F3170 General astronomy

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2016
Extent and Intensity
3/1/0. 2 credit(s) (fasci plus compl plus > 4). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Jan Janík, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Jaroslav Velčovský (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Mikulášek, CSc.
Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: RNDr. Jan Janík, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Timetable
Mon 19. 9. to Sun 18. 12. Tue 15:00–17:50 F1 6/1014, Tue 18:00–18:50 F1 6/1014
Prerequisites
Graduation of first two the terms of physics. Knowledge of operations with matrices.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
In this lecture student learns to explain motion of bodies on the sky, their rises and sets, what, when and where we can observe. Student will know how to calculate location of bodies at their orbit, master history of astronomy, timing and calendar.
Syllabus
  • The subject and aim of astronomy. The meaning of astronomical observations and astronomical instruments. The origin and main stages of the development of astronomy. Egyptian, megalithic, Chinese, Babylonian, Greece and Arabian astronomy. European contemporary astronomy. Systems of coordinates, mutual transformation among them. Cartesian, cylindric, spherical CS, astronomical CS: equatorial, ecliptical, galactic. Motions of planets and stars on the celestial sphere. Geocentric and heliocentric systems, their substantiation. The asset of Aristotle, Ptolemaios, Copernicus, Kepler. The Newton gravitational law, laws of motion. The problem of two bodies, generalized Kepler laws. The geometry of the trajectory, the position, the motion of the body on the trajectory. Orbital elements, the motion of satelites of planets, the determination of mass of bodies of the Solar system. The problem of 3 bodies. Lagrange and Roche surfaces, Lagrangian points and their meaning. Gravitational disturbances, spheres of activity, tides. The Earth, its shape, mass, gravitational field, rotation, Coriolis force. The revolution of the Earth around the Sun, diurnal and annual aberration, parallax. Types of years, seasons. Sun dials, time equation, zonal time, summer time. Solar and lunar calendars. Lunisolar precession, its causes, consequences. Nutation.
Literature
  • ŠIROKÝ, Jaromír. Astronomie a astrofyzika. 2. uprav. vyd. Olomouc: Rektorát Univerzity Palackého, 1979, 340 s. info
  • ŠIROKÝ, Jaromír and Miroslava ŠIROKÁ. Základy astronomie v příkladech. Vyd. 3. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1977, 158 s. URL info
  • ŠIROKÝ, Jaromír and Miroslava ŠIROKÁ. Základy astronomie v příkladech. Vyd. 2. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1973, 158 s. info
  • ŠIROKÝ, Jaromír and Miroslava ŠIROKÁ. Základy astronomie v příkladech. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1966, 156 s. info
  • HACAR, Bohumil. Úvod do obecné astronomie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1963, 511 s. URL info
Teaching methods
3 h classical lectures + 1 hour class exercises, consultations, all is ended by the sophisticated oral examination
Assessment methods
3 hours lecture, 1 hour class exercises. Potential for examination is credit for active participation on class exercises. In case of interest consultation will be given. During the examination student draws lots 2 question and has 60 minutes for preparation, student may use own helps including lecture notes. Examination is 30 minutes long, it is individual and relatively hard, aim of examination is to determine whether the student can understand the subject matter.
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://astro.physics.muni.cz/study/courses/f3170/
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2010 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2000, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, spring 2012 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2016/F3170