Undergraduate |
Graduate
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| 100 – 109 | Astronomy Courses at the Introductory Level for Non-Majors |
| 200 – 492 | Courses for Astronomy Majors or Minors (& related fields) |
| 700 – 912 | Astronomy Graduate Courses |
** All courses are 4 units (credits) unless otherwise noted. **
Undergraduate Courses
CAS AS 100 — Cosmic Controversies
| The goal of this course is to understand our place in the physical universe by examining three recent concepts that have revolutionized cosmic awareness. The observations that led to the proposals of Dark Matter and Dark Energy, the reclassification of Pluto to non-planet status, and the discovery of many planets orbiting other stars within life-sustaining regions called Habitable Zones radically change the human perspectives on origins and life. In each case, the roles of evidence, validation and conclusions are used to enhance students’ capabilities and skills needed for our modern age. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 101 — The Solar System
| The historical development of astronomy and the motion of the planets. The formation of the solar system. The sun and its effects on the earth. Description of the planets and the moons of our solar system including recent results from the space program. Use of the observatory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 102 — The Astronomical Universe
| The birth and death of stars. Red giants, white dwarfs, black holes. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, and other galaxies. The Big Bang and other cosmological theories of our expanding universe. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 105 — Alien Worlds
| Examination of planets in other star systems and comparison with planets in our solar system. Study the historical context of planetary astrophysics and changes in our understanding of planetary formation and evolution. Explore the possibility of life on other worlds. Carries natural science divisional credit (without lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. Effective Fall 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU HUB areas: Quantitative Reasoning I, Scientific Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 107 — Life Beyond Earth: A Consideration of Extraterrestrial Civilizations
| About 10% of the planets in our Milky Way galaxy are like Earth in size and material composition. The same physical laws operate everywhere so extraterrestrial life may be both common and technologically advanced. Where is Everybody? Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 109 — Cosmology
| The evolution of cosmological thought from prehistory to the present: Greek astronomy, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, and Einstein. Motion, gravity, and the nature of space-time. The expanding universe. The early universe and Big Bang. Carries natural science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 202 — Principles of Astronomy I
Undergraduate Corequisites: CAS MA 123. Astronomical observing and the night sky; optics and telescopes; birth of modern astronomy; atoms, spectra and spectroscopy; planetary motion and orbits; overview of solar system; uses observatory. Intended primarily for astronomy or physics majors. Lectures and laboratories. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry I, Quantitative Reasoning I, Critical Thinking.
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CAS AS 203 — Principles of Astronomy II
Undergraduate Corequisites: CAS MA 123. Astronomical measurements; time and the celestial sphere; telescopes and observatories; the solar system, orbital motion; comparative planetology; the sun and solar-terrestrial effects; electromagnetic radiation; spectroscopy, stellar properties and stellar evolution; the Milky Way galaxy; galaxies; the universe. Lectures and laboratories. Intended primarily for astronomy or physics concentrators. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS. Effective Spring 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Critical Thinking.
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CAS AS 311 — Planetary Physics
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 124 and either CAS PY 211 or CAS PY 251. Celestial mechanics, tides, resonances. Physical processes that affect atmospheres, surfaces, interiors of planets, and their satellites. Comets, asteroids, meterorites, and Kuiper belt objects. Formation and evolution of the solar system. Extra-solar planets. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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CAS AS 312 — Stellar and Galactic Astrophysics
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS MA 124 and either CAS PY 212 or CAS PY 252. Basic physics of radiation; radiative transfer; spectral analysis; distances, motions, and physical properties of stars; stellar interiors and atmospheres; stellar evolution; clusters of stars; the interstellar medium; content, structure, and rotation of the Milky Way Galaxy. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Quantitative Reasoning II, Teamwork/Collaboration. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Quantitative Reasoning II, Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
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CAS AS 401 — Honors Work in Astronomy
| Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of Honors Proposal by both the Astronomy Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Department Chair. Directed research culminating in a senior thesis. Requirement for honors in Astronomy. Four units for each of two consecutive semesters of the senior year. Honors Application can be found at: https://www.bu.edu/astronomy/academics/undergraduate/honors-in-the-major/ | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 402 — Honors Work in Astronomy
| Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of Honors Proposal by both the Astronomy Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Department Chair. Directed research culminating in a senior thesis. Requirement for honors in Astronomy. Four units for each of two consecutive semesters of the senior year. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 413 — Extragalactic Astrophysics and Cosmology
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 203, CAS AS 312, and CAS PY 355. Historical and intellectual developments that led to our current understanding of the universe; galaxies, galaxy clusters and large-scale structure; galaxy formation and evolution; dark matter and dark energy; Hot Big Bang and inflation; foundations of general relativity. (Offered alternate years.) Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
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CAS AS 414 — Solar and Space Physics
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS PY 355, and either CAS PY 212 or CAS PY 252. The Sun and Solar Wind: solar magnetic fields, sunspot cycle, active sun, corona. Interaction of the solar wind with planets and comets. Planetary Magnetospheres and Ionospheres. Aeronomy. Solar System plasma physics. Magnetic Storms and Space Weather. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Historical Consciousness, Research and Information Literacy.
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CAS AS 441 — Observational Astronomy
Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 312. Astronomical techniques. Photometry, spectroscopy, photography, CCD imaging, and interferometry. Statistical methods for data reduction and analysis. Strong laboratory component. Use of computers. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, Research and Information Literacy.
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CAS AS 491 — Directed Studies in Astronomy
| (Variable units) Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of CAS Academic Advising Office. Information about Undergraduate Directed Study at CAS found at: https://www.bu.edu/cas/academics/undergraduate-education/special-academic-opportunities/directed-study/ – Devoted to an intensive study of a particular aspect of astronomy, often working with a member of the faculty on a specific research project. |
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CAS AS 492 — Directed Studies in Astronomy
| (Variable units) Undergraduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor and approval of CAS Academic Advising Office. Information about Undergraduate Directed Study at CAS found at: https://www.bu.edu/cas/academics/undergraduate-education/special-academic-opportunities/directed-study/ – Devoted to an intensive study of a particular aspect of astronomy, often working with a member of the faculty on a specific research project. |
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Graduate Courses
CAS AS 701 — Introduction to Astrophysics
| Introduction to astronomical and astrophysical nomenclature and concepts. Coordinate systems, celestial orbits, radiation, stars, stellar structure, stellar evolution, clusters of stars, galactic components, galactic structure, galaxy types, active galaxies, cosmology. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 703 — Introduction to Space Physics
| Survey of physical phenomena in the sun, solar wind, magnetospheres, ionospheres, and upper atmospheres of objects in the solar system. Introduction to the physical processes governing space plasmas, solar-terrestrial interactions, and ionized and neutral media surrounding the Earth and other solar system bodies. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 704 — Cosmic Gas Dynamics
| Gas dynamics as applied to astrophysical settings. Basic fluid mechanics. Ideal gases. One- dimensional gas flow. Supersonic flows and shock waves. Quasar jets and stellar winds. Fluid instabilities, turbulence, and convection. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 706 — Radiative Processes and Spectroscopy
| Generation, propagation, and transfer of electromagnetic radiation. Spectral energy distributions, continuum radiation, atomic and molecular spectral lines. Energy levels in atoms and molecules. Interaction of radiation with matter, transfer of radiation through astrophysical media. Thermal and nonthermal radiative processes. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 708 — Cosmic Plasma Physics
| Physics of space and astrophysical plasmas. Individual particle drifts in fields, electrostatic and electromagnetic waves and instabilities, magnetohydrodynamics, kinetic theory of waves, instabilities, and Landau damping. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 709 — Observational Techniques
| Telescopes, light detection, and analysis tools and techniques of experimental astronomy. Signal-to-noise calculations. Photometric and spectroscopic instrumentation and applications. Use of the observatory, CCD light detectors, modern software analysis tools, image processing. Proposal writing and science writing. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 720 — Graduate Research & Scholarship
| (2 units) An introduction to the methods of research and scholarship required for successful graduate study and the associated ethical issues. Topics include choosing a research advisor, the research topic, the research record, scholarly writing and publishing, intellectual property, and research funding. |
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CAS AS 751 — The Interstellar Medium
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 704 and CAS AS 706, or consent of instructor. Interstellar medium components and phases. Neutral hydrogen clouds, 21 cm line, Zeeman effect. Ionized nebulae, free-free radiation, recombination lines, ionization balance, thermal balance. Molecular clouds, collisional and radiative excitation, line formation and propagation, rotational and vibrational energies. Interstellar chemistry.
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CAS AS 753 — Normal Galaxies and the Milky Way
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 701, CAS AS 704, and CAS AS 706, or consent of instructor. Normal galaxies and the Milky Way as systems. Stellar components and clusters, elliptical and disk galaxies. Luminosity functions, radial distributions, distance indicators, triaxial spheroids, and central bars. Motions near the sun, asymmetric drift, velocity ellipsoid, galactic rotation, Oort formulae, gas distributions, galactic center.
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CAS AS 757 — High-Energy Astrophysics
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 701, CAS AS 704, CAS AS 706, and CAS AS 708, or consent of instructor. Physics of interactions between high-energy particles and photons. Compton scattering; nuclear collisions; acceleration and energy losses of high-energy particles; neutrino production; physics of cosmic rays; pulsars; accretion onto compact objects; active galactic nuclei and other high-energy phenomena.
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CAS AS 759 — Cosmology
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 701, CAS AS 704, and CAS AS 706, or consent of instructor. Modern physical cosmology. The Friedmann equation, expansion of the universe and the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. Determination of fundamental cosmological parameters. Large-scale structure, galaxy formation, active galaxies, and quasars. Dark matter and dark energy in the universe. The inflation era.
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CAS AS 781 — Planetary Atmospheres
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 704, or consent of instructor. Planetary and cometary atmospheres; atmospheric vertical mixing; radiative processes; catalytic ozone destruction; aurorae and airglow; planetary ionospheres; energy budgets. Planetary evolution: solar nebula, outgassing, water loss on Venus and Mars, escape of light gases, greenhouse effect, isotope fractionation, impact theory.
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CAS AS 783 — Ionospheres
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 703, CAS AS 704, CAS AS 706, and CAS AS 708, or consent of instructor. The formation of the ionosphere. The structure and dynamics of the ionosphere and thermosphere. Aeronomy. Thermosphere/ionosphere coupling. Ionospheric electric fields and current systems. Ionospheric storms. Ionospheric waves and irregularities. Active experiments in space. Radio and optical ionospheric diagnostics.
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CAS AS 785 — Magnetospheres
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 703, CAS AS 704, CAS AS 706, and CAS AS 708, or consent of instructor. Solar wind/magnetosphere interaction. Magnetospheric dynamics and substorms. Magnetospheric electric fields and current systems. Ionosphere/magnetosphere coupling. The aurora. Magnetospheric plasma waves and instabilities. In situ plasma and field diagnostics.
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CAS AS 786 — The Sun and Heliosphere
Graduate Prerequisites: CAS AS 701, CAS AS 703, CAS AS 704, CAS AS 706, and CAS AS 708, or consent of instructor. Fundamentals of solar and heliospheric physics, including observational methods and theory from the sun’s interior through interplanetary space and into the local interstellar medium. The sun as a star. Relation of our heliosphere to astrospheres surrounding other stars.
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CAS AS 791 — Special Topics in Astrophysics
| Lecture course examining special topics of current interest in astrophysics. Offered as a 2- or 4-credit course, depending on the topic. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 793 — Special Topics in Space Physics
| Lecture course examining special topics of current interest in solar system space physics. Offered as a 2- or 4-credit course, depending on the topic. | PREREQUISITES:
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CAS AS 850 — Graduate Literature Seminar I
| (2 units) Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for reading, evaluating, and discussing scientific peer-reviewed literature on current research topics. |
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CAS AS 851 — Graduate Literature Seminar II
| (2 units) Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for reading, evaluating, and discussing scientific peer-reviewed literature on current research topics. |
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CAS AS 865 — Graduate Research Seminar I
| (2 units) Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for oral presentations on current research topics and to receive peer and expert feedback. |
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CAS AS 866 — Graduate Research Seminar II
| (2 units) Weekly seminar offering graduate students the skills and practice needed for oral presentations on current research topics and to receive peer and expert feedback. |
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CAS AS 901 — Research in Astronomy
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CAS AS 902 — Research in Astronomy
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CAS AS 911 — Directed Study in Astronomy
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CAS AS 912 — Directed Study in Astronomy
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