Introduction to astrophysics 0800-PA-INASTRA

Our place in the Universe: Earth and celestial sphere, importance of astronomy for science and philosophy, life in the Universe.

Astronomical observations: contemporary astronomical instruments, observations at different wavelengths of radiation, distance scale, black-body radiation, names of astronomical objects, catalogues with the data.

The Solar system and extrasolar planetary systems: contemporary knowledge of the Solar system, methods of searching and investigating extrasolar planets, orbital architectures, planet formation theories and astrophysical processes in circumstellar discs and environment, Earth-like planets.

Sun and other stars: fundamentals of stellar spectroscopy, spectral line formation, a review of stellar spectra, stellar types and stellar variability, overview of binary stars, details of the structure and evolution of the Sun, contemporary problems of solar physics.

Galaxies and the Universe: structure of the Universe at large scales, from galaxies through clusters and superclusters up to microwave background radiation and big-bang, theories of the evolution of the Universe.