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Draft:Outline of astrophysics

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to astrophysics.

Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the nature of the heavenly bodies, rather than their positions or motions in space–what they are, rather than where they are", which is studied in celestial mechanics.

What is astrophysics?

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Astrophysics can be described as all of the following:

  • An academic discipline: one with academic departments, curricula and degrees; national and international societies; and specialized journals.
  • A scientific field (a branch of science) – widely recognized category of specialized expertise within science, and typically embodies its own terminology and nomenclature. Such a field will usually be represented by one or more scientific journals, where peer-reviewed research is published.
    • A natural science – one that seeks to elucidate the rules that govern the natural world using empirical and scientific methods.
      • A branch or field of space science – scientific discipline that involves space exploration and study natural phenomena and physical bodies occurring in outer space, such as space medicine and astrobiology.
        • A branch of astronomy – the study of celestial objects, space, and the universe as a whole.
      • A branch of physics – the fundamental science that studies matter, energy, and their interactions.
  • An interdisciplinary field – field of science that overlaps with other sciences.

Branches of astrophysics

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The subdisciplines of theoretical astrophysics are:

History of astrophysics

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General astrophysics concepts

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  • Astronomical spectroscopy – study of astronomy using spectroscopy to measure the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by celestial objects.
  • Astroparticle physics – studies particles from space and their interactions with matter.
  • Black hole – region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that nothing can escape from it.
  • Cosmic ray – high-energy radiation from outer space that may consist of protons or atomic nuclei.
  • Doppler effect – change in frequency or wavelength of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the wave source.
  • Gravitational lensing – bending of light from a distant object due to the gravitational field of a massive object between it and the observer.
  • Nucleosynthesis – process by which elements are formed through nuclear reactions in stars.
  • Plasma physics – study of charged particles and fluids interacting with self-consistent electric and magnetic fields.
  • Polarization – property of waves that describes the orientation of their oscillations.
  • Quark matter – hypothetical phase of matter consisting primarily of quarks.
  • Interstellar medium – matter that exists in the space between stars in a galaxy.
  • Standard candles – astronomical objects with known luminosity used to measure distances in astronomy.
  • Stellar evolution – process by which a star changes over time.
  • Universe – all existing matter, energy, planets, stars, galaxies, and even the empty space between them.

Organizations in astrophysics

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Publications in astrophysics

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Astrophysics awards

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Persons influential in astrophysics

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Astrophysics scholars

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Carl Sagan dies at 62". CNN. 1996-12-20. Retrieved 2011-12-05. Sagan was a noted astronomer whose lifelong passion was searching for intelligent life in the cosmos.
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Astrophysics