Introductory Summer School in Astronomy and Astrophysics

 

 

IUCAA conducts an Introductory Summer School in Astronomy and Astrophysics for students at Indian universities and colleges for five weeks from the middle of May to the middle of June. The school is held in person at IUCAA every alternate year. It is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of Astronomy and Astrophysics as well as recent developments in the field. No previous knowledge of Astronomy and Astrophysics is necessary, though familiarity with the basic principles of mathematics and physics is required.

The eligibility criteria is as follows:

• Students in the final year B. Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/Electronics)
• Students in third year and onwards of B.Tech./B.E. (any branch) / Integrated M.Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/ Electronics)
• Students pursuing M.Sc. (Physics/Applied Mathematics/Astronomy/Electronics)

Message from the ISSAA 2025 coordinators:

This year the Summer School will be held in-person from the 12^th of May to the 13^th of June 2025.

The shortlisted applicants will be informed a few weeks before the start of the school by email.

 In case of any administrative query, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In case of any technical query, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Vacation Students' Programme

The Vacation Students Programme (VSP) is an ongoing programme for which applications are accepted from eligible students in March every year. The selected candidates are informed by email .

Students selected under the VSP spend seven weeks at IUCAA working on specific research projects supervised by IUCAA Academic Members. The programme concludes with seminar presentations based on the projects done by the participants.

Students who are currently pursuing one of the following degree courses are eligible to apply:

• M.Sc. - First Year (Physics / Applied Mathematics / Astronomy / Electronics / Optics / Scientific Computing)
• Integrated M.Sc. - 3^rd and 4^th Year (Physics / Applied Mathematics / Astronomy / Electronics / Optics / Scientific Computing)
• B.Tech. / B.E. - 3^rd and final year (Any branch)
• Students who have completed the third year and are moving to the fourth year of the Four-year Undergraduate programmes in Basic Sciences

(In other words, you are eligible if you are completing M.Sc. 1^st year, Integrated M.Sc. 3^rd or 4^th year and B.Tech. / B.E. 3^rd or 4^th year, in the year in which you are applying.)

The participants are paid a stipend of Rs.10,000/- and provided with free lodging on the IUCAA campus during the programme. They are also paid second-class (non-A/C) return railway fare between the place of their residence or education and Pune.

Queries, if any, may be addressed to the Coordinator, Core Academic Programmes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

M.Sc. (Physics) Optional Papers in A & A - Sample Syllabus

Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune
These are sample syllabi for three special/optional papers in M.Sc. (Physics). Any two papers may be adopted.

ASTRONOMY and ASTROPHYSICS, Special Paper I

Module I: Solar System and Stars

1.	The solar system	5 lectures
	Celestial mechanics Elliptical orbits Kepler's laws Virial theorem	2
	Earth-moon system Tidal forces Precession of earth's axis Interiors Atmospheres	2
	Planets Terrestrial planets Jovian planets	1

2.	Observational tools	6 lectures
	Blackbody radiation Specific intensity and flux density	1
	Stellar parallax Magnitudes Colour index	1
	Basic optics and optical telescopes	1
	Radio telescopes	1
	Infrared, ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes	1
	Coordinates and time	1

3.	Sta	7 lectures
	Classification Formation of spectral lines Hertzsprung-Russell diagram	2
	Atmosphere Description of the radiation field Opacities Radiative transfer Structure of spectral lines	5

4.	Sun	5 lectures
	Interior Atmosphere Solar activity Helioseismology

Module II: Stellar Structure and Evolution

1.	Stellar interiors	7 lectures
	Hydrostatic equilibrium Pressure equation of state Energy sources Energy transport and convection Model building Main sequence

2.	Binary stars	5 lectures
	Classification Mass determination Accretion disks in close binaries White dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes in binaries

3.	Star formation	3 lectures
	Interstellar dust and gas Formation of protostars Pre-main sequence evolution

4.	Post main sequence evolution	3 lectures
	Evolution on the main sequence Late stages of evolution Fate of massive stars, supernovae

5.	Degenerate remnants of stars	4 lectures
	White dwarfs Chandrasekhar limit Neutron stars Pulsars

Tutorials will involve problem solving on the topics of the course.

Laboratory Experiments:

1. 1. Polar aligning a telescope and measuring declination of Polaris.
2. Measuring distance to Moon by parallax method.
3. Measuring limb-darkening of Sun.
4. Finding rotation period of Sun by measuring motion of sun-spots.
5. Measuring relative sensitivity of B, V, and R bands of a photometer with Sun and using this to find temperature of filament of a lamp.
6. Measuring colour of a star by differential photometry.
7. Measuring extinction of the atmosphere in B, V, and R bands.
8. Characterising a CCD camera for gain, read-noise, linearity, and flat field.
9. Estimating atmospheric seeing by measuring differential motion.
10. Measuring stellar scintillations for different zenith angles and comparing it with scintillations for planets.

Text books:

1. Modern Astrophysics, B. W. Carroll and D. A. Ostlie, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
2. Introductory Astronomy & Astrophysics, M. Zeilik and S. A. Gregory, 4th Edition, Saunders College Publishing.
3. Theoretical Astrophysics, Vol II:Stars and Stellar Systems, T. Padmanabhan, Cambridge University Press.

Other books:

1. The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, F. Shu, Mill Valley : University Science Books.
2. Textbook of Astronomy and Astrophysics with Elements of Cosmology, V. B. Bhatia, Pb-New Delhi, Narosa Publishing House.
3. The New Cosmos, A. Unsold and B. Baschek, New York:Springer Verlag.

ASTRONOMY and ASTROPHYSICS, Special Paper II

Module I : High Energy Astrophysics

1.	Radiative processes in astrophysics	10 lectures
	Synchrotron emission - for a single particle - for an ensemble of electrons Energy loss and electron spectrum Compton scattering Multiple Compton scattering Bremsstrahlung Thermal bremsstrahlung

2.	Binary stars	7 lectures
	White dwarf binaries Neutron star and black hole binaries HulseTaylor binary pulsar

3.	Accretion discs	5 lectures
	Thin accretion discs Thick accretion discs Accretion discs in binaries Accretion discs in galactic nuclei

Module II: Galaxies

1.	The Milky Way Galaxy	5 lectures
	Distribution of stars Morphology Kinematics Interstellar medium Galactic Centre

2.	Nature of galaxies	4 lectures
	Hubble sequence Spirals and irregular galaxies Spiral structure Elliptical galaxies

3.	Galactic evolution	4 lectures
	Interaction of galaxies Formation of galaxies

4.	Structure of the universe	5 lectures
	Extragalactic distance scale Expansion of the universe Clusters of galaxies

5.	Active galaxies and quasi-stellar objects	5 lectures
	Observations Unified model Radio lobes and jets Using QSOs to probe the universe Gamma ray bursts

Tutorials will involve problem solving on the topics of the course.

Text books:

1. Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei, A. K. Kembhavi and J. V. Narlikar, Cambridge University Press.
2. Modern Astrophysics, B. W. Carroll and D. A. Ostlie, Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
3. Introductory Astronomy & Astrophysics, M. Zeilik and S. A. Gregory, 4th edition, Saunders College Publishing.
4. Theoretical Astrophysics, Vol I:Astrophysical Processes, T. Padmanabhan, Cambridge University Press.

Other books:

1. The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy, F. Shu, Mill Valley : University Science Books.
2. Textbook of Astronomy and Astrophysics with Elements of Cosmology, V. B. Bhatia, Pb-New Delhi, Narosa Publishing House.
3. The New Cosmos, A. Unsold and B. Baschek, New York:Springer Verlag.
4. Introduction to Cosmology, J. V. Narlikar, 3rd edition, Cambridge University Press.
5. Structure Formation in the Universe, T. Padmanabhan,Cambridge University Press.

ASTRONOMY and ASTROPHYSICS, Special Paper III

Module I: General Relativity (GR)

1.	Overview of special relativity	4 lectures
	Principles of special relativity Line interval Proper time Lorentz transformation Minkowski spacetime Lightcones Relativistic momentum 4-vectors Lorentz transformation of electromagnetic field

2.	Conceptual foundations of GR and curved spacetime	12 lectures
	Principle of equivalence Connection between gravity and geometry Form of metric in Newtonian limit Metric tensor and its properties Concept of curved spaces and spacetimes Tangent space and four vectors Tensor algebra Tensor calculus Covariant differentiation Parallel transport Riemann curvature tensor Geodesics Particle trajectories in gravitational field

3.	Dynamics of gravitational field	4 lectures
	Einstein's field equations Definition of the stress tensor Bianchi identities and conservation of the stress tensor Einstein's equations for weak gravitational fields The Newtonian limit

4.	Schwarzschild metric and related topics	5 lectures
	Derivation of Schwarzschild metric Basic properties of Schwarzschild metric coordinate- systems and nature of R=2M surface Effective potential for particle orbits in Schwarzschild metric, general properties Precession of perihelion Deflection of ultra relativistic particles Gravitational red-shift

Module II: Applications of GR

1.	Gravitational waves	5 lectures
	Wave equation in linearised theory Plane waves Transverse traceless gauge Effect on test particles Principles of detection and generation of gravitational waves Types of detectors Landau-Lifshitz formula Hulse Taylor binary pulsar

2.	Cosmology	15 lectures
	Models of the universe Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models Hubble's law Angular size Source counts Cosmological constant Horizons	5
	Relics of the big bang The early universe Thermodynamics of the early universe Primordial neutrinos Helium synthesis and other nuclei Microwave background	3
	Formation of large scale structure Jeans mass in the expanding universe Growth in the postrecombination era Observational constraints Elementary ideas on structure formation	3
	Observations of the cosmological significance Measurement of Hubble's constant Anisotropy of large-scale velocity fields Age of the universe Abundance of light nuclei Dark matter Microwave background Gravitational wave stochastic background	4

Tutorials will involve problem solving on the topics of the course.

Text Books:

1. General Relativity and Cosmology, J. V. Narlikar Delhi: Macmillan company of India Ltd.
2. General Relativity, I. R. Kenyon, Oxford university press.
3. Classical Theory of Fields, Vol. 2, L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, Oxford : Pergamon Press.
4. First course in general relativity, B. F. Schutz Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
5. Introduction to Cosmology, 3rd Edition, J. V. Narlikar, Cambridge University Press.