Admission requirements
A strong background in physics and mathematics is required. In terms of the Leiden curriculum, the student must have successfully completed the Analyse 1 NA or Analyse 1, Analyse 2 NA or Analyse 2 and Lineaire Algebra 1 NA or Lineaire algebra 1 courses of the first year, as well as Klassieke Mechanica a and Inleiding Astrofysica.
Description
By studying galaxies and cosmology, we ultimately seek to understand how a very smooth universe at early times produced the wealth of structure we see now.
This course studies the application of physics to the understanding of astronomical phenomena related to galaxies and cosmology. We start locally, with our own Milky Way and its components. We then work our way outward to other galaxies in the Local Group and beyond. We then study the large-scale structure of the Universe, and we uncover the mathematics behind the expansion of the Universe. We end by discussing the most distant galaxies and their supermassive black holes.
This diverse range of topics will be understood both qualitatively and quantitatively, with weekly homework to give the students a chance to work through the more difficult concepts.
The following themes are covered:
Our Milky Way
The interstellar medium
Galactic Dynamics
Dark matter in galaxies
Properties spiral & elliptical galaxies
Supermassive black holes & Active Galactic Nuclei
Large scale structure
Galaxy groups & clusters
The Friedman equation
Observational cosmology
Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to synthesize information on the diverse range of topics listed above by qualitatively discussing and quantitatively solving a large variety of exercises on these aspects of galaxies & cosmology.
At the end of this course, you will have been trained in the following behavior-oriented skills:
Planning and executing your homework assignments on time
Critical thinking
Timetable
You will find the timetables for all courses and degree programmes of Leiden University in the tool MyTimetable (login). Any teaching activities that you have successfully registered for in MyStudyMap will automatically be displayed in MyTimeTable. Any timetables that you add manually, will be saved and automatically displayed the next time you sign in.
MyTimetable allows you to integrate your timetable with your calendar apps such as Outlook, Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and other calendar apps on your smartphone. Any timetable changes will be automatically synced with your calendar. If you wish, you can also receive an email notification of the change. You can turn notifications on in ‘Settings’ (after login).
For more information, watch the video or go to the 'help-page' in MyTimetable. Please note: Joint Degree students Leiden/Delft have to merge their two different
Mode of instruction
Lectures
Exercise classes
Assessment method
Homework assignments
Written exam
The written exam counts for 85% and the homework assignments for 15%, provided that the final exam grade is at least a 5.5 (where the lowest homework grade does not count). If the average homework grade is lower than that of the exam, then the written exam counts for 100%.
Reading list
The main textbook for the course will be:
Mandatory:
- Galaxies in the Universe: An Introduction (2nd edition) by Sparke & Gallagher
Optional:
An Introduction to Modern Cosmology by Liddle
Foundations of Astrophysics, Ryden & Peterson
Registration
As a student, you are responsible for registering on time, i.e. 14 days before the start of the course. This can be done via Mystudymap. You do this twice a year: once for the courses you want to take in semester 1 and once for the courses you want to take in semester 2. Please note: late registration is not possible.
Registration for courses in the first semester is possible from July; registration for courses in the second semester is possible from December. First-year bachelor students are registered for semester 1 by the faculty student administration; they do not have to do this themselves. For more information, see this page
In addition, it is mandatory for all students, including first-year bachelor students, to register for exams. This can be done up to and including 10 calendar days prior to the exam or up to five calendar days in case of a retake exam. You cannot participate in the exam or retake without a valid registration in My Studymap.
Contact
Lecturer: Prof.dr. H. Hoekstra
Remarks
Brightspace is used as the central information source in CMb.
It offers, a.o., an overview of the course material and the program for each week, all powerpoint slides of the lectures, the pre-recorded lectures, the recordings of the live lectures fro reviewing, assignments, and examples of exams of previous years.