11 courses with the subject ASTR H, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
Fundamental concepts and observations of modern astronomy, such as the properties of planets, the birth and death of stars, and the properties and evolution of the Universe. Not intended for students majoring in the physical sciences.
Topics in Introductory Programming is designed to give a general introduction to programming as related to data analysis across many fields. Students will be introduced to standard introductory programming imperative and object oriented techniques as well as data structures necessary to create efficient and understandable algorithmic solutions to problems. This course satisfies the prerequisite for CMSC 107. Antirequisite(s): Students who have taken a semester of college-level computer science (e.g.,CMSC105) or placed into CMSC107 are ineligible to take this course. It is intended for students with little or no background in computer programming. This course is equivalent to CMSC 104.
General introduction to astronomy including: the structure and evolution of stars; the properties and evolution of the solar system including planetary surfaces and atmospheres; exoplanets; and observational projects using the Strawbridge Observatory telescopes. Prerequisite(s): MATH H118 or equivalent; PHYS H105 or PHYS B121; Co-requisite(s): PHYS H106 or B201
An introduction to the methods and problems of computational physics, including matrix methods, ordinary differential equations, integration, eigensystems, Monte Carlo techniques, Fourier analysis, and iterative methods. Course will include a substantial independent project. Crosslisted: Physics, Astronomy, Computer Science Prerequisite(s): PHYS H213, or PHYS B205 and PHYS B207, or instructor consent
How did humans learn to compute the cosmos? Long before digital computers, astronomers and engineers—and later the human “computers” at NACA/NASA—calculated trajectories by hand using tables, interpolation, and mechanical calculators. This course follows the historical development of orbital prediction and numerical methods, from Kepler and Newton to Apollo and modern symplectic integrators. Students will reenact historical calculations, read primary sources, and connect past practice with modern tools. Pre-requisite(s): ASTR 204, ( PHYS 213 or ASTR 104 or any CMSC course) Lottery Preference: 1. Astronomy majors (seniors) 2. Astronomy majors (juniors) 3. Astrophysics majors (seniors) 4. Astrophysics majors (juniors) 5. Astronomy minors
An introductory course in general relativity with an emphasis on physical principles and geodesics in curved spacetime. Topics include special relativity, the calculus of variations, metrics, tensors, parallel transport, covariant derivatives, geodesics, the equivalence principle, gravitational redshift, the static weak-field metric, the Schwarzschild metric describing spacetime outside of a black holes or star, the precession of planetary orbits and the bending of light by massive objects. Additional topics may include applications to rotating black holes, gravitational waves, cosmology, or Hawking radiation. Prerequisites: Phys H213 or PHYS B205 and B207.
Observing projects that involve using a CCD camera on a 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Projects include spectroscopy; variable star photometry; H-alpha imaging; imaging and photometry of galaxies and star clusters; instruction in the use of image processing software and CCD camera operation. Students work in groups of two with minimal faculty supervision. Formal reports are required. Prerequisite(s): ASTR H204
Topic TBA Prerequisite(s): ASTR H204
A 0.5 credit upper level astronomy/astrophysics elective, which can be taken in series with the other 0.5 credit upper level Astro elective offered the same semester, or as a stand-alone course. This class will cover the basics of modern extragalactic science (a review of our knowledge of the Milky Way and external galaxies) alongside hands on projects involving data science/statistical techniques used to investigate them. Assessment will be highly project based, with regular coding assignments (in python) done during class time, and guided reading of both current, and classic astrophysical literature. Students will leave with an understanding of extragalactic astrophysics as a modern data focused science. Crosslisted: PHYS. Pre-requisite(s): ASTR204
This is an upper-level physics elective course which serves as an introduction to the physics of soft condensed matter (squishy stuff!), and will comprise a mixture of seminar-style discussions and chalk talk-like student presentations. Seminar discussions will center around peer-reviewed literature and conference lecture recordings. Students will finish the course having developed general literacy with the core concepts in Soft Matter and an understanding of the major challenges facing professional Soft Matter scientists. During a given semester, the course may follow a narrower theme, like "The Soft Matter Physics of Coffee," or "The Earth as Soft Matter". Crosslisted: ASTR. Pre-requisite(s): Math H121, at least two 200-level courses in physics or another natural science Lottery Preference: Physics majors, astrophysics majors, astro majors and physics/astro minors, seniors, juniors.
Intended for those students who choose to complete an independent research project in astrophysics under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite(s): Instructor consent
Source: Haverford College's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 59
