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Astronomy Minor
A minor in astronomy is offered to students who are preparing for a career in astronomy or
astrophysics, or to those who are interested in an in-depth survey of modern astronomy.
The minor is open to students with a major in any discipline.
The minor consists of 21 credits:
PHYS 121 (4),
PHYS 122 (4),
PHYS 305 (3),
PHYS 315 (3),
PHYS 316 (3), and
PHYS 415 (4).
PHYS 122 is a prerequisite to the last four courses.
Students have the opportunity to use the department's
0.8 m Cassegrain telescope in
research projects that are integrated into the astronomy courses.
Students pursuing the astronomy minor
will be assigned an advisor in the Department
of Physics.
Note: Any/all of the courses are
also open as electives to students of any discipline who meet the
prerequistes.
To date (2005 July), students
with the following majors have passed one or more of the astrophysics courses with grade B or better:
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology,
Computer Science & Electrical Engineering,
Mathematics,
and
Physics.
Course Descriptions
PHYS305
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Stellar Astrophysics
(3 credits)
Prerequisite: PHYS 122.
A survey of the life and death of stars. Topics include star formation, stellar structure and evolution, stellar death (white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes), supernovae, binary star systems and accretion onto compact objects, and x-ray sources.
[More Info...] |
PHYS315
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Galaxies and the Interstellar Medium
(3 credits)
Prerequisite: PHYS 122.
The formation, structure, and dynamics of normal galaxies, dark matter, the evolution of elliptical and spiral galaxies, quasars, radio galaxies, and active galaxies. Theoretical models will be compared to observations in radio, IR,
optical, X-ray, and gamma-rays.
[More Info...] |
PHYS316
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Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology
(3 credits)
Prerequisite: PHYS 122.
An introduction to modern cosmology including evidence the big bang and the expanding universe, the formation of
light elements in the early universe, the effect of dark matter on the formation of large-scale structure in the universe
and galaxy motions, gravitational lenses, observations of quasars, the intergalactic medium, measurement of cosmological parameters.
[More Info...]
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PHYS415
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Observational Astronomy
(4 credits)
Prerequisite: PHYS 122, PHYS 305, PHYS 315, PHYS 316.
Detection of radiation and data analysis techniques covering spatial, spectral, and timing data. Hands on, practical experience will be combined with a knowledge of the fundamentals of astrophysics gained from previous astronomy courses. Students will complete a research project using the UMBC 32"
telescope and data obtained from the High Energy Astrophysics Archive (HEASARC). Experience using state of the art astronomical software to analyze data will be gained.
[More Info...]
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Contact Information
Dr.
Ian M George
UMBC Physics Department
1-410-455-1518
ian.george@umbc.edu
Last Update: 2005 Dec 06 [IMG]
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