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. J

    Physics? Astrophysics? Engineering? I don't know what to do

    Hello everyone, First off, I wanted to note that this is a great forum. I've spent the past hour or so looking through different topics of varying nature and I've really enjoyed reading through the conversations. Anyway, I'm in a little bit of a bind regarding college. I'm going to be an...
  2. S

    Programs Phd in Theoreticle Physics and Astrophysics

    Is it possible o get a PhD in both theoretical physics and theoretical astrophysics at the same time, or is it too much to handle? Also, would it better my chances of being hired for NASA as an astrophysics and a math PHD rather than a theoretical physics and astrophysics PHD, or does it not...
  3. S

    Physics Bachelor's in Theoretical Astrophysics at 18?

    I wanted to know if it would be at all possible to get my bachelor's degree in theoretical astrophysics at the time I'm 18. I'll be 16 when I graduate this year from high school, and I'm taking 2 dual credit college classes (the max a student can take). I'm also taking AP Physics and AP...
  4. E

    Civil Engineering or Astrophysics it's decision time.

    edit: I've decided to stick with CE. Though I do love the study of the universe, I don't think I would be able to hand graduate school and all the research that is packed along with it. The books I've read are enough to satisfy my interest in space and time. During this economy, I think I'm...
  5. G

    Schools Astrophysics: Picking the right college

    Hello Everyone, I will be starting my senior year in high school this upcoming academic year, and I am currently looking into which colleges I would like to apply to. I am very interested in Astrophysics and I had a few questions as to which colleges would be the best to apply to. Now when...
  6. G

    Astrophysics - Accretion of Space Dust

    Homework Statement Imagine a planetesimal sweeping up small particles from a dust cloud. Suppose the planetesimal, of mass M and radius R, is moving through the cloud at a velocity v. There are nd dust particles per m3, each of mass md (a) Derive an expression for the number of collisions per...
  7. P

    My Journey to a Bachelor's Degree in Astrophysics at Berkeley

    So this story involves me and my bachelors degree in astrophysics at Berkeley. I started studying there in 2004 (when I graduated from high school), and was supposed to graduate in 2008, but I took some time off to do research and I had quite a few problems and bumpy roads along the way in terms...
  8. S

    Unsolved Problems in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics

    I have been wondering what some of the big problems in theoretical physics and astrophysics are. Through some research I have not been able to find a whole lot of them, I am starting to think that this means we have a good grasp on understanding the universe but then I realize that this can't...
  9. L

    Can Someone Help Me Rearrange This Astrophysics Equation?

    I am really quite terrible at rearranging equations, I wonder if anyone could help? How can I rearrange : m-M=5log10(d/10) to give d=? Thanks for any imput.
  10. V

    Exploring a Career in Astrophysics at NASA

    Hello everyone! My name is Christian and I'm in 8th grade (2 weeks until schools out!) Ever since 5th grade I've loved astronomy, and its been just recently that I've actually began to think about my future. When I was in 5th grade I was already taking 7th grade math so I would consider my self...
  11. R

    Physics What can an astrophysics get into?

    I'm planing on taking astrophysics after high school. There's just so much to chose from after that, what are my choices? Could I do something like exosolar planet research? Or would I have to take something else? What are my other options?
  12. T

    Astrophysics, what do I need to do?

    I am currently getting ready to end my sophomore year at my high school and have basically come to the decision that i wanted to study astrophysics. Although i still have "time" it seems as though i will run out of it before it is too late, so I am wondering what suggestions people have that i...
  13. S

    Schools Achieving Theoretical Astrophysics at 15: Challenges & Opportunities

    I want to be a theoretical physicist. I'm 15 and a sophomore in high school. I'll be graduating next year (3 year program) when I'm 16. It's not a minimun program, I'm actually on the most distinguished graduation program (Texas Scholar). I just get many credits in a short amount of time. Since...
  14. S

    Is It Legal to Download Astrophysics Books for Free?

    How do you download the books on this website, I can't figure it out.http://wps.aw.com/aw_carroll_ostlie_astro_2e/48/12319/3153833.cw/index.html
  15. S

    Schools Astrophysics Colleges Near Boston, L.A. | Harvard

    Are there any astrophysics/theoreticle physics colleges near or in a major city like Boston or L.A. So far i only found Harvard.
  16. Norman

    Physics Interplay between Particle Physics and Astrophysics

    Seeing the discussion in the thread about Quantum Mechanics Careers in which ZapperZ and Locrain discussing the role of a Particle Physics Theorist, the current state of affairs in particle physics and the transport of particle theorists to astrophysics theory made me think of a recent email I...
  17. R

    Schools Astrophysics or Aerospace Engineering (Princeton University)

    Hi! I don't know what to pick as a major. I am extremely interested in both fields (moreso than any other major at the school), however, I don't want either discipline to occupy my entire life as an undergraduate (I'd like to have some free time). I already satisfied most of the...
  18. M

    Explore Top Astrophysics Programs in Canada for International Students

    Hi, I was admited for graduate studies at University of British Columbia, McGill University and University of Toronto. I will be doing astrophysics. Anybody knows something about the physics / astrophysics programs in such universities? Thank you in advance for your answers. P.D. I am an...
  19. N

    Astrophysics, help with Taylor expansion

    Homework Statement f(E) = \left(\frac{E_c}{E} \right)^{1/2} + \frac{E}{kT} Expand this as a Taylor function with the form... f \approx a_0 + a_1(E-E_0) + a_2(E-E_0) Hint being a_1 will be 0, because E_0 is a Gamow peak in this case, so slope will be 0. What I need to do is...
  20. L

    What is Computational Astrophysics and How Can It Benefit My Future in Research?

    I know roughly what Computational Astrophysics is but if someone would like to explain it in depth it would be appreciated. To me this seems like a cool field of study and I want to consider doing graduate research on this. Are there are particular classes I MUST take as an undergrad to...
  21. N

    Learning Astrophysics: What to Know First?

    Hey All, I want to start looking into learning Astrophysics. However, before doing that I was wondering if anyone had any feedback on what one should learn first before stepping into Astrophysics. Would learning the basics of physics make it easier to understand Astrophysics? Any feedback...
  22. S

    What Are Simple Unsolved Problems in Astrophysics for Beginners?

    so what are some simple unsolved problems in astrophysics, that are interesting. could someone just list some topics out? I've been researching on the interwebz, but can't seem to find a topic that is interesting/simple. also are there any such topics related to Newtonian mechanics/electricity...
  23. J

    Astronomy vs Astrophysics programs

    I'm currently wrapping up my two year degree at community college and am looking to transfer to a 4 year university in a year. I'm looking to major in astronomy/astrophysics, but I'm not sure what the difference is between those two terms. To me, they almost seem interchangeable. Some...
  24. P

    IB extended essay in Astrophysics

    Hey everybody, I'm doing my International Baccalaureate extended essay (2500 to 4000 words) in Astrophysics, which means basically i need to come up with a research question and hypothesis, then design and procede with a lab to answer this question. Any suggestions for a research question...
  25. G

    Astrophysics - Apparent Magnitude of stars in a close binary system

    Homework Statement 2 solar type stars are in a close binary system. Each indivual star has an apparent brightness of m = 10 mag. Determine the apparent magnitudes of the combined system of the 2 stars assuming they cannot be resolved as individual objects. Determine the minimum brightness...
  26. matt_crouch

    Astrophyics Degree: What Books to Read?

    im hopefully starting uni next year and doing a degree in astrophysics can anyone recommend any useful books cheers
  27. C

    Engineering Can I Graduate in Astrophysics with Undergrad in Mech Eng?

    is it posible to graduate in astrophysics after undergrad in mechanical engineering, this is what I've currently planned and I'm already one semester into my engineering undergrad course. is it necessary that i switch or is it possible to study some of the fundamentals of astro on my own and...
  28. C

    Physics Mechanical enginering + astrophysics, what are the prospects?

    I am studying mechanical engineering right now, but i want to master in astrophysics or cosmology after this, what are the possible careers for this route of study? also,what are the best universities for a masters in astrophysics? Since I am an indian national, I am looking for a university...
  29. R

    I Deciding Cosmology or Astrophysics?

    First i need someone to help break it down what's the difference. Instead of just saying the origins of space is cosmos. Ima tell you what I am interested in and let me know which one i will do better in. I am interested in learning about space and how it was created, not only I am interested in...
  30. eri

    Recommendations for a Statistics Textbook in Astrophysics Research

    I'm in my 4th+ year of grad school in physics, working in the field of astrophysics. I've never taken an actual statistics course, and I'm starting to see the need for one - at the moment, I get all my statistics knowledge from Numerical Recipes. I do a lot of traveling for my research, so I...
  31. N

    Astrophysics rotational break up velocity

    Homework Statement Write out expressions for the rotational speed (at the equator) and rotational period of an object mass M and radius R that is spinning at the break up velocity. Homework Equations F= mg F = m \omega^2 r g = \frac{mG}{r^2} The Attempt at a Solution So i...
  32. T

    Astrophysics Help: Calculating Mass of Hydrogen Converted in Sun Over 10B Years

    hey guys, I am new here and thought you might like to help me out. I am a first year astronomy student at Curtin University in Western Australia. my current assignment has asked me to calculate the mass of hydrogen converted in the sun to helium and energy over 10 billion years (10 billion...
  33. A

    Exploring Astrophysics Beyond the Classroom

    Im still in high school, and although our school doesn't offer any astrophysics courses, I was hoping on reading some books to learn more. I've read the Inflationary Universe ... any other suggestions?
  34. D

    Astrophysics, simple parallax error

    Homework Statement Experiment 15.2 (note this is from a book about 5 years old, and the book has no solutions!). I am simply unsure how to calculate between parallax with 1% error and parallax with 50% error etc. Please see the scan I done of the page...
  35. S

    Astrophysics- Calculate the altitude of a geosynchronous orbit

    a)Calculate the altitude of a geosynchronous orbit (an orbit that has an orbital period of one sidereal day)(altitude is measured from the surface of the earth/ The "r" in gravitational equations is always measured from the center of mass of an object. one may assume a circular orbit.) b) how...
  36. P

    Astrophysics and Theoretical Physics.

    What's the difference between Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics? What I mean is isn't Astrophysics also included in Theoretical Physics?
  37. M

    Exploring the Cosmos: Introductory Astrophysics Literature Recommendations

    Hello, I'm new to these forums so I don't really know if I'm posting this in the right spot, but I was wondering if I could get some suggestions on books to read on Astrophysics. I've been reading a couple books on String Theory by Brian Greene and a couple books by Michio Kaku, but I would...
  38. X

    Programs Looking to major in Astrophysics

    Hi, I am looking to major in Astrophysics. I am currently attending a community college in New Mexico and hope to soon transfer to UNM or New Mexico University of Mining and Technology. One of my main questions is about the schools. UNM offers a limited degree into this field and the...
  39. O

    Math, physics, astrophysics school questions.

    okay, I am only in community college right now. trying to save some money before i go off to a four-year school than grad school. I am almost dead certain of majoring in astrophysics or astronomy. just like anything else, its bound to change but still in one of the other fields of physics. as...
  40. C

    Where to Begin with Self-Studying Astrophysics?

    Hi I'm currently a postgraduate student doing pure maths, and I'm quite interested in self-studying astrophysics! If you do physics or know something that can be of help, could you please suggest me some reading materials? oh and I haven't studied physics after getting out of high...
  41. C

    Programs What are my chances at getting accepted to a PhD program in Astrophysics?

    So rather than give my life's story, I'll make it relatively short. I got my BS in Physics last year, and am currently working on my MS in Astronautical Engineering at a top 10 engineering school. I will be done in December, and lately I have been thinking about getting my PhD in Astrophysics. I...
  42. N

    Where Did I Go Wrong in My Big Bang Nucleosynthesis Calculation?

    [SOLVED] Astrophysics homework: Cosmology Homework Statement I have to show that during the Big Bang Nuchleosynthesis, the scalefactor is approximately given by a(t) = \left( {4H_0^2 \Omega _{r,0} } \right)^{1/4} \sqrt t The Attempt at a Solution Ok, since the BBNS is during the first ~3...
  43. G

    Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics Part 1

    Hi All, Yale University offers Open Courses including a series of lectures from Yale University entitled Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics The first part is published further courses will be added in due course. The first course has 7 50 minute lectures. It is free to register and to...
  44. R

    Preferred Frames not in SR are used in Astrophysics

    I’m extracting here a side discussion on the application of Preferred Reference Frames from a thread on the twins paradox, so that thread does not seem to get “hijacked” by this discussion since the connection may seem thin to some. IMO the preferred frame interpretations as used in Astrophysics...
  45. T

    GPA Requirements for Grad Schools in Astrophysics

    Hi, (I'm not too sure where to post this but this seems to be the most suitable place. Apologies if I am wrong.) If I am majoring Astrophysics and applying to grad schools, is my Math gpa an important factor in addition to my Physics gpa , Astronomy gpa and cumulative gpa? If so, how...
  46. R

    Programs Should I Major in Physics or Astrophysics?

    I am a junior in high school; and I have enjoyed Physics as well as math very much throughout my three years of high school. Very soon, I will have to know my major and the schools i wish to apply to( have to know by next week). When I looked at colleges, I saw that they listed Astrophysics...
  47. B

    Is it possible to do astrophysics research

    ... from your own home and not at a university? What kinds of software would you need to perform simulations of astrophysics related phenomena like Blackholes and supernova of stars ? I suspect you would also need a special kind of computer to perform these simulations.
  48. R

    YEAR 12 Astrophysics EEI HELP Please?

    YEAR 12 Astrophysics EEI HELP! Please? Homework Statement Hello :) I'm a year 12 student working on my EEI (Extended Experimental Investigation) which is about astrophysics. We are allowed to pick any topic, however we were given some ideas: Sunspots History of Measurement...
  49. T

    Where to Find Free Astrophysics Books Online?

    Where can I download free online books on Astrophysics? Thanks.
  50. N

    Astrophysics - How much CMB-photons do you absorb per second

    Homework Statement 1) Calculate approx. how many Cosmic Microwave Background-photons that you would absorb per second if you were in space. The Attempt at a Solution Ok, I know that the CMB-photons fit with a blackbody spectrum with T = 2.725 K. So the total amount of photons I find by using...
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