Physics 372, Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology: Spring 2025

This material can be found online at URL

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys372/phys372.html

Outline for the course, class schedule, etc.

Lectures


Homework sets

In order to use the on-line homework system, you need to know your login name and have a means of two-factor authentication. Your "login name" should be the same as your last name, but with lowercase letters only; something like richmond. You'll need to use some sort of 2FA application, such as Duo Mobile.
  1. Introduction to Webwork system due Thursday, Jan 16, at 5:00 PM.
  2. Trigonometric parallax due Friday, Jan 24, at 5:00 PM.
  3. Clusters of stars due Friday, Feb 7, at 5:00 PM.
  4. Variable stars due Friday, Feb 14, at 5:00 PM.
  5. Secondary distance indicators due Friday, Feb 21, at 5:00 PM.
  6. Analysis of galaxy classification exercise due Tuesday, Feb 24, at 11:59 PM.
    This is NOT a WebWork exercise; instead, you need to look at a series of galaxies in class and classify them in a spreadsheet; then submit a copy of the spreadsheet via myCourses, under Galaxy classification exercise
  7. Galaxies in the optical vs. the infrared due Wednesday, Mar 5, at 11:59 PM.
    This is NOT a WebWork exercise; instead, you need to examine one galaxy at optical and infrared wavelengths, and answer some questions about its appearance. Submit a copy of your answers, together with a screenshot of your galaxy, in myCourses, under Comparison of galaxies in optical and IR
  8. Active Galaxies, Tully-Fisher, Faber-Jackson due Friday, Apr 4, at 5:00 PM.
  9. Using supernovae to estimate distances due Friday, Apr 11, at 5:00 PM.


Extra Credit Projects

The deadline for extra credit assignments is 5 PM, Mon, Apr 28. All work must be submitted to the instructor by this time to count towards your grade.

  1. Create an HR diagram using Gaia DR3 data
  2. Make a map of the original Federation of Planets
  3. What is the most distant galaxy to which the TRGB method has been applied?


For more information:


This page maintained by Michael Richmond.