The course is split into four sections of approximately 5 lectures. We will cover one chapter of the book per week, occasionally two! Students are expected to read the book in addition to the lecture notes. Homework is optional, but designed to help you understand the course, and prepare for exams and quizzes.

This page will be regularly updated so please check it each week for lecture material, homework assignments and bonus material

Lecture Outline

Part I
1. First Quiz and Bonus Essay Video
2. Introduction to the night sky and the scientific method.
   [chapters 1 & 2, homework: Chapter1/Questions 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 36, 42]
   PDF of Lecture 1
3. The Nature of Light I - Waves, particles, blackbody radiation & Doppler shifts
   [chapter 5, homework: Questions 2,4,6,7,9,11,12,13,14,16,17,18,26,31]
   PDF of Lecture 2
4. The Nature of light II - Spectra [chapter 5]
   PDF of Lecture 3
5. Telescopes [chapter 6, homework questions: 6,8,10,11,18,19,23,24,26,31,36]
   PDF of Lecture 4
6. Our Sun [chapter 16, homework: Questions: 2,3,4,5,6,9,12,14,18,20,23,25,29,34,42,47]
   PDF of Lecture 5
7. Review Session
   PDF of Example Exam Questions
8. Exam #1 Thur 5 February: Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 16 & 17

Part II
9. The nature of Stars I [chapter 17, homework: Questions: 1,3,4,5,7,10,15,35,42,43,44,46]
   PDF of Lecture 6
10. The nature of Stars II [chapter 17, homework: Questions: 16,17,19,20,22,26,39]
    PDF of Lecture 7
11. The Birth of Stars I - The Interstellar Medium [chapter 18, homework Questions: 1,4,5,9,10,32]
    PDF of Lecture 8
12. The Birth of Stars II [chapter 18, homework Questions:13,14,15,16,19, 23,27,28,30]
    PDF of Lecture 9
13. Stellar Evolution: Main Sequence and Giants [chapter 19, homework Questions:3,4,6,7,8,9,10,14,16]
    PDF of Lecture 10
14. Stellar Evolution: Death of Massive Stars - Out with a bang [chapter 20, homework questions:22,28,30,31,50,56]
    PDF of Lecture 11
15. Review
16. Exam #2 Thur 5 March

Part III
17. Special Relativity [chapter 22, homework Questions:4,33,34,35]
    PDF of Lecture 12
    
18. General Relativity Black Holes & A Trip To The Stars? [chapter 22, homework Questions: 8,9,11,14,18,20,27,28,29,30,32]
    PDF of Lecture 13
    
    

    Enjoy Spring Break - be safe!

    
    

19. The Milky Way [chapter 23]
    PDF of Lecture 14
20. Dark Matter, Density Waves and Black Holes in our Galaxy and Galaxy Types [chapter 23 homework questions: 1,2,3,4,6,8,16,18,20,22,23,24,26,32,33] [Bit of Chapter 24]
    PDF of Lecture 15
21. Galaxies and Large Scale Structure
    PDF of Lecture 16
22. Review
    Study Guide for the third exam
    
    
23. Exam #3 Tues 7 April

Part IV
24. Colliding Galaxies [chapter 24 Homework Questions 7,8,24,25]
    PDF of Lecture 17
25. Quasars and AGN [chapter 25 homework questions 1,6,7,18,21,24,37,40]
    PDF of Lecture 18
26. Cosmology I [chapter 26]
    PDF of Lecture 19
27. Cosmology II [ chapter 26 homework questions:1,3,4,6,9,11,16,19,20,23,24,28,31,32,34,35,38]
    PDF of Lecture 20
28. The Early Universe [chapter 27]
    PDF of Lecture 21
29. Final Review + quizzes
30. Problem solving session
    Study Guide for the final exam