Galaxies, a graduate level course

Course Description

This course is intended for all graduate students and provides an introduction to galaxies and extragalactic astronomy. The emphasis is on making the connection between what we can observe about galaxies and the more fundamental physical properties that we would like to know about the galaxies themselves. We will cover the main techniques used for observing galaxies (imaging, spectroscopy, distance methods, extragalactic surveys), the observed properties (morphology, colors, luminosity functions, surface brightness profiles, kinematics, scaling relations, and spectral energy distributions), and the basic components that make up individual galaxies (stars, gas, dust, central black holes, dark matter) like our own Milky Way. The companion class, ASTR 616 - Galaxies II, builds on this foundation to explore the underlying principles of galaxy formation, galaxy evolution, and cosmology.

Course Learning Outcomes

After taking this course, students will be able to:

describe the main types of observations we can make about galaxies, and how they are used to make quantitative measurements and classify galaxies
identify basic types of galaxies and sketch typical galaxy spectra, describing observable features (surface brightness, color, luminosity, kinematics, scalings) and underlying properties (age, metallicity, SF, etc.)
explain the importance of the distance ladder, and describe key methods for measuring distances %used in extragalactic astronomy
describe a range of methods used to find large galaxy samples
describe the main observed statistical properties of galaxies, how they are measured, and how they change with galaxy type
identify a range of galaxy scaling relations, and describe how these are used
describe how galaxies are distributed in the universe
list the main building blocks of galaxies, describe how we observe them, and explain how we use those observations to quantify fundamental properties of galaxies
describe our current observational understanding of the Milky Way Galaxy and the implications regarding its structure, kinematics, history, and environment

Textbooks and Materials

There is no ideal textbook for a Galaxies I class, and no book that covers the material in the order in which it is presented. But multiple textbooks covering some of the topics are available and copies of a few of these are available in the Astronomy Library. You should peruse these, and strongly consider purchasing one that you like the style and level of, and try to identify sections related to class material to read. Useful reference textbooks in the field of extragalatic astronomy: Mo, van den Bosch, & White -- Galaxy Formation and Evolution (2010), a theoretically oriented graduate level textbook. Binney & Merrifield -- Galactic Astronomy (1998), an observationally oriented graduate level textbook. Schneider --Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology (2015), 2nd Edition, a recent advanced undergraduate level textbook. Binney & Tremaine -Galactic Dynamics (1987), a graduate level textbook. Sparke & Gallagher -Galaxies in the Universe: An Introduction (2000), an advanced undergraduate level textbook. Ryden & Peterson --Foundations of Astrophysics, Ch. 19-22 (2010), an advanced undergraduate level textbook. Elmegreen -- Galaxies and Galactic Structure (1997), an undergraduate level textbook. Carroll & Ostlie --An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Second Edition, Ch. 24-28 (2006): an advanced undergraduate level textbook. Draine --Physics of the Interstellar and Intergalactic Medium (2011), a graduate level textbook Online resources on extragalactic astronomy at the advanced undergraduate/graduate level: Jon Holtzman (NMSU) -- ASTR 555 Galaxies I (previous version) Lecture NotesLinks to an external site. Mark Whittle (U. of Virginia) -- Extragalactic Astronomy Links to an external site. Steve Majewski (U. of Virginia) --Galactic Structure and Stellar Populations Lecture Notes (no longer available?) William Keel (U. of Alabama) -- Galaxies and the Universe Lecture NotesLinks to an external site. Eric Bell and Hans-Walter Rix (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy) --Galaxies Graduate Lecture Course Links to an external site.: Barry Madore (CalTech, Carnegie) -- NED Level 5: A Knowledgebase for Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology Links to an external site.: Some basic information and also lots of review articles by various people at various levels on various topics Jonathan Williams (U. of Hawai'i, IfA) -- Ast 633 and Ast 622 Course NotesLinks to an external site. Nicole Vogt (formerly NMSU) --Astronomy and Astrophysics ILinks to an external site. Michael Richmond (Rochester Institute of Technology, RIT) -- Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology Links to an external site. Course Organization This course is organized into four main modules: observing galaxies, the population of galaxies, the building blocks of galaxies, and the Milky Way Galaxy.