Courses:

Course Info

• Course Number / Code:
• 8.284 (Spring 2006) 
• Course Title:
• Modern Astrophysics 
• Course Level:
• Undergraduate 
• Offered by :
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  Massachusetts, United States  
• Department:
• Physics 
• Course Instructor(s):
• Prof. Paul Schechter 
• Course Introduction:
•  
• 
  
  8.284 Modern Astrophysics
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2006

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Course Highlights

  
  
  

  
  
  8.284 Modern Astrophysics
  
  
  
  

  Spring 2006

  
  
  

  

  A Hubble Space Telescope image of galaxy NGC-5866, seen edge-on. (Image courtesy of William C. Keel, University of Alabama, as presented on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day Web site.)

  
  
  

  Course Description

  
  
  

  This course explores the applications of physics (Newtonian, statistical, and quantum mechanics) to fundamental processes that occur in celestial objects. The list of topics includes Main-sequence Stars, Collapsed Stars (White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes), Pulsars, Supernovae, the Interstellar Medium, Galaxies, and as time permits, Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Cosmology. Observational data is also discussed.