1. Light
   How light plays its role in Astronomy

   distances, radiation, magnitudes, HR-diagram

2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II

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1. Light
2. Exoplanets
   How are the >5200 detected exoplanets found?

   planet detection techiques: radial velocity method, transits, microlensing, astrometry, direct imaging

3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II

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1. Light
2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
   How do planets move around stars?

   The two body problem, orbital elements, resonances, numerical integration techniques

4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II

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1. Light
2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
   How does material behave in stars?

   Equations of States: degenerate matter, hydrostatic balance, polytropes
   Nuclear fusion: energy reservoirs, proton-proton & CNO cycle, nucleosynthesis

5. Birth
6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II

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1. Light
2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
   How do stars and planets form?

   Star formation: virial theorem, Jeans mass, initial mass function, Eddington Luminosity, Dispersion relationship, gravitational instability
   Planet formation: protoplanetary disks, disk instability and core accretion, gravitational focusing and runaway growth

6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II

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1. Light
2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
6. Evolution
   How do stars (and planets) evolve and meet their end?

   mean free path and opacity, energy transport, stellar structure equations, stellar evolution, features in HR-diagram, homology, burning sequences, nucleosynthesis

7. Planet Dynamics II

Update figure

1. Light
2. Exoplanets
3. Planet Dynamics I
4. Matter under astrophysical conditions
5. Birth
6. Evolution
7. Planet Dynamics II
   How do planets move about?

   The three body problem, Lagrange points, tides, Earth-Moon system

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1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics

     2nd edition; Carroll & Ostlie (2006); Main reference book for this course (but not all chapters will be discussed!) [jd.com]

   • Stellar Structure and Evolution

     (Astronomy and Astrophysics Library) 3 STG Edition by Kippenhahn, Rudolf, Weigert, Alfred published by Springer (1996)

   • Solar System Dynamics

     by Murray & Dermott, Cambridge University Press (1999)

   • The Astrophysics of Planet Formation

     by Armitage, Cambridge University Press (2009)

   • Dynamics of Planetary Systems

     by Tremaine, Cambridge University Press (2009) Mind nested pages !!

1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
2. Html lecture notes
   • Available from my homepage
   • Tested with Firefox, Chrome/Chromium, and MS Edge browsers. Download them if necessary

     MS Internet Explorer is not supported! Mind nested pages !!

1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
2. Html lecture notes
   • Available from my homepage
   • Princeton Series in Astrophysics Mind nested pages !!
   • hint: press o for slide overview

1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
2. Html lecture notes
   • Available from my homepage
   • Princeton Series in Astrophysics Mind nested pages !!
   • read all the text. You should for sure learn all magenta-highlighted terms!

     Don't forget to read the small fonts. I may skip some details in class, but it may help you to comprehend the material when you reviewing it.

1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
2. Html lecture notes
   • Available from my homepage
   • Princeton Series in Astrophysics Mind nested pages !!
3. Blackboard

   You need to be able to follow, understand, and derive yourself the material presented on the blackboard.

   Some material may not be covered in the book! So, do attend the lectures!

1. Reference Books
   • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics
2. Html lecture notes
   • Available from my homepage
   • Princeton Series in Astrophysics Mind nested pages !!
3. Blackboard

   You need to be able to follow, understand, and derive yourself the material presented on the blackboard.

4. Online resources (www) and (especially) Wikipedia

   Wikipedia is today's Library of Alexandria. A true gem, indispensable to the modern scientist.
   I have tried to place references (links) as much as possible. You should do the same in your reporting.

Like most astronomers, I will use the cgs (centimeter-gram-seconds) or Gaussian unit system. The most radical difference with SI units is that the Gauss unit system omits proportionality constants in the electromagnetic laws. For example, the Coulomb law becomes

That is, without the proportionality constant of

The drawback of this choice is that other electromagnetic laws — notably Maxwell's equations — also look different. But we won't use them in this course

In your problem sets, you are welcome to use SI units. But take care and be consistent!

Grade = 0.2 PS + 0.2 Exam/quiz
               +0.1 max( Exam/quiz , in-class quizzes )
               +0.2 max( Presentation,[Report^†] )
               +0.2 max( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] ) )
               +0.1 max₂( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] )

Course Elements and Grade contribution

• Problem sets (20%)

  In addition, the score can also be used towards one of the Free Areas

• Exam:
  • Problem part

    Similar to the Problem Sets. The score can contribute towards one of the Free Areas (below)

  • Quiz part (20%)

    Similar to the in-class quizzes. Multiple choice questions

• In-class quizzes (10%)

  you may substitute your score for the Exam (Quiz part) here

• Research Project
  • Presentation (20%)

    Every students gives a presentation about their project. Scheduled for the final 2 weeks. The score on the presentation can be replaced by the report.

  • Report^†

    This is optional. You can replace the score of the Presentation with it OR count it towards one of the Free space (but not both!)

Grade = 0.2 PS + 0.2 Exam/quiz
               +0.1 max( Exam/quiz , in-class quizzes )
               +0.2 max( Presentation,[Report^†] )
               +0.2 max( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] ) )
               +0.1 max₂( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] )

More grade optimization

• 30% of your final grade falls in the Free Area, which counts the best of your score on:
  • Problem sets
  • Exam (Problems part)
  • Report
• Area I (20%)

  The best of the above three elements

• Area II (10%)

  Like the above, where we take the 2nd-best score

Grade = 0.2 PS + 0.2 Exam/quiz
               +0.1 max( Exam/quiz , in-class quizzes )
               +0.2 max( Presentation,[Report^†] )
               +0.2 max( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] ) )
               +0.1 max₂( Exam/problems, PS, [Report^†] )

Examples

• Ann struggles with her presentation and the in-class quizzes. She performs very well on her PS
• Ben performs very well in class, but has a blackout during the exam. His final score minimizes the exam components.
• Because of late returns, Caro got lower grades on some problem sets. So she minimizes this component.
• Donald does not want to write a report. He performs extremely well on the exam day.

• label figures (axes!) appropriately
• when using LaTeX, use equation environment

  \begin{equation} E=mc^2 \end{equation}

• do not insert screenshots of source code into your answer
• write down the symbolic expression first, then fill in numbers.

  No need to write down the numerical values if these have already been stated.

  When asked ("What is", "Give the value", etc...) do give the numerical value at the end!

• state the units
• Give only 1 answer!

  Suggestion: start with your primary answer and state additional arguments in brackets. (We will ignore them when they are wrong)

• label figures (axes!) appropriately
• when using LaTeX, use equation environment

  \begin{equation} E=mc^2 \end{equation}

• do not insert screenshots of source code into your answer
• write down the symbolic expression first, then fill in numbers.

  No need to write down the numerical values if these have already been stated.

  When asked ("What is", "Give the value", etc...) do give the numerical value at the end!

• state the units
• Give only 1 answer!

  Suggestion: start with your primary answer and state additional arguments in brackets. (We will ignore them when they are wrong)

• label figures (axes!) appropriately
• when using LaTeX, use equation environment

  \begin{equation} E=mc^2 \end{equation}

• do not insert screenshots of source code into your answer
• write down the symbolic expression first, then fill in numbers.

  No need to write down the numerical values if these have already been stated.

  When asked ("What is", "Give the value", etc...) do give the numerical value at the end!

• state the units
• Give only 1 answer!

  Suggestion: start with your primary answer and state additional arguments in brackets. (We will ignore them when they are wrong)

• label figures (axes!) appropriately
• when using LaTeX, use equation environment

  \begin{equation} E=mc^2 \end{equation}

• do not insert screenshots of source code into your answer
• write down the symbolic expression first, then fill in numbers.

  No need to write down the numerical values if these have already been stated.

  When asked ("What is", "Give the value", etc...) do give the numerical value at the end!

• state the units
• Give only 1 answer!

  Suggestion: start with your primary answer and state additional arguments in brackets. (We will ignore them when they are wrong)

• label figures (axes!) appropriately
• when using LaTeX, use equation environment

  \begin{equation} E=mc^2 \end{equation}

• do not insert screenshots of source code into your answer
• write down the symbolic expression first, then fill in numbers.

  No need to write down the numerical values if these have already been stated.

  When asked ("What is", "Give the value", etc...) do give the numerical value at the end!

• state the units
• Give only 1 answer!

  Suggestion: start with your primary answer and state additional arguments in brackets. (We will ignore them when they are wrong)

You will be conducting a research project in the area of numerical gravitational dynamics. The procedure is the following:

1. You complete the PS on numerical gravitational dynamics.

   The performance must be satisfactory, as judged by TA Tian Yi.

2. You pick a project from the list

   A fuller description on each of these topcis will be provided. The deadline is XXX. Projects are distributed on a first come, first serve basis. More challenging projects (two stars) may take more effort, but can achieve higher scores. If you miss the deadline, you will be assigned an easy project.

3. You work in teams of 2

   You are expected to address the questions raised in the description. But you are free to widen the scope of the research.

4. You present your findings
5. You write a report about your findings

   This is optional

You will be conducting a research project in the area of numerical gravitational dynamics. The procedure is the following:

1. You complete the PS on numerical gravitational dynamics.

   The performance must be satisfactory, as judged by TA Tian Yi.

2. You pick a project from the list

   A fuller description on each of these topcis will be provided. The deadline is XXX. Projects are distributed on a first come, first serve basis. More challenging projects (two stars) may take more effort, but can achieve higher scores. If you miss the deadline, you will be assigned an easy project.

3. You work in teams of 2

   You are expected to address the questions raised in the description. But you are free to widen the scope of the research.

4. You present your findings
5. You write a report about your findings

   This is optional

You will be conducting a research project in the area of numerical gravitational dynamics. The procedure is the following:

1. You complete the PS on numerical gravitational dynamics.

   The performance must be satisfactory, as judged by TA Tian Yi.

2. You pick a project from the list

   A fuller description on each of these topcis will be provided. The deadline is XXX. Projects are distributed on a first come, first serve basis. More challenging projects (two stars) may take more effort, but can achieve higher scores. If you miss the deadline, you will be assigned an easy project.

3. You work in teams of 2

   You are expected to address the questions raised in the description. But you are free to widen the scope of the research.

4. You present your findings
5. You write a report about your findings

   This is optional