Admission requirements
Mathematics and Physics on Dutch high school VWO level
Description
In this introductory course you will lay the foundation for the Astronomy study programme. You will learn how principles in modern physics are used to understand various processes in the Universe. This course will introduce the most important topics in modern astronomy. After consideration of gravity as the most important force in the Universe, we will study the interaction between radiation and matter and learn how this can be used to investigate the physical properties of objects in the Universe. We will use this new knowledge to study our solar system, planets and the evolution of stars. Subsequently, we will explore the Milky Way as a starting point for extragalactic astronomy. We will conclude the course with the basic principles of cosmology - the study of the Universe as a whole. During exercise classes we will apply the new knowledge in simple calculations.
The course covers the following themes:
Orbital movement of astronomical objects as a result of gravity
Interaction between light and matter
Detection of light / operation mechanism of telescopes
Overview of our solar system and study of exoplanets
Properties and evolution of stars
Properties of the Milky Way and other galaxies
Basic principles of cosmology
Course objectives
After this course, you will have an overview of the developments in modern astronomy and the underlying physics.
After this course, you will be able to:
Answer basic questions on a variety of astronomical topics
Calculate basic properties of astronomical objects (like double star and planet systems) based on simple measurement data
Transferable skills
In this course, you are trained in the following soft skills:
Reasoning beyond the field of astronomy, combining various physical principles
Estimating orders of magnitude
Timetable
See Schedules bachelor Astronomy
Mode of instruction
Lectures
Exercise classes
Assessment method
Written exam: 2 parts, 30% part 1 and 70% part 2. You can upgrade the final result with your home work assignments, only if the average is higher than the exam grade. In that case the written exam counts for 85% and the home work assignments for 15%. See Examination schedule bachelor Astronomy
The retake exam accounts for 100% of the grade, so homework assignments do not count for this.
Brightspace
Instructions and course material can be found on Brightspace. Registration for Brightspace occurs automatically when students enroll in uSis via uSis by registration for a class activity using a class number
Reading list
Foundations of Astrophysics, Ryden & Peterson, ISBN 9780321595584 (verplicht)
Registration
Register via uSis. More information about signing up for classes and exams can be found here. Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Prospective students website for information on how to register. For a la carte and contract registration, please see the dedicated section on the Prospective students website.
Contact information
Docent: Prof. dr. Henk Hoekstra
Assistenten: Aniek Gloudemans, Jeroen Jaspers, Rik Luisman, Stijn Vleugels, Christiaan Dik, Marieke Visscher, Gerben Jolink
Remarks
Please note that this course is in Dutch.