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
In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.
Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.
Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.
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 enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.
In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.
There are two enrolment periods per year:
Enrolment for the fall opens in July
Enrolment for the spring opens in December
See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.
Note:
It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.
Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.
Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.
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.
Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.