Admission requirements
Basic knowledge of calculus, astronomy, atomic physics and quantum mechanics is required, as covered by the Leiden University Astronomy BSc courses Analyse 1 NA, Inleiding Astrofysica, en Inleiding Moderne Natuurkunde.
Description
Stars make up the majority of the baryonic (‘normal’) matter in the Universe, they play a crucial role in the evolution of the Universe, and they can host planetary systems. The light that stars emit allows us to study the Universe. Understanding the physics of stars is therefore the basis of many aspects of astronomy, from the properties of individual stars to unravelling the light of galaxies nearby and extermely distant.
The main goal of this lecture series is to review the physical processes that determine the basic properties of stars. Topics that will be addressed include: nuclear energy production, energy and radiation transport, and the stellar structure equations. These will then be used to present models of the basic observable properties of stars such as mass, luminosity and surface temperature. These models also give a good understanding of the distribution of stars in the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram where for a collection of stars absolute magnitudes are plotted versus their observed colours. Also, we will review what happens when stars come at the end of their energy production. For massive stars we will study how supernova explosions lead to the formation of neutron stars and even black holes, while for less massive stars we will see that the final end products are white dwarfs. Finally, we will sketch some of the physical processes that lead to the formation of stars.
Course objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
Describe the nuclear fusion processes that power stars and when they occur in stellar evolution;
Formulate the equations of stellar structure and explain the physical processes that they correspond to;
Recount the stellar evolutionary stages as function of mass and the corresponing internal structure, and recognize these in the Herzsprung-Russel Diagram;
Carry out calculations of physical properties of stars and specific regions inside stars;
Infer physical properties of stars from observational measurements such as luminosity, spectra, and colors;
Qualitatively and quantitatively predict observational properties of stars;
Construct observational approaches to obtain physical properties of stars and stellar populations.
Timetable
See Schedule
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 and tutorials
Assessment method
- Written exam
Reading list
- Carroll & Ostlie “An introduction to Modern Astrophysics, 2nd edition”
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: Dr. M.R. Hogerheijde
Remarks
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.