Astrophysics Definition and 874 Threads

Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. Among the subjects studied are the Sun, other stars, galaxies, extrasolar planets, the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background. Emissions from these objects are examined across all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the properties examined include luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition. Because astrophysics is a very broad subject, astrophysicists apply concepts and methods from many disciplines of physics, including classical mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity, nuclear and particle physics, and atomic and molecular physics.
In practice, modern astronomical research often involves a substantial amount of work in the realms of theoretical and observational physics. Some areas of study for astrophysicists include their attempts to determine the properties of dark matter, dark energy, black holes, and other celestial bodies; and the origin and ultimate fate of the universe. Topics also studied by theoretical astrophysicists include Solar System formation and evolution; stellar dynamics and evolution; galaxy formation and evolution; magnetohydrodynamics; large-scale structure of matter in the universe; origin of cosmic rays; general relativity, special relativity, quantum and physical cosmology, including string cosmology and astroparticle physics.

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  1. K

    Observational astrophysics reference for math/physics major

    Hi all, I'm a math major with decent training in physics (through quantum and statmech), and I'd like to learn more about astrophysics. Not so much the theoretical cosmology kind of stuff, though, as how scientists take observational data and deduce things like "the mass of the galaxy" or how...
  2. A

    Programs Advice needed: Going from a M.Sc in Medical Physics to a PhD in Astrophysics

    Hello all, This is my issue. I did my undergrad in Physics. After finishing I decided I was done with "pure" physics. I wanted to do something more practical so I went into a Masters in Medical Physics. I quickly realized, that although I don't find it un-interesting, I don't feel much of...
  3. J

    Programs Going straight from a BSc to PhD in astrophysics

    Hi all I have recently completed my BSc (Hons) in physics (got first-class honours) and am considering my options. I would like to go on and study for a PhD on a topic relating to exoplanets, and can't decide whether to do an MSc first or whether to go straight for a PhD. Reasons for going...
  4. Simfish

    High Demand, Low Interest Physics Fields: Astrophysics & Astrobiology

    Which fields of physics have relatively high demand and relatively low student interest? (especially among strong students?) I'm especially interested about astrophysics. Does computational astrophysics have high demand among strong students? What about astrobiology? The reason I'm asking...
  5. L

    Engineering Masters in Engineering with Astrophysics Undergrad Degree?

    I passed my A levels in Physics, Maths And Further Maths AAB, and am really fascinated about Astrophysics, so i thought i might be up to the challenge. However i was curious as to whether it would be possible to get a masters in some sort of Engineering, with an undergrad degree in Astrophysics...
  6. H

    Programs Physics vs Astrophysics as a 4yr major

    Physics vs Astrophysics as a 4yr major :) Hello, I am currently working on my AAS in Physics and am aspiring to be an Astronomer. The area that I live in does not have any colleges which have astrophysics as a major. I will be transferring to a University in a year or so to complete my...
  7. S

    What is and is not Mainstream Astrophysics?

    Astrophysics is an observational science. When there is observational data in published papers that distinguishes between one theory and another, typically science changes. There are published papers that describe the competing theory. Science is not an opinion poll. There must be logical...
  8. S

    Astrophysics - Energy radiated from a star through contraction

    Hi Homework Statement As the sun evolved to the main sequence it contracted under gravity and its internal temperature changed from 3E4 K to 6E6 K. Assuming the sun is fully ionised at these temperatures estimate the energy radiated during this phase, stating your assumptions. Homework...
  9. M

    Physics Theoretical Plysics Vs. Astrophysics

    Hello everybody, I have a question that I've been thinking about for a long time and I'm looking for some advice. I'm currently a junior at a university in California and I'm about to declare my major. Throughout my whole life I knew that it would be astrophysics, but I've taken 5 astronomy...
  10. M

    Is There Mathematical Proof That Stars Are Still Being Formed?

    Hello, I have a question from the Dutch Astrophysics Olympiad, which I can't solve. " Is there mathematical proof that stars are still being formed? " In previous questions, i had to derive the following equations, which i need to use in my answer for the question above: L = σ * T4 * 4πR2...
  11. S

    Need Help Finding Astrophysics Book

    I am a high school student that has been taking astrophysics and astronomy as an independent study for the last couple of months. I would appreciate any recommendations on books that would better my understanding of the topics. The following are a few of the books that I already own. 1. The...
  12. E

    Developed an interest in, Astronomy? Astrophysics?

    I've recently been reading articles (primarily wikipedia) about different plants, their sizes, and all elements required in the identification of certain stars, constellations etc. I'd like to learn more but simply visiting pages on Wikipedia endlessly for hours won't accumulate much aside from...
  13. T

    Reference book about astrophysics please

    hello, is there a book that give the proof about how to get the equations of time and the related topics like sun rise time and sun set time and other famous times (sorry i don't know the translation of it in english).
  14. T

    Astronomy and astrophysics, are they the same?

    hello all, what is the difference between ASTRONOMY and ASTROPHYSICS? thank you in advance.
  15. J

    MechE & Astronomy: Jobs that Combine Both?

    currently, I am a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. but, I've always had a strong interest in astronomy and astrophysics. i was thinking about switching to astrophysics, but also think it might be a bad idea - that it would be better to just keep astronomy as a hobby. is there any...
  16. S

    Astrophysics Coordinate Questions

    Homework Statement A sailor somewhere on the Pacific Ocean uses a navigational instrument to measure the altitude of the star Aldebaran (α Tauri, the brightest star in the constellation Taurus, the Bull) at the moment that Aldebaran is due south of the zenith. The equatorial coordinates of...
  17. Z

    Learn Astrophysics: Self-Study Tutorials & References

    hey,,i am a mechatronics student but i'd like to learn astrophysics and astronomy but as selfstudy so any help where i can start,,,any online tutorials or references that could be helpful and which i can understand on my own
  18. G

    Best astrophysics book for starters?

    Hello everyone I'm attending first year of the danish Gymnasium and do feel seriously mathematically impaired, however i find especially astrophysics very interesting, and would like to know something about it. It should be said that my mathematical ability is absolutly stretched at the...
  19. S

    Need some recommendations for books on Astrophysics and Astronomy

    I'm hoping someone can recommend a couple of good books on some varied topics. I'm looking for a good, mature series of books on the planets or even one good book covering them all. I'm also looking for interesting reads on cosmology, solar physics and galaxies. If anyone can recommend some...
  20. H

    Physics Observational Astrophysics vs Theoretical Astrophysics (Pros & Cons)

    Hi there! Long time lurker first time poster. I have to choose a major this year and I was looking at Astrophysics (yes, it is a major at my university) however I was reading the university handbook and in 3rd year (I'm entering my second year now) I have to choose between theoretical and...
  21. K

    Grad programs in observational vs. theoretical astrophysics

    Hi everyone, I'm a 2nd year astrophysics and math student and considering the possibility of pursuing a phd in astrophysics. I'm more interested in theory rather than the observational side of astrophysics. I've heard that grad programs tend to see research experience as much more important...
  22. R

    Schools Advice involving grad school [doing astrophysics with a math/CS background]

    I'm interested in going to grad school for astrophysics. I've loved everything about the subject for many years now. At first I thought it was just a hobby interest, but I think it may have crossed the line and become a career interest. The only problem with this is that I'm in my senior year in...
  23. S

    Difference between Astrophysics and Astronomy ?

    I'm transferring schools for the fall of 2010, and one of the schools that I'm looking into offers a B.S. in Physics and a separate B.S. in Astronomy. The other school I'm looking into offers only a B.S. in Physics, though they say I can take elective courses in Astronomy. Basically, I want to...
  24. S

    Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Planetary Science

    What exactly are the differences between Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology, Planetary Science?
  25. P

    Help Where to study Masters in Astrophysics?

    Help! Where to study Masters in Astrophysics? Electronics and communication deals with mainly fabrication and VLSI, not much to do with physics to be frank.I have my academics in physics in my first year, tat generally deals with all subjects of physics. as for Maths I have got 4 mathematical...
  26. V

    What Would We See if the Sun Suddenly Darkened?

    Homework Statement Explain, as quantitatively as you can, what would be observed from Earth if the Sun's surface instantaneously darkened and hence explain why the brightness of a body cannot significantly alter on time scales significantly less than the light travel time across it...
  27. 1

    Physics Non-Academic employment after getting a PhD in Astrophysics?

    Hi, I'm a graduate student, one semester into a physics PhD. I'm still doing the core courses and haven't started the specialized courses yet, but I started wanting to become an astronomer. I was aware of the lack of jobs, and I wanted to do computational astronomy in particular, in the hope...
  28. S

    CFD in Astrophysics, ideas for a senior project

    Hello everyone, I am an looking for a senior project for aerospace engineering. In my Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) course it came up that one of the many applications of CFD is astrophysics and the modeling of planet/star formation. Our professor suggested it to me as a...
  29. Z

    Outlining the fields of astrophysics and particle

    I'm a senior in high school and I'm thinking about going into astronomy or astrophysics as a major. I have a 4.0 GPA and a 1350 on the SAT so I don't think I'm going to get into any upper level ivy leagues, but I was just wondering about some colleges that offer astronomy or astrophysics. A...
  30. K

    Astrophysics: Finding the mass of a hidden star in a binary system

    Homework Statement The spectral lines in a low mass main sequence star show sinusodal velocity variations with an amplitude of 500 km/s and a time period of 10 hours calculate a lower limit to the mass of the unseen binary companion Homework Equations M1 + M2 =...
  31. K

    Astrophysics: Deriving Newton's Gravitational Formula from Kepler's

    Homework Statement Dervie Newton's form of Kepler's third law. decrribing the orbital motion of two stars in circular orbits with masses M1 and M2, separation a, and period P ie. Obtain F=\frac{ G M1 M2 }{ a^2 } From M1+M2=\frac{4 \pi^2 a^3 }{GP^2} Homework Equations Centre of mass...
  32. W

    Astrophysics: Does it matter where I do my undergrad?

    The title pretty much says it all. I'm planning on going into astrophysics, and I'm a bit concerned about the costs of studying out of state, not to mention that one of our state universities just opened up an undergraduate physics and astrophysics program. So, will it really make that much...
  33. J

    Solve Astrophysics Problems: Quasar Time Scale and Density Models

    Hi. If anyone could help me start or solve these problems it'd be greatly appreciated. Homework Statement If a quasar varies on a time scale of 4 months, how does the maximum size of the emitting region compare with the Schwarzschild radius for a 10^4 Msun black hole? 2.Calculate...
  34. K

    My troubled educational route (Astrophysics?)

    Hey all, I've come to the physics forums in search of guidance as i just don't know what to think anymore with my studies. First off i live in the UK (i see a lot of threads about people who study in the US). I failed my GCSE's (through a troubling familiy year), retook them next year, passed...
  35. Totalderiv

    Programs Does Double Majoring in Physics and Astronomy Boost Job Prospects?

    Hello, I need some help figuring out my college plan as an undergraduate. I'm looking at applying to Ohio State University, University of Arizona, and Penn State University. I'm looking to do astrophysics, but most of them don't have it,so I'm looking to double major as physics and astronomy...
  36. J

    The Mystery: Solving an Atomic Astrophysics Problem

    Hello, I am currently having a problem on a question in astrophysics. It is asking to find the atomic mass number of a substance given only the temperature and velocity of the substance. I cannot seem to come up with an equation relating them together. The closest I have come is...
  37. D

    Astrophysics Mathematics Sample?

    Hello, I'm new to the forums here. :smile: I was just wondering if I could possibly get some sort of sample on what kind of Mathematics are used in the field of Astrophysics, as I am thinking about going into this field. Also, Instead of making a separate thread, I will just post this...
  38. L

    Schools UCL grad school - astrophysics plus engineering

    UCL grad school -- astrophysics plus engineering Hi, I am thinking about applying to the UCL grad school in something combining astrophysics/instrumentation/planetary. Is UCL any good? I am an non EU European, and I see that UCL has better studentships than Oxbridge --- around 15k compared...
  39. T

    Studying Thinking of studying Astrophysics in Canada - A few questions ^^

    Well I'm in high school right now, grade 11 to be exact and I've started looking around for any interesting universities. I might change but I'm thinking of doing Astrophysics or major in Physics then move onto Astrophysics. I also know that I want to study in Canada so enough background, I just...
  40. L

    Programs Top Major for future in Astrophysics

    Finally I am almost done with my lower level undergraduate work, finishing up the calculus sequence and physics this semester along with linear algebra. As people who have read my thread before know I very nonplussed with my current schoo. I think I am indeed transferring after figuring out...
  41. F

    Stuff I always wondered about astrophysics

    I've numbered them so you can just include it in your reply instead of screwing around with
  42. H

    CFD in Astrophysics: Exploring Interdisciplinary Boundaries

    Hi all, I have a B.Sc. in Mechanical engineering, a M.Eng in aeronautical engineering and I am currently looking for a topic for my Ph.D. I've been working in "conventional" CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) for almost 4 years now and I really think it's time to move on beyond the...
  43. E

    Physics What jobs can I get with Astrophysics in the UK?

    Hey, I'm 16 and I'm currently studying A Levels at college (Physics, Maths, English Literature, and Philosophy). I've been interested in space for sometime, getting my first telescope around 3 years ago, and I don't know when but I unconsciously decided this was what I was going to do with my...
  44. A

    Schools Particle Astrophysics grad schools

    I'm a senior undergrad, so I'm currently in the process of researching grad schools to apply to. My primary area of interest is Experimental Particle Astrophysics, and I would just like any thoughts you might have about grad schools that would be a good match for that focus (both selective...
  45. R

    Schools Astrophysics undergrad + grad school

    Hey everyone. I've been looking into top universities for astrophys in the EU or Australia (English speaking - of course) but haven't found many choices. I still have quite some time before college (undergrad) but want to get all the information I can before I do something I regret. If anyone...
  46. I

    Exploring Astrophysics: The Pros, Cons & Realities

    So this is the deal, I'm 17, and I have a passion for science, especially Astrophysics, and I want to major in that department, but the thing is, a lot of people that I know tell me Astrophysics is way too hard, it's not stable, you need to be a genius to make something out of it, not enough...
  47. I

    The Reality of Majoring in Astrophysics: Is it Worth It?

    So this is the deal, I'm 17, and I have a passion for science, especially Astrophysics, and I want to major in that department, but the thing is, a lot of people that I know tell me Astrophysics is way too hard, it's not stable, you need to be a genius to make something out of it, not enough...
  48. G

    Astrophysics, Physics, or Astronomy

    If one's interests lie in Astrophysics, what would be the best courses to achieve a BA, MA, and then PhD in given the following circumstances: The highest level degree offered at this college/graduate school in Astrophysics is a BA, while both MA and PhD degrees are offered in both Physics...
  49. C

    Physics Nonacademic jobs for astrophysics?

    I know that its very hard to get tenure even if you get a phD in astrophysics from an Ivy league school. hence, a lot of astrophysics phDs find jobs in government labs, wall street, or as engineers. but how likely is it to find employment as a engineer where you get to work on CFD? My...
  50. T

    Discover The Basics of Astrophysics: Top Book Recommendations for Beginners

    Hey guys! I'm sure this has been asked before, and I hope not so much as to warrant a "use search function!" but my time is somewhat limited. I'm starting university up again soon and I've been debating between psychology and astrophysics/astronomy. The problem is, my math is lacking -- just...
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