By the end of this unit, a successful student will be able to:
- Summarize the overall properites of the Sun
- Outline the process by which energy is produced in the Sun's interior (MSTE Chem 2.7)
- Explain how energy travels from the solar core, through the interior and out into space (MSTE: Phys 3.1)
- Explain how stellar distances are determined
- Distinguish between luminosity and apparent brightness, and explain how stellar luminosity is determined
- Describe how an H-R diagram is constructed and used to identify stellar properties
- Discuss the factors that compete against gravity in the process of star formation (MSTE: ESS 4.3)
- Summarize the sequence of events leading to the formation of a star like our Sun (MSTE: ESS 4.3)
- Explain how the process of star formation depends on stellar mass (MSTE: ESS 4.3)
- Describe some of the observational evidence supporting the modern theory of star formation (MSTE: ESS 4.3)
- Explain how a star evolves off the main sequence
- Summarize the stages in the death of typical low and high mass stars including their paths along H-R diagrams
- Describe the end stages of high and low mass stars
- Discuss the observations that help verify the theory of stellar evolution
- Explain how the two different types of supernova occur
- Explain the origins of elements heavier than helium (MSTE: Chem 2.7)
All assignments are due on the date listed. That is not the date they are assigned.
Date Due Day Assignment
12/17 Mon Scan: 17.1 local stars
Read: 17.2 Magnitude
Do: R&D # 4,
TF/MC: 2, 13, 14, 15
12/18 Tue Scan: 17.3, 17.4 – Temp & Size
Read: 17.5 HR Diagram
Do: R&D #: 7, 8, 9, 11,12
TF/MC: 6, 17, 18
12/19 Wed Read: 19.1, 19.2; & 23.5 Star formation & spiral arms
Do: R&D Ch 19: 1, 2, 6
TF/MC Ch 19: 12, 13
Do: R&D Ch 23: 12
12/20 Thu Read: 19.3 19.4
Do: R&D Ch 19: 9, 11
TF/MC: 4, 5, 14, 16
12/21 Fri Read: 19.5, 19.6
Do: R&D 14, 15, 17, 18, 19
TF/MC: 18, 19, 20
1/2 Wed Read: 20.1, 20.2
Scan: 16.2
Do: Ch 20 R&D 1,4,5,9
1/3 Thu Read: 20.3 – death of low mass star,
Scan: 21.1
Do: Ch 20 R&D: 13, 14, 15, 16
1/4 Fri Scan: 20.4 death of high mass star
Read: 21.2, 21.3,
Do: Ch 21 R&D: 4,6,8,11
1/7 Mon Read: 22.1, 22.2, 22.5: neutron stars, pulsars and black holes
Do: R&D 2, 3, 11
TF/MC: 11,12,16,17
1/8 Tue Test: 16.2, 17.1-17.5, 19.1-19.6, 20.1-20.3,
21.1-21.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.5, 23.5
21.1-21.3, 22.1, 22.2, 22.5, 23.5
Online labs and simulations:
HR Diagram Lab - UNL: http://astro.unl.edu/naap/hr/hr.html
Eclipsing Binaries - UNL: http://astro.unl.edu/naap/ebs/ebs.html
The Solar System
- The SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space) site has an extensive tour of The Nine Planets
- Calvin J. Hamilton's Views of the Solar System is another good collection of images and information.
- Sun
- The SOHO spacecraft provides a report of Solar Weather conditions which includes several views the sun over a number of different sets of wavelengths.
- The Sun Today: SHINE Directory to the Latest Solar Images and Interplanetary Data.
- Big Bear Solar Observatory at Big Bear Lake, CA provides a number of current images of the Sun in a number of wavelengths, as well as magnetograms.
- Offline
- The New Solar System, ed. Beatty, J. Kelly and Chaikin, Andrew, Sky Publishing Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1990 (There is also a more recent edition). This wonderful book collects articles on the Sun, the planets, comets, asteroids and other features of our solar system written by top planetary scientists. Still, the technical jargon is minimal and kept at a Discover magazine level. It also contains several beautiful photos and color charts which help illustrate the concepts within. I first used this in an introductory level planetary science course at MIT, but it would be a good resource for high school students writing a term paper in earth science or astronomy.
- Star Life
- Carl Sagan's 1980 mini-series Cosmos featured an episode dedicated to describing the lives of stars. When last checked they were posted to YouTube here:
- Star Death