PHYS 209 | Introduction to Astrophysics

Astrophysics is the application of the laws and principles of physics to answer questions about the cosmos. This course develops the physics necessary to understand the origins, properties, and evolution of planets, stars and galaxies as well as investigating the application of physics to questions of cosmological significance. The semester is divided between studying the theoretical tools astrophysicists have developed and using those tools with several small hands-on archival data analysis tutorials. Each student will end the semester by completing an individual observational or theoretical research project.