Contrast the meaning of the terms luminosity, absolute magnitude, and apparent magnitude. Discuss why they are important in astronomy and how they are used. View Understanding Star Magnitude.
Describe the structure of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram including how it is developed, the significant regions, and the key value it provides astronomers as a tool. View The H-R Diagram and The Life Cycle of Stars.
Review the evolutionary track of a typical 1 solar mass star on the H-R diagram from it proto-star stage until the end of its status as a star. Address what occurs to cause its transition from one stage to the next. View Supernova and Supergiant Star Life Cycles and Star Life Cycles.
Cepheid Variable Stars are an extremely useful as tools for astronomers. Describe the characteristics of a Cepheid variable star, the cause of its behavior, and for what and how it is used by astronomers. View Cepheid Variable Stars and Distance Measurements and More on Cepheid Variables.
D7
The last stage in the evolutionary track of a star depends upon the star’s mass. Discuss the various possible ending stage of stars and relate the cause of the outcome of each to their mass. View this video on the Life Cycles of Stars.
Stars can exist as, or evolve into, entities that sometimes seem rather exotic like neutron stars and pulsars. Describe the characteristics of each of these objects including their basic properties, how they form, and how they evolve. View this video on the formation of Neutron Stars.
One of the more bizarre objects in the universe is the Black Hole. Describe in depth their fundamental properties, how they come to be, and how we know they exist. View this video on Black Holes.
The overall structure of our own Milky Way galaxy is hard to determine because we are inside of it with major portions being obscured by interstellar gases, dust, and other debris. Explain the methods used to map our galaxy both now and in the past, along with their outcomes. Present our current understanding of the structure of our galaxy and where we are located in it. View this video on the structure of the Milky Way.
