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Intro Astrophysics Notes

Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that applies physics and chemistry to study the formation, evolution, and death of celestial bodies. Key areas include stellar and galactic astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary science, with important equations like Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation and Hubble’s Law. Modern research topics focus on black holes, exoplanets, dark matter, and the cosmic microwave background, emphasizing the connection between the cosmos and fundamental particles.

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20 views1 page

Intro Astrophysics Notes

Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that applies physics and chemistry to study the formation, evolution, and death of celestial bodies. Key areas include stellar and galactic astrophysics, cosmology, and planetary science, with important equations like Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation and Hubble’s Law. Modern research topics focus on black holes, exoplanets, dark matter, and the cosmic microwave background, emphasizing the connection between the cosmos and fundamental particles.

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Introduction to Astrophysics - Study Notes

What is Astrophysics? - The branch of astronomy that uses the principles


of physics and chemistry to understand how stars, planets, and galaxies
form, evolve, and die.
Key Areas: 1. Stellar Astrophysics - Life cycle of stars: nebula → protostar
→ main sequence → giant/supergiant → supernova/white dwarf/neutron
star/black hole. - Nuclear fusion powers stars. 2. Galactic Astrophysics -
Structure and dynamics of galaxies. - The Milky Way: spiral galaxy, contains
billions of stars. 3. Cosmology - Study of the Universe as a whole. - Big Bang
Theory: universe expanded from a singularity ~13.8 billion years ago. - Dark
matter and dark energy. 4. Planetary Science - Study of planets, moons,
and planetary systems. - Exoplanets: planets outside our solar system.
Important Equations: - Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation: F = G
* (m₁m₂) / r² - Hubble’s Law: v = H₀ * d (v: velocity, H₀: Hubble constant, d:
distance) - Stefan-Boltzmann Law: L = 4πR²σT⁴ (L: luminosity, R: radius, σ:
constant, T: temperature)
Famous Astrophysicists: - Edwin Hubble: expanding universe. - Carl
Sagan: planetary science, popular science communication. - Vera Rubin: dark
matter evidence. - Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar: stellar evolution.
Modern Research Topics: - Black holes and gravitational waves. -
Exoplanet atmospheres. - Dark matter detection. - Cosmic microwave
background radiation.
Recommended Reading: - “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” by Neil
deGrasse Tyson. - “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan. - “A Brief History of Time” by
Stephen Hawking.
Key Takeaway: Astrophysics connects the very large (cosmos) with the
very small (particles), helping us understand our place in the Universe.

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