2023 2024 MBA - Mumbai University Astronomy Course

The Centre for Extra Mural Studies of Mumbai University offers Certificate course in Astronomy and Astrophysics course.

Centre for Extra Mural Studies

Language : English

Duration : 10 Months

Time : 10 AM to 1 PM

On Sundays only

Fees : 7500/-

Visit Fees : (G.M.R.T Visit Fee 1500 Mandatory ) ( Lonar Visit 4000 Optionl)

Venue :Nehru Planetarium, Worli.

SYLLABUS:

1. Introduction

Fascination of Astronomy

Important branches of Astronomy

astronomy Observational Astronomy : Catalogues and Star charts and instrumentation

astronomy The astronomical Zoo : Solar system, Stars and star clusters, Molecular Cloud Compleses, Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies, intergalactic medium.

astronomy Windows to the Universe : Radio Astronomy, Infrared, Optical, Ultraviolet, and X-ray and Gamma Ray Astronomy, cosmic rays, rays.

2. Historical Perspectives

astrophysics A. Brief History of Astronomy

astrophysics Western Astronomy-Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Einstein, Hubble, ……

astrophysics B. Space Probes: Apollo Series, Moon Landing, Pioneer, Mariner, Voyager Series, Modern Space probes, Magelan, Galileo, Space Telescopes-IRAS, Hubble, GRO, ASCA ……

3. Basic Mathematics

astronomy Spherical Trigonometry formulae.

astrophysics Spherical Trigonometry formulae.

4. Basic Physics

4.1 Physical concepts
astronomy Density, Pressure, Atmospheric pressure.
astrophysics Temperature and Temperature Scales, Black Body Radiation.
astronomy Velocity, Acceleration, Force; Momentum; Acceleration due to gravity.

4.2 Dynamical calculations.

Orbital Velocity and Escape Velocity, Newton's laws of motion, Newton's law of gravitation, gravitational acceleration of planets; Escape velocity of planets; orbital velocity of planets; Proof of eliptical orbits, Doppler effect.

4.3 Kepler's Laws and Orbits

Elliptical Motion, Eccentricity, Perihelion, Aphelion, Foci, Velocity at Perihelion, Velocity at Aphelion, Velocity at any point, Orbit parameters (a, b), calculating orbit of a comet.

5. Advanced Physics

Electromagnetic Radiation; Electromagnetic Spectrum; Wave length; Frequency; Speed of light, Visible spectrum; Invisible spectrum; Absorption/emission spectrum.. Foundations of relativity.

6. Observational Techniques

A. Astronomical Measurements: Astronomical Unit; Light Year; Parsec; Parallax., Distance to Stars from the parallax and other methods.

B. Magnitude scales : Apparent Magnitude; Absolute Magnitude; Bolometric Magnitude Distance of star from magnitude.

C. Optics : Magnification., lenses and Mirrors; Baclow lens; Eyepieces, Binoculars; Telescopes: Refracting; Reflecting; Casegrian.

D. Time in Astronomy : Types of Year; Tropical Sidereal; Andmalistic; Types of Lunar month; Sidereal; Synodic; Drocenic; Nedical; Sidereal Time; GST; LST; Mean time; Time Zones; IST; LT; Universal Time; Ephemeries Time; Julian date; Calendars; Julian; Gregorian.

E. Calculation : Calculations of travel time of planets; Julian day number calculations; Calculation GST and LST.

F. Celestial Coordinate Systems and Celestial Circles : Equator; Ecliptic; Meridian; Six O clock circle; Celestial Points : Equinoxes and Solstices; Poles (Ecliptic and Equatorial); Precession of Earth's Axis; Celestial Coordinates; Alt/Azimuth; RA/Declination; Longitude/Latitude; Conversion of Coordinates.

7. Astronomy from Indian Almanac

astrophysics 27 Constellations and 12 signs of zodiac

astrophysics Niryaan and Sayan positions of planets.

astrophysics Elongation and visibility of planets

astrophysics Tithi and Nakashtra (meaning), use of Tithi

astrophysicsSampatik Kaal (meaning)

astrophysics Calculations : Elongation of planets and their visibility Elongation chart.

8. Laboratory Astronomy

Observations of elemental spectra and their correlation to Astronomy, absorption and emission features, Dopler Shift, Hubble's Law and expanding universe, Black body ration and temperatures, types variabilities (binary, pulsations etc.) HR diagram.

Size and Distance Scales

Scales on powers of 10, structure differences on size scale, boundaries of dimensions, determination of distance and standard candies.

10. Solar System

Astronomical bodies : Sun, planets and satellites. Gravitational fields Origin of solar system.

Shadows and crescents eclipses; Solar Eclipses : Partial, Total, Annular; Lunar Eclipse : Partial, Total, Annular; Eclipse Year; Nodes; Saros and Metonic Cycle.

11. Minor Bodies in the Solar System

Meteorites, Asteroids, Comets, and their orbits, composition and sizes and masses, Oort's Cloud and Kuiper Belt, inflow rate.

12. Clustering in Space

Size scale of the Universe, planets around stars, stellar clusters, Galaxies, Galactic structures.

13. Exotic Objects in the Universe

Evolution of stars, brown dwarfs, white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes, pulsars, quasars and X-ray sources.

14. Quiet Universe

Emission in stars, equilibrium conditions in astrophysical objects and structures, dynamic equilibria and importance of rotation and magnetic fields.

15. Violent Universe

Flares on the sun and stars, accretion instabilities, supernovae type I and II, and Active Galactic Nuclei, Galaxy mergers and the Big Bang.

16. Universe at Different Wavelength High & Low Energies

Radio universe, synchrotron emission and jets in stars and galaxies, winds and protostellar and protogalactic matter, protostellar clouds, Infrared Universe and star forming region-atmospheres and halos of stars, Optical Universe and stars and their interactions, velocity distributions and large scale structures. Ultraviolet astronomy-clouds and absorption High energy phenomena in stars production of X rays and Gamma rays, Atmosphere of stars, magnetospheres of pulsars, inner structures of quasars.

17. Invisible Universe

Dark matter in the universe, Halos of Galaxies, neutrinos.

18. Einstein's Universe

The Big bang and cosmology, expanding universe and evidences for Big Bang, Gravitational redshift and time dilation.

19. Outstanding Problems in Astronomy

Unresolved problems in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Projects and Experiments

astronomy Plot of Comets path.

astronomy Plot of and Sun throughout the year

astronomy T2 and R3 plot: Keplers 3rd law proof.

astronomy Sundial construction : Equatorial and Horizontal.

astronomy Plotting, retrograde motion on sky chart.

astronomy Model of comet's path.

astronomy Path of comet on sky chart.

astronomy Plotting constellations.

astronomy North-South line from shadow of a stick, determination of latitude and longitude from shadow.

astronomy Plotting Sunset/moon rise.

astronomy Sun-Spot observation.

Contact-

University of Mumbai
Kalina, Santacruz East, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400098