Courses mainly aimed at non-concentrators
 

Astronomy 1: The Big Questions of Astronomy
 

Instructor: Dave Charbonneau
Offered: Fall semesters [NOT offered Fall 2024]

Description: We will discuss the big questions of astronomy that have engaged scientists and the general public alike for centuries: How did the universe begin? What is the ultimate fate of the Sun? How do planets form? Is there life outside the Solar system? Students will use telescopes to study the night sky and examine how the combination of astronomical observations and physical theory have led to an understanding of the vast and dynamic cosmos we inhabit.

Astronomy 2: Celestial Navigation

Instructor: Philip Sadler
Offered: Fall semesters

Description: Never be lost again! Find your way on sea, land, or air by employing celestial and terrestrial techniques. Acquire expertise in using navigators' tools (sextant, compass, and charts) while learning the steps to the celestial dance of the sun, moon, stars, and planets. This 108-year-old course continues to rely on practical skills and collaborative problem-solving, while utilizing historical artifacts (instruments, maps, captains' logs) and student-built devices. Culminating in a day-long cruise to practice navigation skills.

Astronomy 5: Astrosociology
 

Instructor: Gerhard Sonnert
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: In an age of magnificent astronomical progress and discoveries, the increasing knowledge of the cosmos has manifold repercussions in society and culture. This course will examine how outer space-related phenomena impact, or potentially impact, society and culture, and vice versa. Especially in light of the proliferating discovery of exoplanets, an intriguing topic of astrosociology is presented by the possibility of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations, their detection, communication with them, and even contact.

Astronomy 22: The Unity of Science: From the Big Bang to the Brontosaurus and Beyond
 

Instructor: Irwin Shapiro
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: Science is like a well-woven, ever-expanding fabric, designed to uncover Nature's secrets. This course emphasizes the strong connections between subfields of science, showing it as the never-ending and greatest detective story ever told, with evidence always the arbiter. These characteristics are exhibited in the semi-historical treatment of three main themes: unveiling the universe, the earth and its fossils, and the story of life.

Astronomy 50: Introduction to Space Exploration
 

Instructor: Josh Grindlay
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: The 1960s were the early glory days of space exploration, driven by the space race between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., the Apollo program, and the successful Moon landings. After this heroic decade, space exploration lost a great deal of its impetus. Yet, very recently, there are clear signs of a reemerging dynamic in space exploration, now characterized by both the emergence of new players and new fields of exploration. This course introduces the students to a comprehensive array of diverse topics. These range from the history and sociology of space exploration to space law and space policy, from the space economy to the physical, astronomical, and engineering basics of space exploration.

Introductory courses for concentrators and secondaries
 

Astronomy 16: Stellar and Planetary Astronomy
 

Instructor: John Johnson (odd years), Karin Öberg (even years)
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: This course provides an introduction to the physical principles describing the formation and evolution of stars and their planetary companions. Topics include thermal radiation and stellar spectra; telescopes; energy generation in stars; stellar evolution; orbital dynamics; the Solar system; and exoplanets. This course includes an observational component: students will determine the distance to the Sun, and use the Clay Telescope atop the Science Center to study stellar evolution and detect exoplanets.

Prerequisites: Physics 15a, Physics 16, or Physical Sciences 12a. May be taken concurrently.

Astronomy 17: Galactic and Extragalactic Astronomy
 

Instructor: Daniel Eisenstein
Offered: Fall semesters

Description: This course will introduce you to the physical principles describing galaxies and the composition and evolution of the Universe. We will cover a wide range of topics from nearby galaxies to quasars to the Big Bang.The goals of the course are 1) to introduce you to the broad sweep of extragalactic astronomy and cosmology, including major concepts and common jargon, 2) to develop detailed applications of physics, particularly mechanics, to galaxies and cosmology, 3) to gain exploratory experience in observational astronomy.

Prerequisites: Physics 15a, Physics 16, or Physical Sciences 12a. May be taken concurrently.

Thesis courses
 

Astronomy 98: Research Tutorial in Astrophysics
 

Instructor: Allysa Goodman (Fall 24) and Doug Finkbeiner (Spring 25)
Offered: Fall and Spring semesters

Description: This junior tutorial introduces students to research at the forefront of astrophysics, through individual research projects guided by astronomers at the Center for Astrophysics. Students meet weekly for a discussion of reading materials provided by a guest speaker, and to provide updates on their individual research projects. The course culminates in a written report and an oral presentation (open to all scientists at the CfA).

Prerequisites: Astronomy 16 or Astronomy 17

Astronomy 99: Senior Thesis in Astrophysics
 

Instructor: Charles Alcock
Offered: Fall (A) and Spring (B) semesters

Description: Individually supervised reading and research leading to the senior thesis. The Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics is home to one of the largest groups of astronomers in the world, providing extensive opportunities for undergraduate research. Both Part A and Part B must be taken in the same academic year in order for students to receive credit. Part one of a two part series. A list of undergraduate research topics is here.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 98

Upper level courses
 

Astronomy 100: Methods of Observational Astronomy
 

Instructor: Edo Berger
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: In this course we will learn the basic tools of modern astronomical research, including telescopes, detectors, imaging, spectroscopy, and common software. Emphasis will be placed on both the theory behind telescopes and their use, and hands-on experience with real data. Using this basic knowledge we will analyze science-level astronomical data from a wide range of telescopes and review the basic properties of stars, galaxies, and other astronomical objects of interest. The course includes a trip to the F. L. Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Arizona, to gather data with various telescopes.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 16 or Astronomy 17

Astronomy 110: Exoplanets
 

Instructor: John Johnson
Offered: Fall semesters

Description: A survey of the rapidly-evolving field of the detection and characterization of planets orbiting other stars. Topics includes proto-stellar collapse and star formation; protoplanetary disk structure; models of planet formation; methods of detecting extrasolar planets; composition and physical structure of planets; planetary atmospheres; habitable zones; greenhouse effect; and biosignatures.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 16

Astronomy 120: Stellar Physics
 

Instructor: Charles Alcock
Offered: Spring semesters

Description: Stars are the basic building blocks of galaxies and are responsible for the nucleosynthesis of most of the elements. Topics include stellar structure; energy transport in stars; stellar atmospheres; astroseismology; nuclear fusion in stars; stellar evolution; nucleosynthesis of the elements; stellar death and supernovae; the degenerate remnants of stars; black holes. This course will make use of thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics, but will review these subjects as necessary.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 16

Astronomy 130: Cosmology
 

Instructor: Xingang Chen
Offered: Fall semesters even years

Description: The physical model describing the initial conditions, evolution, and ultimate fate of the Universe. Topics include cosmic dynamics; the Robertson-Walker Metric; curvature; estimating cosmological parameters; the accelerating universe; dark matter; gravitational lensing; the cosmic microwave background; nucleosynthesis; inflation and the very early universe; formation of structure. Note: Offered in alternate years.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 17, college-level Mechanics (e.g. Physics 15a) and Calculus (e.g. Math 1b)

Astronomy 140: Introduction to General Relativity 

Instructor: Xingang Chen
Offered: Fall semesters

Description: Recent exploration of black holes and gravitational waves have revealed the relativistic Universe like never before.  This course will introduce students to the theory of general relativity and some of its key applications. Topics include: review of special relativity, physics in curved spacetimes, the Einstein field equations, gravitational lensing, black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology. Mathematics used in general relativity will be introduced along the way

Prerequisites:  Multivariable calculus (e.g. Math 21A), linear algebra and differential equations (e.g. Math 21B), college-level Mechanics including special relativity (e.g. Physics 15A), and E&M (e.g. Physics 15B)

Astronomy 191: Astrophysics Laboratory
 

Instructor: John Kovac
Offered: Spring semesters even years

Description: Laboratory and observational projects in astrophysics. Students design and undertake two projects from a selection including: observational studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation, molecules in interstellar clouds, the rotation of the galaxy, galactic molecular sources with the submillimeter array (SMA), stars and clusters with the Clay Telescope; and laboratory experiments including super-conducting submillimeter detectors, x-ray CCDs, and hard x-ray imaging detectors and telescopes.

Prerequisites: Astronomy 16, or Astronomy 17, or Physics 15C