Master degree course PHYSICS OF GALAXIES

Lecturers: Laura Magrini - Stefano Zibetti

UNIFI page: B013247 (B058) - FISICA DELLE GALASSIE 2020-2021

This course provides fundamentals of Galactic and extragalactic astrophysics, including the physical mechanisms underlying the main measurements of the physical properties of stars, stellar populations, galaxies, active galactic nuclei. During the course, we present the phenomenology of galaxies, active galactic nuclei and their interaction with the surrounding environment, giving a historical perspective of the research field and future perspective on the most debated topics in the scientific community.

The course is divided in two parts of 24 hr each.

The first part (12 lectures of 2 hr each, lecturer L. Magrini) is focused on the Milky Way and the Local Group: their structure; the properties of stars and stellar populations; star clusters; stellar spectroscopy; nucleosynthesis and origin of chemical elements; formation and chemo-dynamical evolution of the Milky Way; the Galactic interstellar medium; overview of present and forthcoming instruments and surveys relevant for Galactic astronomy.

The second part of the course (12 lectures of 2 hr each, lecturer S. Zibetti) addresses extragalactic issues, including the morphology and structure of galaxies; Multiband photometry and spectroscopy; stellar populations, gas and interstellar medium; chemical content; scaling relations; kinematics and dynamical evolution; environmental effects; cosmological evolution; active galactic nuclei.

Image: X. Luri & the DPAC-CU2, Gaia Milky Way Coverage

Credit AMNH - American Museum of Natural History