Dr. Olgica Kuzmanovska, Professor
Course content:
• The subject and methods of astrophysics.
• A brief historical overview of the development of astronomy and astrophysics.
• Observed characteristics of electromagnetic spectrum and methods of its measurement.
• Mechanisms and laws of radiation.
• Influence of the Earth's atmosphere on astronomical observations.
• Characteristics of stable stars. Distances to stars and their motion. Apparent and absolute magnitudes (visual, photographic and bolometric).
• Luminosity of the star. Stellar spectra and their classification. Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram. Spectral parallax and determination of stellar radii.
• Binary stars and their classification. Visual, spectroscopic and eclipsing binaries. Calculation of the mass of binary stars. Star’s rotation. Close binaries.
• Stellar structure. Chemical composition and physical conditions of stars. Internal structure of stars and models of the stellar interior.
• Energy sources. Gravitational collapse and thermonuclear reactions.
• Basic stages in the evolution of stars. Stages before and on the main sequence. Phases after the main sequence (red giant). Final stages (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes). Pulsars. Evolution of close binaries.
• Characteristics of variable stars. Pulsating variable stars (RR Lyrae, Cepheids, Myrids). Cataclysmic variables. Novae and supernovae.
• Shape and structure of the Milky Way.
• Extragalactic astronomy. Classification of galaxies. Hubble's law. Active galaxies and quasars.
• Cosmological models. The Big Bang. Microwave background radiation.