Stellar Astrophysics
150 contact hours - Online
One Semester or equivalent
[Hawthorn]
Overview
This unit aims to cover the physical processes underlying stellar properties and the principles behind models of stellar evolution.
Requisites
Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Study Period 3
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
01-September-2025
30-November-2025
30-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
14-September-2025
Census date
22-September-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
17-October-2025
Results released date
23-December-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Explain the classification schemes of stars, their physical parameters and the importance of the HR diagram
- Explain and summarise the mechanism of star formation and the evolution of stars from the main sequence through to the RGB and AGB phase
- Appraise and state the processes and properties of high mass stellar remnants, including supernovae, planetary nebulae, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes
- Solve mathematical problems related to the physical processes that underlie stellar properties and evolution
- Explain and summarise stellar astrophysical concepts in a non-technical manner understandable to the general public
- Design and create a research project on an astronomy topic, assessing and critiquing current knowledge, using credible sources of astronomical information, data and research articles
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Directed Online Learning and Independent Learning | 12.50 | 12 weeks | 150 |
| TOTAL | 150 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newsgroups | Individual | 30% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Online Tests | Individual | 20% | 1,2,3,5 |
| Project | Individual | 50% | 6 |
Content
- Classifying stars: magnitudes, colours, spectral types; physical properties; stellar spectra; the HR diagram
- Stellar energy: gravitational contraction versus fusion, stellar nucleosynthesis
- Hydrostatic equilibrium and radiation pressure; equations of stellar structure; stellar atmospheres
- Protostars: cloud collapse, initial mass function, evolutionary tracks and ZAMS
- Main sequence stars: lifetime on the MS
- Evolution off the main sequence: low mass versus high mass stars
- Supernovae: explosive nucleosynthesis, supernovae remnants
- Neutron stars
- Stellar mass black holes
- Pulsating stars: the instability strip, helioseismology
- Binary stars
- Stellar clusters: types of clusters, open clusters and stellar evolution models, globular clusters; colour-magnitude diagrams
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.