Astrophysics describes the processes that give rise to the observable features of our universe in terms of previously developed physical theories. It ties together physics and astronomy by describing astronomical phenomena in terms of the physics and chemistry we are familiar with in our everyday life.
Why do the stars shine? How did our galaxy form? Will the universe expand forever? These are the types of questions asked by astrophysicists in an attempt to understand the processes which cause our universe, and everything in it, to behave the way it does. From the low-energy gravitational interactions between planets and stars, to the violent, high energy processes occurring in the centers of ga…
Even looking close to the Earth, in our own solar system we see widely varying conditions. The properties of the rocky planet Mercury, very close to the Sun, differ dramatically from those of the gas giant Saturn, with its complex ring structure, and from the cold, icy Pluto. But the range of variations found in our solar system is minuscule when compared to that of the stars, galaxies, and more e…
Scientists learn about distant objects by measuring the properties that we can observe directly—by detecting emissions from the objects. The most common measurements are of electromagnetic radiation, extending from radio waves, through visible wavelengths to high energy gamma rays. Each time a class of objects has been studied in a new wavelength region, astrophysicists gain insights into c…
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