3 ECTS credits
75 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1018295CNR for all students in the 2nd semester of odd academic years (e.g. 2013-2014) at a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.

Semester
biennial: 2nd semester of an odd academic year (e.g. 2013-2014)
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed for "Introduction to astrophysics".
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Physics
Educational team
Katrien Kolenberg (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

13 contact hours Lecture
13 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

General introduction about the Milky Way

Coordinate systems

Parallax, proper motions, distance ladder in and around the Milky Way, microlensing

Short review of stellar properties and evolution

Interstellar dust

Globular clusters and open clusters

The Milky Way’s interstellar medium: observations, distribution, morphology, kinematics

Components of the Milky Way

Kinematics of the solar neighbourhood

Formation of the Milky Way

The Local Group

Course material
Handbook (Recommended) : Galactic Astronomy, Binney & Merrifield, 2nd edition, Princeton University Press, 9780691025650, 1998
Additional info

none

Learning Outcomes

General Competencies

Acquire knowledge about physical and observational properties of the Milky Way and its components

Write a report about a project assignment – gaining the ability to communicate results in an efficient and clear way

Analyse some observational/experimental data

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 60% of the final mark.
Practical Exam determines 40% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Oral exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 60% of the final mark.

Within the Practical Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Practical exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Oral examination with written preparation about the lectures and about the project report

Written report of a project assignment that will be given during the year

The exam will assess the following competences:

Knowledge of the fundamental properties of the Milky Way and its components

Insight in some current forefront research problems

Being able to solve problems in an independent and critical way

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Physics and Astronomy: Default track (only offered in Dutch)