ASTR121

Introductory Astrophysics II - Stars and Beyond

Spring 2003

For basic course information, surf here.

This course is a continuation of ASTR120.

What's New?

5/20: Final marks posted. Exam stats available in PDF.
5/16: HAVE A GREAT SUMMER EVERYONE!

5/9: FINAL EXAM: 5/16/03, 8 am - 10 am, CSS 2428.

5/7: Review/formula sheets for final exam posted.

5/6: HW#11 assigned.

4/29: HW#9 due date extended to 5/1/03.

4/28: HW#10 assigned.

4/24: Added info about "extra-credit" essay (see Homework).

4/21: Textbook erratum added (box 27-1).

4/21: HW#9 assigned (note erratum).

2/19: We are now one class behind in the course outline...

Syllabus

The complete syllabus is available in HTML, PDF, or Postscript format. Some useful excerpts:

Lectures: Tuesday, Thursday 11h00-12h15, CSS 2428

Discussion: Friday 13h00-13h50, CSS 2428

Labs: Monday 11h00-13h00, CSS 1109 (section 0201)

Monday 14h00-16h00, CSS 1109 (section 0101)

Required Text: Freedman & Kaufmann, Universe, 6th Edition (2002)

Recommended Text: Palen, Schaum's Outline of Astronomy (2002)

Professor: Dr. Derek C. Richardson

Office: CSS 1249

Phone: 301-405-8786

E-mail: astr121@astro.umd.edu

Office Hours: After class most days, by appointment, or drop by

Teaching Assistants: John Vernaleo (0201) Stacy Teng (0101) Huaning Li

Office: CSS 0202 CSS 0228 CSS 0224

Phone: 301-405-8523 301-405-1566 301-405-1551

E-mail: astr121@astro.umd.edu astr121@astro.umd.edu astr121@astro.umd.edu

Office Hours: Tu 14h-15h; W 11h-12h Tu 14h-15h; W 15h-16h M 15h-16h; W 15h-16h

There is also a syllabus (with outline) specifically for the lab component of the course,
available in HTML, PDF, or Postscript format.

Note: The syllabus documents are unchanged from the start of classes.
Check this page for any syllabus updates.

Course Outline

No.

#1 Jan. #2
#3 Feb. #4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10
-- Mar. #11
#12
#13
#14
#15
--
--
#16 Apr. #17
#18
#19
--
#20
#21
#22
#23
#24 May
#25
#26
#27

align=center colspan=2>DateLectureChapter align=right>28Introduction, Distances 19 30Stellar Motions and Magnitudes 19 align=right> 4Stellar Spectra 19 6Binary Systems and Mass Measurement 19 11Properties of Stars/The H-R Diagram 19 13Powering the Stars 18 18The Interstellar Medium 20 20Stellar Clusters and Star Formation20, 21 25Stellar Evolution I 21 27Stellar Evolution II 22 align=right> 4Mid-term Exam --- 6Stellar Remnants: White Dwarfs 22 11Neutron Stars and Pulsars 23 13General Relativity and Black Holes 24 18Structure of Our Galaxy 25 20Motions Within Our Galaxy 25 25Spring Break! --- 27Spring Break! --- align=right> 1The Galactic Center/Stellar Populations 25 3Properties of Other Galaxies I 26 8Properties of Other Galaxies II 26 10Hubble's Law and Clusters of Galaxies 26 15Mid-term Exam --- 17Superclusters and Active Galaxies 26,27 22Quasars, Lensing, and More 26,27 24Evolution of Galaxies 28 29Cosmology 28 1The Expanding Universe 29 6The Early Universe 29 8The Fate of the Universe 28 13Life in the Universe 30

Final Exam: Friday, May 16, 2003, 08h00-10h00, CSS 2428

Homework

All problems are taken from the course text.

HW# Date Problems

Assigned Due

1 Feb 4 Feb 11 Ch. 19: #26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 39

2 Feb 11 Feb 18 Ch. 19: #41, 46, 47, 50 (use H-R diagram), 53

3 Feb 20 Feb 25 Ch. 20: #25, 26, 28, 30, 31

4 Feb 25 Mar 11 Ch. 21: #27, 29, 30 (use t ~ M^-2.5), 32, 33

5 Mar 11 Mar 18 Ch. 22: #24 (use mean size of nebula), 26, 28, 33 (use L_max = 4 × 10⁸ L_Sun), 34

6 Mar 18 Apr 1 Ch. 23: #26 (use rho_NS = 10¹⁸ kg/m³), 27, 29;
Ch. 24: #28, 30

7 Apr 1 Apr 8 Ch. 25: #22, 25, 28, 32, 34

8 Apr 8 Apr 15 Ch. 26: #21, 22, 24, 26, 27

9 Apr 22 May 1 Ch. 27: #22, 25, 26, 28 (Cf. Box 24-1 for part b; compute radius for part c), 29, 30

10 Apr 29 May 6 Ch. 28: #25, 26, 28, 30, 31

11 May 6 May 13 Ch. 28: #32, 33, 34; Ch. 29: #23 (use ρ_ν = ρ_c), 24 (Cf. §29-5)

Remember: Homework must be readable, stapled, and signed.
Show all your work! Late homework will be penalized.

Instructions for optional extra-credit essay:
Write 800-1000 words (2-3 double-spaced pages) on an astronomy topic
of your choice, referring to at least one recent article on the subject.
Be sure to explain the topic, why it's interesting, and what mysteries
remain to be solved.

Textbook Errata

In the Answers to Selected Questions section (pp. Q-1 to Q-3), there appear to be a number of errors!
Here's a list of what we've caught so far... (also see the ASTR120 errata)

Chapter Question Correct Answer

19 28 v_t = 5200 km/s

19 39b 2.5 × 10^-4

19 50 Use T = 15,000 K, so R = 1.7 R_Sun

21 29 1.9 × 10²⁹ kg (13%)

22 33 (a) 5 × 10^-8 b_Sun; (b) 50 ×

25 34 (b) 1.5 × 10^-5 arcsec

27 30 (a) 9 × 10¹⁰ L_Sun

Also, box 27-1 has an incorrect formula: the relativistic relationship
between redshift and recessional velocity should be
v/c = [(z + 1)² - 1] / [(z + 1)² + 1]

Old Exams

Date Review Sheet Formula Sheet Exam

Midterm 2002a HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

Midterm 2002b HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

Final 2002 HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

Midterm 2003a HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

Midterm 2003b HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

Final 2003 HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS HTML PDF PS

(solutions available by request)

Miscellaneous

The Astronomy Department holds public colloquia every Wednesday afternoon at 4 pm in CSS 2400.
I encourage you to attend!

The Observatory Open House takes place in the evening on the 5th and 20th of every month.
Typically there is a popular lecture followed by viewing through the telescopes. Check it out!

Last modified: May 20, 2003