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Introduction to Astrophysics

Yale,, Spring 2007 , Prof. Charles Bailyn

Updated On 02 Feb, 19

Overview

Planetary Orbits - Our Solar System and the Pluto Problem - Discovering Exoplanets: Hot Jupiters - Planetary Transits - Microlensing, Astrometry and Other Methods - Direct Imaging of Exoplanets - Introduction to Black Holes - Special and General Relativity - Tests of Relativity - Special and General Relativity - Stellar Mass Black Holes - Pulsars - Supermassive Black Holes - Hubbles Law and the Big Bang - Omega and the End of the Universe - Dark Matter - Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe and the Big Rip - Supernovae - Other Constraints: The Cosmic Microwave Background - The Multiverse and Theories of Everything

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Lecture 23: Other Constraints The Cosmic Microwave Background

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Lecture Details

FrontiersControversies in Astrophysics (ASTR 160)

Reasons for the expansion of the universe are addressed at the start of this lecture, focusing especially on the acceleration of dark energy. Supernovae were the first evidence for the existence of dark energy. Two other proofs are presented. The first is the Cosmic Microwave Background, which is a form of electromagnetic radiation that is perfectly smooth and equal in all directions. It firmly supports the Big Bang theory. Projects attempting to measure it, such as COBE and WMAP, are discussed. Secondly, Large-Scale Clustering is introduced by measuring the degree of clustering, astronomers hope to advance their understanding of dark energy and dark matter. Computer simulations of the evolution of the universe are shown.

0000 - Chapter 1. Implications of Research on Supernovae
0528 - Chapter 2. The Cosmic Microwave Background
1127 - Chapter 3. COBE and WMAP Measuring CMB
2440 - Chapter 4. Growth of Universe Structure Large-Scale Clustering
3930 - Chapter 5. The Degree of Clustering and the Potential Fates of the Universe

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website httpopen.yale.educourses

This course was recorded in Spring 2007.