Free Online Course as Introduction to Astrophysics from edx

Edx Platform is offering a free online course as Introduction to Astrophysics. This course provides an overview of the physical phenomena at play in the astronomical objects surrounding us, from planets and stars to the cosmic filaments, from galaxies such as our own Milky Way to large galaxy clusters. The course emphasizes the links between theoretical predictions and observations.

About the Course:-

In this course, you will learn the basics of astrophysics using simplified mathematical developments. In particular, you will learn the role played by gravity in astrophysics, including gravitational lensing, and how matter and radiation interact. The material in this course is essential to follow more advanced astrophysics courses.

What You will Learn:-

• Influence of gravity on celestial bodies.
• Matter-radiation interactions.
• Star formation and evolution.
• Basics of cosmology.

Syllabus:-

• Week 1:
  • Video 1.1: (23:00 min)
    • Parallaxes and Parsec
    • General Introduction
    • Mass and Distance scales
  • Video 1.2: (14:42 min)
    • Kepler's Laws.
  • Video 1.3: (11:58 min)
    • Virial Theorem.
    • Potential Energy of a Sphere.
  • Video 1.4: (4:38 min)
    • Numerical Illustrations of Virial Theorem
• Week 2:
  • Video 2.1: (23:55 min)
    • Radiation processes in Astrophysics
    • Line and Continuum Radiation
    • Examples of Spectra
    • Radiated Energy and Units
    • Radiation Pressure
    • Bremsstrahlung and Synchrotron Radiations
  • Video 2.2: (20:15)
    • Black Body Radiation
    • Total Luminosity (sigma T^4)
    • Wien's Law
    • Atomic Emission Lines
    • The Case of Hydrogen
  • Video 2.3: (21:00)
    • How to Measure Radiation.
    • Flux, Luminosity, Filters.
    • Illustration: How do we Make True Color Images?
    • Magnitudes.
    • Color of Celestial Bodies.
    • Distance Modulus.
• Week 3:
  • Video 3.1: (23:44).
    • Doppler Effect.
    • Doppled Measurement.
    • Stellar Rotation.
    • Exoplanets and Stellar Radial Velocities.
    • Hubble Law.
  • Video 3.2: (32:22)
    • Interstellar Medium.
    • Nebular Emission, Stromgroen Sphere.
    • Absorption, diffusion (Mie et Rayleigh).
    • Optical Depth.
    • Redening.
  • Video 3.3: (18:12)
    • Tidal Forces
    • Influence on Moon-Earth Distance
    • Distance to the Moon Using Laser Measurements
• Week 4:
  • Video 4.1: (12:14)
    • Roche Limit.
    • Example of Saturn's Rings.
    • Example of a Comet Disrupted by Jupiter's Tidal Forces.
  • Video 4.2 (13:43)
    • Cometary Tails and Radiation Pressure.
  • Video 4.3: (15:08)
    • Energy Balance.
    • Global Warming.
  • Video 4.4:
    • Planetary Atmospheres.
    • Hydrostatic Equilibrium.
    • Atmospheric height-scale.

Conditions:-

• You should be good at English.
• The course is free but if you want to Pursue a Verified Certificate to highlight the knowledge and skills you gain, you should pay $139.00.
• The course needs 7 weeks to be done.
• Prerequisites: Physics and Maths (1st year of bachelor):
  • Trigonometry.
  • Derivatives and Taylor expansions.
  • Integral calculus.
  • 1st order differential equations.

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