226 FC26 Cosmology Cosmological models and the relationship between models and observable parameters. Topics in current astronomy that bear upon cosmological problems, including background electromagnetic radiation, nucleosynthesis, dating methods, determinations of the mean density of the universe and the Hubble constant, and tests of gravitational theories. Discussion of some questions concerning the foundations of cosmology and its future as a science. In class discussions a set of problems will be formulated, each designed to illuminate a significant aspect of the topic at hand. Students will gain experience in both oral and written presentation.
Topics vary from year to year.
An introduction to the techniques of gathering and analyzing astronomical data, particularly in the optical and infrared. Telescope design and optics. Insrumentation for imaging, photometry and spectroscopy. Computer graphics and image processing. Error analysis and curve fitting.