F5540 Variable stars

Faculty of Science
autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 2 credit(s) (fasci plus compl plus > 4). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Miloslav Zejda, Ph.D. (lecturer)
prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Mikulášek, CSc. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jakub Kolář (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Marek Skarka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Mikulášek, CSc.
Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Mikulášek, CSc.
Supplier department: Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites
The graduation of the courses "An introduction to stellar physics" in and "An introduction into physics of stellar systems" is recommended.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
Course objectives
At the end of this course students of physics/astrophysics become more familiar with the basic of stellar spectroscopy and mainly photometry, photometric investigations of variable stars, basic methods of variable star research and futher with the physics of variable stars, characteristics of different types of variable stars.
Learning outcomes
The student will be able to treat standard research of variable stars. This means that the student will be able (among others):
- to be well informed about the scientific literature about variable stars
- to search in literature and available databases data about selected variable stars
- to do a proper processing and analyses of time series of measurements
Syllabus
  • The basic of stellar photometry. Photometric quantities. Photoelectric and CCD photometry. Atmospheric extinction. Photometric observations and basic processing of them. Transformation into standard/international system. Photometric systems used in stellar astrophysics. Coulors indices, colour diagrams and their interpretations. Interstellar extintion. Absolute spectrophotometry and its usage. H-R diagram and its forms. Methods of variable star research. History of variable star research. Classification. Periodicity of variations, search and determination of light ephemeris. O-C investigation. Physics of variable stars. Mechanism of variability: geometric and intrinsic variable stars. Stellar activity and its manifestations. Pulsating variable stars. Astroseismology. Supernovas, gamma ray burst. Characteristics of individual types of variable stars. Global photometric characteristics, light curves and their explanations. Spectroskopy of variable stars, kinematic features, occurence in our Galaxy. Eruptive, rotating and cataclysmic variable stars, eclipsing binaries.
Literature
Teaching methods
2 hours lectures, consultations are also possible.
Assessment methods
Exam: student draws lots 2 questions, he can prepare to answer them for 60 minutes; he can use arbitrary aids including (text)books, notes...; the exam itself is oral and takes about 30 minutes with the aim to find how a student comprehends the content of a course.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: L.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2014, autumn 2017, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2021/F5540