10. An introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics by Pankaj Jain
  11. Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei by Kembhavi and Narlikar
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