Stellar
Embark on a celestial journey to unravel the mysteries of the stars.
Exoplanets
Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star other than the Sun. Studying exoplanets is important because it can tell us more about our own Solar System. For the USAAAO, most exoplanet questions are math-based and there aren't very specific "topics" related to exoplanets. We'll thus mainly focus on problem solving in this handout.
Stellar Evolution
Stars are like people - they have a life that comes in distinct stages: they "born" from clouds of gas, spend their adolescent years going through many changes. Then, they spend the majority of their lives as an adult on the main sequence before they eventually meet their end. This handout explores this evolution of stars and offers a deep dive into a multitude of star types.
Stellar Interiors
Understanding stellar interiors better is absolutely crucial to better understanding stars and how they evolve, and thus the universe as a whole. Stellar interiors are the crucibles of creation, where the intricate interplay of temperature, pressure, and nuclear reactions gives birth to the breathtaking radiance that lights up our universe. This handout will expose you to all the fascinations within a star.
Stellar Flux Relationships
In this handout, we will embark on an illuminating journey to explore the intricate connections between stars, their brightness, and the distances that separate them. Stellar flux relationships lie at the heart of astrophysics, enabling us to measure and understand the luminosity, temperature, and size of celestial bodies across the vastness of space.