Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics

This Yale College course focuses on three rapidly advancing areas of astronomy: extra-solar planets, black holes, and dark energy. Particular attention is paid to current observational and theoretical projects that promise to significantly improve our understanding over the next few years. The course explores not just what is known, but also what is currently unknown, and how astronomers design observations, use physical theory, and analyze data to find answers. Topics include planetary orbits and exoplanet detection methods, special and general relativity, stellar-mass and supermassive black holes, cosmological expansion and Hubble’s law, dark matter and dark energy, supernovae, the cosmic microwave background, the multiverse, and gravitational waves.