Astronomy 682

Introduction to Cosmology

Mo We Fr 1:30pm - 2:48pm, 1008 McPherson Lab



Course Instructor: Prof. Barbara Ryden

Office: 4035 McPherson Lab

Office Hours: Mo We 9:30am - noon, or by appointment

Phone: 292-4562

Email: ryden@astronomy.ohio-state.edu


On-Line Information

Course Syllabus

General Astronomy Links


Lectures

Wednesday, January 3: Introductory Comments, Olbers' Paradox

Friday, January 5: Fundamental Observations

Monday, January 8: Newton Versus Einstein

Wednesday, January 10: Newton and the Expanding Universe

Friday, January 12: Observable Properties, Equations of State

Monday, January 15: NO CLASS

Wednesday, January 17: Model Universes and How They Grow

Friday, January 19: The Cosmological Constant

Monday, January 22: Universes with Matter & Curvature

Wednesday, January 24: Universes with Matter & Lambda

Friday, January 26: We Seek the Holy Grail

Monday, January 29: The Distances to Galaxies

Wednesday, January 31: Supernovae as Standard Candles

Friday, February 2: First Act Finale

Monday, February 5: MIDTERM

Wednesday, February 7: The Evidence for Dark Matter

Friday, February 9: Dark Matter - What Is It?

Monday, February 12: Cosmic Microwave Background - History & Prehistory

Wednesday, February 14: Origin of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Friday, February 16: Anisotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Monday, February 19: The Early Universe

Wednesday, February 21: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis - Buildup

Friday, February 23: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis - Payoff

Monday, February 26: Serpents in the Garden - Flatness & Horizon Problems

Wednesday, February 28: Slaying the Serpents - Effects of Inflation

Friday, March 2: The Physics Behind Inflation

Monday, March 5: Gravitational Instability and Large Scale Structure

Wednesday, March 7: Gravitational Instability in an Expanding Universe

Friday, March 9: Grand Finale

Exams

The course grade will be determined from the problem sets, the midterm, and the final exam. See the course syllabus for more details on exams and the makeup and grading policies.

Midterm: Monday, Feb. 5, in class

Final Exam: Monday, March 12, 1:30-3:18 pm


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Updated: 2002 Sep 10 [Barbara Ryden]

Copyright © 2001, Barbara Ryden