Astronomy & Astrophysics Courses |
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First Year Seminars The 199Y1 and 199H1 seminars are designed to provide the opportunity to work closely with an instructor in a class of no more than twenty-four students. These interactive seminars are intended to stimulate the students’ curiosity and provide an opportunity to get to know a member of the professorial staff in a seminar environment during the first year of study. Details here. AST101H1 Our place in the Universe. Phenomena we see in the sky. What we know about the Sun, the planets and comets, and the formation of the solar system -- and how we know it. What makes planets suitable for life. Finding out about the nearest stars and their planets. This course is intended for students with no science or engineering background. AST121H1 The origin of the Universe, the origin of the chemical elements, the origin of stars and galaxies, the origin of life in the Universe. This course is intended for students who are enrolling in science courses. AST201H1 What we know about the properties and life cycles of stars, of galaxies, and of the Universe itself -- and how we know it. How astronomers develop methods for understanding phenomena that span such vast ranges in distance and time. This course is intended for students with no science or engineering background. AST210H1 The history of Western astronomy: Copernican Revolution to twentieth century astrophysics. Emphasis is placed on the process of discovery which has led to major advances in knowledge about the Universe. The course ends with an outline of one of the most significant puzzles of our day and an examination of the potential for a new revolution in knowledge in our lifetime. This course is best suited to science students. AST221H1 Concepts of basic physics applied to a treatment of the solar system and stars. Telescopes and instrumentation are introduced. AST222H1 Concepts of basic physics applied to a treatment of stellar systems and the structure of the Universe. AST251H1 Scholarly discussion of the probability that there are planets with life elsewhere in the universe, from the perspective of current ideas concerning the origin and evolution of the universe, the solar system and life Search techniques and possibilities for interstellar travel and space colonies are discussed. This course is best suited to life sciences students. AST299Y1 Credit course for supervised participation in faculty research project. Details here. AST320H1 The formation, equilibrium and evolution of structure on all astronomical scales from the largest to the smallest: universe, clusters of galaxies, galaxies, clusters of stars, gas clouds and stars. AST325H1 Observational projects in astrophysics involving work with telescopes and CCD detectors. Principles of photometry. Use of standard software packages for data reduction and analysis. Students will be required to use UNIX/Linux operating systems. AST326Y1 Observational projects in astrophysics involving work with telescopes and CCD detectors. Principles of photometry and spectroscopy. Use of UNIX/Linux-based software packages for data reduction and analysis. This course is an expanded version of AST325H1 designed to give students a wider exposure to practical astronomy. AST398H0 AST399Y0 An instructor-supervised group project in an off-campus setting. Details here. AST425Y1 A research project done in consultation with an individual staff member in the Department leading to a detailed written report and oral presentation. This course is intended for students in the final year of the Astronomy and Physics specialist program. Students must enrol with the Undergraduate Secretary of the Department. |