ASTRON 1F03 — Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics
Course Description
Survey of modern astronomy and astrophysics: stars, galaxies, cosmology, planetary systems, and compact objects.
Prerequisites to Review
Scientific notation at speed, inverse square reasoning, logarithms (magnitude scale).
Top 7 Topics by Foundational Importance
- stellar-life-cycles
- HR diagram
- Distance measurement (parallax, standard candles)
- galaxy-types
- big-bang-cosmology
- exoplanets
- black-holes
Known Difficulty Spikes
- Magnitude system (logarithmic, backwards)
- Distance ladder logic — which method applies at which scale
- Keeping the scales straight: AU vs. ly vs. pc vs. Mpc
Free Resources
- Crash Course Astronomy (YouTube)
- OpenStax Astronomy
Connections
Inverse square law (light, gravity) bridges to PHYSICS 1C03 and MEDPHYS 1A03. Blackbody radiation and spectra bridge to PHYSICS 1CC3. See interdisciplinary.
Textbook
[Set by /process-syllabus once syllabus is available.]