Syllabus
1. Coordinate systems in astronomy, spherical coordinates, transformation matrices.
2. Computing ephemerides: Solution of the undisturbed two-body problem (orbits = conic sections, Kepler's laws). Perturbations, restricted circular three-body problem.
3. Astrometry. Effects influencing coordinates - refraction, paralaxes, aberration, proper motion, precession, nutation, polar motion. Observing instruments for astrometry on observatories and satellites. Doppler effect.
4. Determining and distributing exact time. Sidereal time, equation of equinoxes. True and mean solar time, time equation. Atomic time, times UT1, UTC, TDT/TT, TDB, GPS. Julian date and its modifications.
5. Describing motions of the solar systém bodies: Planets, Moon, asteroids. Eclipses and occultations.
6. Calculation of orbital elements from observed positions: Laplace method (from initial conditions of position and velocity in cartesian coordinates), Gauss method (from 3 positions of an asteroid on the sky, from more positions), Olbers method (from 3 positions of a comet on parabolic orbit).
7. Units in astronomy and astrophysics, history of definitions. Units in photometry.
8. Electromagnetic radiation, black body radiation - laws.
9. Classical methods of stellar observations. Spectral classification, luminosity classes, n-dimensional classification, Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD), colour diagram for globular and open clusters.
10. Evolution of stars in HRD. Classification of variable stars and their location in HRD. Pulsating variables - Cepheids, RR Lyr stars, mirids and irregular variables. Relation period-luminostity, determining distances using cepheids. Baade-Wesselink method. Flare stars - novae, supernovae. Light curves, spectra, radial velocities.
11. Eclipsing binaries, spectroscopic and visual double stars. Exoplanets.
12. Our Galaxy. Structure, kinematics and dynamics, rotation. Oort constants. Galactic core.
13. Galaxies and quasars. Hubble classification of galaxies. Active galaxies. BL Lac objects. Radio observation of galaxies, relativistic jets.
14. Optical systems of telescopes: Newton, Cassegrain, Gregory, Schmidt, Maksutov … Principles of mechanical construction of telescopes and how they are controlled. Active and adaptive optics. Telescopes in space - IUE, IRAS, HST, HIPPARCOS, Kepler …
15. Photometry. Detectors - human eye, photographic emulsion, photomultiplyer, CCD. Photometric systems. Ultraviolet and infrared photometry. Filters, systemUBVRI. Differential and absolute photometry. Extinction. Calibrations. Evaluation of photometric measurements.
16. Spectroscopy. Principles, prisma and grid spectrum. Dispersion curve. Spectrograph. Microphotometer. Reference spectrum. Non-conventional spectroscopy. Atlantes, tables of spectral lines. Methods of processing and evaluation of spectra. Radial velocities.
17. Radioastronomy. Antennes. Receivers. Point sources and extended sources, continuous and line spectra. Interferometry, apperture synthesis, VLBI. Radar equation.
18. Ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma astronomy.
19. Instruments in solar physics. Helioscopic eyepiece, coelostat, solar spectrograph, coronograph.
20. Properties and detection of polarized light. Stokes parameters. Polarimeter, Wollaston polarizator.
21. Detection of cosmic rays, meutrinos and gravitational waves. Project LIGO. Practical exercises (0/2) comprise: - processing of observed data, eg. photometric or spectroscopic, in PC laboratory - computing examples to the first part of lessons (items 1 - 6 of syllabus) - introduction to the world of astronomical research institutions, organizations, observatories, scientific journals and periodicals, data systems and libraries etc. - work with catalogues, atlantes, circulars, yearbooks, archives etc., both in the printed and electronic forms (e.g. CDS Strassbourg, ADS/NASA)
Annotation
This comprehensive lecture offers introduction to the basic parts of astronomy and astrophysics on a level of practical information, theoretical studies are left to the more advanced lectures, e.g. Celestial Mechanics, Cosmic
Plasma Physics, Relativistic Physics etc.
M. Šolc and J.Ďurech are responsible for the part devoted to ephemeris astronomy and astrometry, M. Wolf and P.
Harmanec for second part about observational techniques, methods and instruments, followed by characteristics of objects in the Universe. Teachers responsible for excercises and practicum are J. Ďurech and P. Zasche.