1. identify the requirements and limitations of instrumentation for modern astrophysical observations;
2. apply physics principles to the interpretation of a broad range of astrophysical observations;
3. explain the basic issues involved in present day astrophysical investigations;
4. demonstrate an understanding of our present picture of the cosmos on a large scale.

K Zeilik, M. A. and Gregory (1999) S.A. Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics 4th Edition (Thomson)

Carroll, B.W. and Ostlie, D.A. (2007) Introduction to Modern Astrophysics 2nd Edition (Benjamin Cummings)

MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/).

This course will be delivered by the following means:

• Lectures 24 x 50-minute sessions with two sessions per week
• Tutorials 10 x 50-minute sessions with one session per week
• Practicals 11 x 3-hour sessions with one session per week (+some night time work)

A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

The course content will include the following:

Coursework Content

• Heliospheric processes, solar magnetic fields and the solar wind.
• Thermal emission
• Spectral line formation and interpretation
• Galactic Properties: magnetic fields and the interstellar medium
• Stellar energy generation
• Helioseismology/Astroseismology
• Stellar evolution to white dwarfs and neutron stars
• Photon detection and telescopes

Practical Content
Topics will be discussed at the practical sessions and a general list will be given in the course overview.

To obtain a grade of Pass or better in this course, a student must attend the examination and achieve at least 40% in the final exam, attend at least 5 practicals sessions during the semester, and contribute to the practical reports.

Assignments
This assessment activity comprises one discussion paper answering several questions and one essay. The essay should be of approximately 1,000 words in length. Marks will be given for science content. References and the source of web information must be included. The essay will be due in early October (6-10% of the final grade). Poor performance in essay may be partly redeemed in the final exam.

Tutorial preparation
To maximise the benefit of tutorials, students are required to submit their answers before or at the tutorial. Assessment is based on effort rather than correctness; this task has a formative and summative role. Tutorials intend to complement the lecture material through showing the present view of the subject matter (including relevant observational techniques) and indicating the limits of our present knowledge. Tutorials are an integral part of the learning process and will be marked 12 20% of the final grade. Poor performance in tutorial preparation may be partly redeemed in the final exam.

Practical
Practical work will be 30% of the final grade.

Final exam
This summative assessment activity comprehensively addresses the learning objectives for Astrophysics (40-52% of the final grade).

Submission of Assigned Work
Coversheets must be completed and attached to all submitted work. Coversheets can be obtained from the School Office (room G33 Physics) or from MyUNI. Work should be submitted via the assignment drop box at the School Office.

Extensions for Assessment Tasks
Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a replacement examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Coordinator before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time. 

Late submission of assessments
If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days or more late without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the mark.