Date

Topic

Reading

Notes and Links

9/14/09

1. Cosmic Distance Ladder and Local Distance Measurements

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Central Limit Theorem, CLT-demo,
The Golden Mean

9/16/09

2. Direct Distance Measurements

Carroll & Ostlie 3.1-3.2

Parallax by Wikipedia (beware!)
Cute parallax tutorial from Cornell.

9/21/09

3. Celestial Mechanics with Binary Stars (Part I)

Carroll & Ostlie Chapter 7, [Shu p.179-190]
Intro1 , Intro2

Java Binary Demo

9/28/09

4. Celestial Mechanics with Binary Stars (part II)

Carroll & Ostlie Chapter 7, [Shu p.179-190]
Intro1 , Intro2 Astro 100 notes

Java Binary Demo

9/30/09

5. Extension of the Parallax Method

ABC of Distances

HW#1 due

10/5/09

6. Basics: Stars, Radiation, Matter

Carroll & Ostlie 3.3-3.4 [Shu p.159-166]

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10/7/09

7. Thermal Radiation

Carroll & Ostlie 3.3-3.4, [Shu p.77-80]
wikipedia notes

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10/13/09

Monday schedule but no class (FCAD)

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--

10/14/09

Exam #1 in class

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HW#2 due

10/19/09

8. Mechanical Stability of a Star

Carroll & Ostlie 10.1, [Shu p.86-96]

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10/21/09

9. Thermodynamic Equilibrium

Carroll & Ostlie 10.2

Binary Project due

10/26/09

10. Pressure Equation of State

Carroll & Ostlie 10.2 [Shu Chapter 4]

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10/28/09

11. Radiation Pressure and Energy Transport

Carroll & Ostlie 10.2

HW#3 due

11/2/09

12. Radiative Transfer & Opacity

Carroll & Ostlie 9.1-9.4 [Shu Chapter 6]

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11/4/09

13. Nuclear Processes

Carroll & Ostlie 9.1-9.4, 10.3 [Shu Chapter 6]

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11/9/09

14. Bohr Atoms and Spectral Lines

Carroll & Ostlie 5.3 [Shu p.43-47]

HW#4 due

11/11/09

Veteran's Day (no class)

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--

11/16/09

15. Excitation and Ionization in Stellar Photosphere

Carroll & Ostlie 8.1

wikipedia notes on Saha Equation

11/18/09

Exam #2 in class

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--

11/23-11/28

FCAD Thanksgiving week (no class)

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--

11/30/09

16. Spectral and Luminosity Class and OBAFGKM

Carroll & Ostlie Chapter 8 [Shu p.159-170]

wikipedia notes on Stellar Classification

HW#5 due

12/2/09

17. Stellar Pulsation

Carroll & Ostlie 14.1-14.3

MS Fitting Project due

12/7/09

18. Pulsating Stars and Distance Scales

Carroll & Ostlie 14.1-14.3 [Shu p.166-178]

wikipedia notes on Cepheid Variables

12/9/09

19. Stellar Evolution

[Shu Chapter 8]

Colloquium Report due

12/16/09

Exam #3 in class (Final Exam week)

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HW#6 due