ASTR 2115: General Astronomy


Instructor
Prof. Diana Dragomir
Email: dragomir@unm.edu
Office: PAIS 3226

Description of the class

Astronomy 2115 is a general astronomy course at a greater level of detail than is covered in ASTR 1115. ASTR 2110 and 2115 are also the first required ASTR classes for BS Astrophysics majors. ASTR 2115 is also required for the BA in Physics and Astrophysics. This course will describe the nature of the Universe starting with stars and working up through star clusters, galaxies, clusters of galaxies and superclusters. Black holes, pulsars, supernovae, dark matter, the expanding Universe and other fascinating astronomical topics will also be explored. We will use math and physics as we explore the Universe. 

The detailed syllabus can be found here.

Homework and lecture slides will be posted on the UNM Canvas course page.

Announcements will be sent by email or via Canvas.

Tentative Schedule

Date Lecture topic Homework
Week 1
08/17-08/21

Introduction, Blackbody radiation and light
Week 2
08/24-08/28

Matter, Spectral lines and Doppler shift; The Sun + Astro News (8/27)
Week 3
08/31-09/04

Stars I + Quiz 1 (9/1); Stars II + Astro News (9/3)

 HW 1 due (9/1)
Week 4
09/07-09/11

ISM + Astro News (9/8); Star formation + Astro News (9/10)
Week 5
09/14-09/18

Main Sequence + Quiz 2 (9/15); Post main sequence evolution + Astro News (9/17)

 HW 2 due (9/15)
Week 6
09/21-09/25

Low mass stars + Astro News (9/22); High mass stars + Astro News (9/24)
Week 7
09/28-10/02

Neutron stars; MIDTERM (Thursday, Oct. 1)
Week 8
10/05-10/09

Relativity + Quiz 3 (10/6); Fall Break

 HW 3 due (10/6)
Week 9
10/12-10/16

Black holes + Astro News (10/13); Gamma-ray Bursts + Astro News (10/15)
Week 10
10/19-10/23

Milky Way + Quiz 4 (10/20); Galaxies I + Astro News (10/22)

 HW 4 due (10/20)
Week 11
10/26-10/30

Galaxies II + Astro News (10/27); AGN + Astro News (10/29)
Week 12
11/02-11/06

Quasars + Astro News (11/3); Clusters + Astro News (11/5)
Week 13
11/09-11/13

Large Scale Structure + Quiz 5 (11/10); Cosmology I + Astro News (11/12)

 HW 5 due (11/10)
Week 14
11/16-11/20

Cosmology II; Cosmic Dawn + Astro News (11/19)
Week 15
11/23-11/27

Early Universe + Astro News (11/24); Thanksgiving
Week 16
11/30-12/04

End of the Universe + Quiz 6 (12/1); Final exam review + Astro News (12/3)

 HW 6 due (12/1)

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