updates

(12/8): Final grades and graphical summary of course feedback posted

(12/7): Lecture 20 posted

(11/30): Lectures 18 and 19 posted

(11/17): Lectures 16 and 17 posted

(11/14): Lecture 15 posted

(11/13): Homework 6 Bahcall data now in excel format

(11/12): Homework 5 solutions posted

(11/11): Homework 7 posted, due on Tuesday Nov. 22nd



homeworks

Homework 1 Due 10/4 [Solutions]

Homework 2 Due 10/11 [Solutions] Appendix F data:
[ascii] [excei] [word]
Appendix G data:
[ascii] [excei] [word]
Spectral type mnemonics examples are given here

Homework 3 Due 10/18 [Solutions]

Homework 3.5 Practice Homework, no Due Date

Homework 4 Due 11/1 [Solutions]

Homework 5 Due 11/8 [Solutions]

Homework 6 Due 11/15 Bahcall 2001 Solar Data: [ascii] [excel]
[Solutions]

Homework 7 Due 11/22 [Solutions]


lectures

Lecture 1: Intro & Context (9/22)

Lecture 2: Stellar Astrometry (9/27)

Lecture 3: Stellar brightness and magnitude scale (9/29)

Lecture 4: Blackbody Radiation, HR Diagram (10/4)

Lecture 5: Stellar spectra I: Stelllar classification, line formation, Boltzmann equation (10/6)

Lecture 6: Stellar spectra II: Saha Equation (10/11)
*Extra notes on Partition Function

Lecture 7: Stellar spectra III: Radiative Transfer (10/13)

Lecture 8: Stellar interiors I: Equations of Stellar Interiors, Kelvin-Helmholtz contraction (10/18)

Lecture 9: Stellar interiors II: Nuclear physics (10/20)

Lecture 10: Stellar interiors III: The pp and CNO cycles (10/25)

Lecture 11: Stellar interiors III: Nuclear reaction rates, energy transport and polytrope relations (11/1)

Lecture 12: The Sun (11/3)

Lecture 13: Star formation I: The ISM, Jean's collapse (11/8)

Lecture 14: Star formation II: Protostars, disks, jets & planets (11/10)

Lecture 15: Brown dwarfs (11/14)
BONUS lecture as part of UCSD Astrophysics Club, Monday 11/8 at 5pm in SERF 329

Lecture 16: Stellar evolution I: Pre-Main Sequence and Main Sequence evolution (11/15)

Lecture 17: Stellar evolution II: Post-Main Sequence evolution (11/17)

Lecture 18: Stellar death I: Planetary Nebulae & White Dwarfs (11/22)

Lecture 19: Stellar death II: Degenerate Matter, Chandresekhar limit & Novae (11/29)

Lecture 20: Stellar death III: Supernovae, Neutron stars & Black holes (12/1)


contact info

Instructor:
Prof. Adam Burgasser
aburgasser[at]ucsd.edu
SERF 340
Office hours: Tues 3:30-5:00pm

Course manager:
Ms. Patti Hey
plhey[at]physics.ucsd.edu
MHA 2571


Welcome to the Physics 160: Stellar Astrophysics course webpage. This course introduces you to the physics that governs the stars, and covering basic astronomical quantities, the physical characteristics of stars, stellar atmospheres and spectroscopy, stellar interiors, star formation and evolution, and the products of stellar death. We will also examine our nearest star, the Sun, and low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in detail. Stellar astrophysics draws from particle, nuclear and quantum physics; fluid dynamics; electromagnetic radiation; classical mechanics and general relativity. The goal of this course is to improve your proficiency of these fields while familiarizing you with our current theoretical and observational understanding of stars.

Textbook

We will be using Carroll & Ostlie, An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, 2nd ed. (ISBN 0-8053-0402-9). The chapter numbers indicated in the syllabus refer to this text, and homework problems may be drawn partly from this text.

Grading

Homeworks (40%): Seven assignments during the quarter; your lowest grade will be dropped. Assignments will be posted here on the Friday preceding the covered material and be due the following Friday at 5:00pm the second Tuesday following at 5:00pm (turn it in in the box by my office, SERF 340). Late homeworks will be accepted through Wednesday at 5pm with a 50% reduction. You may work together on these assignments but you may not use prior or online solutions, and the work you turn in must be your own.

Exams (25%): A midterm exam will be held in-class on Thursday October 27th, covering material through week 5 (see course information sheet for syllabus). There is no final exam.

Term Project (35%): The term project can be on any topic covered in the course, and will consist of

  1. An outline and list of references due at the beginning of lecture on Thursday November 10th (5%),
  2. A 5-10 page project paper (including figures and bilbliography) due at the beginning of lecture on Thursday December 1st (20%), and
  3. A 5-7 minute presentation during our "final exam" on Thursday December 8th, 3-6pm in WLH 2204 (10%)
Details of the term study will be posted in the course documents.

Course Calendar