Syllabus
Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are the most luminous persistent sources of electromagnetic radiation in the universe. In this lecture we will learn the rich phenomenology and the classification of different types of AGN ranging from Seyfert galaxies to quasars.
We will discuss basic astrophysical processes relevant for these objects: accretion of matter onto supermassive black holes, acceleration of collimated outflows, emission of non-thermal spectra, rapid variability, etc. We will explore basic differences between active galaxies and "quiet", non-active objects, such as our own Galaxy - The Milky Way.
We will also mention similarities of active galaxies to million times smaller microquasars.
Annotation
Observational properties and phenomenology of active galaxies.
Physical processes in active galactic nuclei; accretion theory, radiation processes, formation of jets etc.