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The astrophysics minicourse is a pass-fail course that takes place twice a week for one semester starting in the fall of 2019. The course is taught by rising senior Tovi Sonnenberg.

Astrophysics is the science of the universe and all it contains. The course will cover everything from the solar system to the big bang. You will learn about the universe’s most awe-inspiring phenomenon such as black holes, supernovae, antimatter, and extraterrestrial life. You will learn the science behind stars, planets, exoplanets, and galaxies. We will also discuss the frontiers of science and profound questions such as the fate of our universe. The class will be structured in such a way that students will be able to ask away any questions they have about their universe. This is a chance for you to gain knowledge about the most exciting field of science that the Riverdale science curriculum does not cover. This is also a unique opportunity because you have the ability to take 6 classes without losing all your free time. There is no homework or tests. No prior knowledge is required; anyone can take it. This class is not a math class or a physics class, it is a class for students who seek to better understand their universe.

For questions, please email tsonnenberg20@riverdale.edu

This image displays the galaxies NGC 4302 — seen edge-on — and NGC 4298, both located 55 million light-years away. They were observed by Hubble to celebrate its 27th year in orbit. The galaxy NGC 4298 is seen almost face-on, allowing us to see its spiral arms and the blue patches of ongoing star formation and young stars. In the edge-on disc of NGC 4302 huge swathes of dust are responsible for the mottled brown patterns, but a burst of blue to the left side of the galaxy indicates a region of extremely vigorous star formation. The image is a mosaic of four separate captures from Hubble, taken between 2 and 22 January 2017, that have been stitched together to give this amazing field of view. Two different types of light emitted by the galaxies — visible and near-infrared — have been combined to give a rich and colourful image. This light was captured by Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3, one of the telescope’s most advanced imaging instruments.