Introduction to Astrophysics

By Simone Malacrida

The following topics are presented in this book:
description of the Solar System
classification and evolution of stars
interstellar nuclear processes
galaxies and their evolution from a cosmogonic perspective
quasars, novae, supernovae, nebulae, binary and neutron stars
astronomical measurements and measuring instruments

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simone Malacrida
• Release date: Dec 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215518830

Simone Malacrida

Simone Malacrida (1977) Ha lavorato nel settore della ricerca (ottica e nanotecnologie) e, in seguito, in quello industriale-impiantistico, in particolare nel Power, nell'Oil&Gas e nelle infrastrutture. E' interessato a problematiche finanziarie ed energetiche. Ha pubblicato un primo ciclo di 21 libri principali (10 divulgativi e didattici e 11 romanzi) + 91 manuali didattici derivati. Un secondo ciclo, sempre di 21 libri, è in corso di elaborazione e sviluppo.

Book preview

Introduction to Astrophysics

SIMONE MALACRIDA

The following topics are presented in this book:

description of the Solar System

classification and evolution of stars

interstellar nuclear processes

galaxies and their evolution from a cosmogonic perspective

quasars, novae, supernovae, nebulae, binary and neutron stars

astronomical measurements and measuring instruments

Simone Malacrida (1977)

Engineer and writer, has worked on research, finance, energy policy and industrial plants.

ANALYTICAL INDEX

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INTRODUCTION

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I – THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Planets and satellites

Other celestial objects

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II - THE STARS

Classification and evolution

Equations and processes

Birth and death of a star

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III - GALAXIES AND OTHER CELESTIAL OBJECTS

Galaxies, clusters and superclusters

Evolution of galaxies

Other celestial objects

Cosmogony

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IV - ASTRONOMIC MEASUREMENTS

Astronomical distances

Magnitudes and spectra

Other measures

Astronomical survey instruments

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this book is to frame astrophysics as a scientific discipline in its own right.

Often squeezed between astronomy and cosmology, astrophysics, i.e. the physical study of celestial objects, runs the risk of becoming a kind of chapter in these sectors.

Instead, it has quite special characteristics.

Unlike astronomy, it doesn't just catalog and be descriptive, it probes the inner workings of stellar and galactic functioning.

Unlike cosmology or the study of black holes, it investigates neither the origins of the Universe nor global or singular spacetime.

Obviously, astrophysics owes a lot to these disciplines and it is for this reason that the first chapter of this book (and partly also the last) will have a purely astronomical descriptive character.

As for the points of contact with cosmology, only a brief hint is given during the exposition of stellar and galactic evolution.

For the rest, the book focuses on the main celestial objects, especially stars and galaxies, probing their equations, the physical and chemical processes that govern them.

To understand what is stated, it is not necessary to know the general theory of relativity (as is the case for cosmology), but it is enough to have a smattering of classical physics, at least at the university level.

Even a knowledge, albeit limited, of nuclear and particle physics would not be disdainful, since the nuclear processes that take place in stars are very similar to what we try to reproduce in particle accelerators present in laboratories around the world.

I

THE SOLAR SYSTEM

The planet we live on, the Earth, is located within a planetary system