Astrophysics

Astrophysics is a branch of space science that applies the laws of physics and chemistry to explain the birth, life and death of stars, planets, galaxies, nebulae and other objects in the universe. It has two sibling sciences, astronomy and cosmology, and the lines between them blur.

Overview

Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that employs the principles of physics and chemistry "to ascertain the nature of the astronomical objects, rather than their positions or motions in space". Among the objects studied are galaxies, stars, planets, and the interstellar medium. Theoretical astrophysics aims to describe these observations. Observational astrophysics is focused on acquiring and analyzing data, mainly using basic principles of physics.

The Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant

History

The study of astrophysics began in ancient times with the development of astronomy. In the Renaissance, Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system. His work was defended, expanded upon, and corrected by Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler. Kepler was the first to devise a system that correctly described the details of the motion of the planets around the Sun.

Branches of Astrophysics

Astrophysics can be studied at many different scales. Astrophysicists typically apply many disciplines of physics, including mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity, nuclear and particle physics, and atomic and molecular physics.

See also

• Astronomy
• Cosmology
• Galaxy formation and evolution
• Physical cosmology
• Stellar evolution
• Stellar nucleosynthesis