Teaching directory
Course 2022-2023

Astronomie [SMATB213]

  • 2 credits
  • 15h
  • 1st and 2nd quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français
Teacher: Fuzfa Andre

Learning outcomes

This course aims at giving students general knowledge of modern astronomy, by inviting them to discover the architecture of the Universe, from the night sky to the cosmological landscape. It will provide students with minimal knowledge in astronomy for every scientist as well as glimpsing at present research topics. The course will also make the future researcher or teacher with the wonders of the night sky and its mysteries that she/he will study or share with others. This lecture also ambitions at giving students the passion and the basic tools of stargazing and amateur astronomy.

Content

The composition and architecture of the Universe form the guidelines of the lecture, accompanied by a reflexion on the notion of space and geometry that will eventually give rise to Big Bang theory. This quest takes the form of a journey toward the infinitely large, along the following topics: basic astronomy (celestial sphere, reference systems, Moon phases, seasons, apparent motions, etc.), the structure of the Universe, the Solar system and exoplanets, stars and Milky Way structures, galaxies and clusters, cosmology: cosmic expansion, the Hot Big Bang scenario, the concordance model.

The lecture's motto is the sentence of Arthur C. Clarke (paraphrasing Haldane): "The Universe is not only stranger than we imagine. It is stranger than we can imagine."

Table of contents

Structure of the theoretical talks: - Basic astronomy, the night sky and structure of the Universe - Solar systems and extra-solar planets - Stars and various Milky Way structures - Galaxies, clusters & far-away objects like quasars - Modern cosmology (cosmic expansion, Hot Big Bang scenario and concordance model) The stargazing sessions will follow this structure (Solar system ; stars and Milky Way nebulae and clusters ; galaxies)


Teaching methods

Astronomy must be practiced and the sky certainly deserves to be discovered.

Therefore, the lecture will be given in 10 sessions all along the academic year (first and second semester) according to a schedule communicated to the students. If the sky is clear, the session is devoted to observations at our pedagogical astronomical observatory on the campus, in parallel with scientific animations on astronomy. If the weather is not good, the session is devoted to theoretical lectures.

The University of Namur possess a pedagogical astronomical observatory on the campus (https://www.facebook.com/astrocampus )  that is speciffcally equipped for the discovery of astronomy under urban skies.

Our equipment under the dome includes:

- a pair of giant binoculars (120mm diameter, 660mm focal length, double apochromatic doublet) for visual observing

- a DirectDrive magnetic equatorial mount carrying four instruments : (1) a 152mm-diameter Halpha telescope with high-res camera, (2) a 30cm-diameter Newtonian reflector at f/D=2.8 with scientific CCD chip or f/D=4 with large sensor for astrophotography, both options with filters for imaging and photometry under light-polluted skies, (3) a Maksutov telescope with 2.7m focal length with spectroscopy set-up and (4) a wide-field apochromat for imaging covering a 4 square degrees field of view.

The observatory is fully remote-controllable for use in amphitheatres in real-time during lectures.

For use "in the field", we also have the following:

- a 40cm-diameter Newtonian reflector on Dobson mount with GoTo system

- a 20cm Schmidt-Cassegrain on azimuthal automated forked mount

- a portable Halpha telescope

 

Evaluations

The participation to the observing sessions is mandatory and will be accounted for in the final mark. In addition, the students will be asked to write a short but rigorous popularization paper on an astronomical topic of their choice. The paper can also present a personal observation project of the students. Students are encourage to develop a small "research project" at the observatory, on good imaging of nigh-sky objects or taking measurements (photometry, variables stars, exoplanets or asteroids, spectroscopy, astrometry), searching for transients (novae and supernovae, asteroids, etc.), monitoring of satellites or space debris, etc. The students can work individually or in groups of 2-3 people max. An additional oral defense can be necessary if the student's manuscript is too weak.

Recommended readings

Any book about elementary astronomy available at the university library. Scientific and acknowledged reviews as well (Scientific american, Sky & Telescope, etc.). Websites should be used carefully, with appropriate cross-checking.  Videos should only be considered as a complement and not as an exhaustive single source.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté des sciences
Rue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR

Degree of Reference

Undergraduate Degree