====== AST 403: Galaxies and Intergalactic Medium ======

Syllabus PDF: {{ :courses:ast403_2026_syllabus.pdf |}}


Here is the lecture notes on stellar astronomy: 
{{ :courses:stellarastronomy.pdf |}}


===== Homework =====

Homework 1 (deadline is 31 January 2026 12 PM BST): {{ :courses:hw_1_hr_diagram.pdf |}} \\ The homework is based on this simulation: https://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/stellarprops/hrexplorer.html


Homework 2 (deadline is 14 February 2026 12 PM BST): {{ :courses:ast403_hw2.pdf |}} 

This homework will test your understanding on a number of concepts that we have discussed. There are two ways you can submit:

1. Use the overleaf link and work directly with LaTeX. For this make sure you first create a copy for yourself that belongs to you only. Then submit the pdf output. 

2 Those who are not comfortable with LaTex, can read the questions form the uploaded pdf, work on papers, make a pdf after scanning, and upload. 


The overleaf link of the homework is: https://www.overleaf.com/3134217285chmpjwswcwhq#8fe2bc

===== Lecture Slides =====

Most recent slides on Our Galaxy: {{ :courses:ast403_galaxies.pdf |}} 

===== Lecture Notes ====

<sortable>
^ # ^ Topic ^ Chapter ^
| 1.1 | [[.:ast403:Structure and Kinematics]] | 1. The Milky Way |
| 1.2 | [[.:ast403:Distance Measurements]] |:::|
| 1.3 | [[.:ast403:Rotation Curve]] |:::|
| 1.4 | [[.:ast403:Morphology of Disk and Halo]] |:::|
| 1.5 | [[.:ast403:Central Black Hole]] |:::|
| 2.1 | [[.:ast403:Galaxy Classification]] | 2. The Nature of Galaxies |
| 2.2 | [[.:ast403:Spiral and Irregular Galaxies]] |:::|
| 2.3 | [[.:ast403:Elliptical Galaxies]] |:::|
| 2.4 | [[.:ast403:The $M-\sigma$ Relation]] |:::|
| 2.5 | [[.:ast403:Specific Frequency ($S_N$)]] |:::|
| 2.6 | [[.:ast403:Galaxy Luminosity Function]] |:::|
| 2.7 | [[.:ast403:Extragalactic Distance Scale]] |:::|
| 3.1 | [[.:ast403:Photometry and Spectroscopy]] | 3. Observational Properties |
| 3.2 | [[.:ast403:Population Synthesis]] |:::|
| 4.1 | [[.:ast403:General Characteristics]] | 4. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) |
| 4.2 | [[.:ast403:AGN Types]] |:::|
| 4.3 | [[.:ast403:Unified Model]] |:::|
| 5.1 | [[.:ast403:The Local Group]] | 6. Galaxy Groups and Clusters |
| 5.2 | [[.:ast403:Virgo Cluster]] |:::|
| 5.3 | [[.:ast403:SZE]] |:::|
| 6.1 | [[.:ast403:Absorption Systems]] | 6. Intergalactic Medium |
| 7.1 | [[.:ast403:Baryon Acoustic Oscillation]] | 7. Galaxy Redshift survey and Cosmology |
| 7.2 | [[.:ast403:Two-point Correlation Function]] |:::|
| 7.3 | [[.:ast403:2dF, SDSS, and DESI]] |:::|


</sortable>