It is a three-semester programme that began in January 1999. The minimum requirement for admission to this programme is M.Sc. degree in physics, mathematics, chemistry, geology, statistics or equivalent from a recognized university with adequate preparation in mathematics.

The programme is on and the 2nd semester for the first batch is currently running.

Watch this space for the announcement for admission to the second batch.
 
 

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COURSE DESCRIPTION

 FIRST YEAR: First Semester

1. Astronomical Instrumentation and Techniques: Astrometry (5 - Units)  (Course No:APS ZG511)

Telescopes - optical and radio, ground-based and space, Hubble telescope; Astronomical clocks; star charts and Ephemeris.  Recording devices - photographic photoelectric photometry; Spectrophotometry;  UBV and six-colour photometry, CCDs.  Spectroscopes, spectrohelioscope and    coronograph.  Interferometers - optical and radio; occultation techniques.  Aperture synthesis; Image processing; Role of computers.

Celestial coordinates and stellar positions; Elements of spherical trigonometry and spherical geometry.

Refraction; Scintillation; Parallax - diurnal and annual; Aberration; Precession and Nutation.
 

2. Structure of the Universe (5 - Units)  (Course No:APS ZG521)

Heavenly bodies - different categories; Stars, planets, satellites; Nebulae, Galaxies, Quasars; Interstellar and Intergalactic space; Clusters - Stars and galaxies; The Sun - outer layers of the sun; Photosphere, Chromosphere and the Corona; Solar granulations; Solar flares; Solar radio emission; Solar prominences; Solar magnetic field - sunspots, 11-year cycle.  Mass and luminosity of the sun; solar rotation; Solar oscillation.

Planets and satellites - Motions of planets, Kepler’s laws, planetary masses.  Inner and outer planets; Atmospheres of planets; surfaces of planets; planetary interiors; planetary magnetic fields; Space observations of inner and outer planets; The satellite systems; Comets, asteroids and meteoroids; The moon; Eclipses of the sun and the moon; The new view of the solar system.  Origin of the solar system; Origin of the Universe.
 

3. Stellar Astronomy (5 - Units) (Course No.APS  ZG531)

Stellar motions and the Doppler effect; Statistical parallax; Saha’s equation; Luminosity & magnitude of stars; Spectral classification of stars; Spectroscopic parallax;  The Hertzsprung- Russell diagram.  The colour - magnitude diagram. Binary stars - mass-luminosity relation of stars.  Variable stars - the period-luminosity relation of Cepheid variables.  Clusters of stars - galactic and globular; Calibration of galactic distance scale.  Stellar population characteristics.  Stellar evolution - the sun as a star; energy generation in stars; Transfer of energy; Life cycle of the stars;  the solar neutrino problem.  Novae and Supernovae.  White dwarfs - The Chandrasekhar mass limit.  Neutron stars and pulsars.  Black holes.
 

4. Celestial Mechanics (5 - Units) (Course No.APS  ZG541)

Mathematical prerequisites - relevant concepts of solid geometry; Vector analysis, partial differential equations,  Numerical methods.  Dynamics of particles and of Rigid bodies.  Newtonian Attraction and Potential.  Elements of Fluid Mechanics (perfect, viscous and gas).  Problem of two bodies. Problem of `n’ bodies. Determination of orbits. Perturbations. Artificial Earth Satellites. Motion of Apsidal line in Relativistic Mechanics.

FIRST YEAR:Second Semester

5. The Milky Way and Other Galaxies (5 - Units) (Course No.APS  ZG512)

The Milky Galaxy - Number of stars, size, shape, structure and contents.  Nucleus, Bulge, Disk and Halo. Spiral Arms. Our location in the Galaxy.  Galactic rotation - the rotation parameters, the rotation curve and mass of the Galaxy.  Interstellar matter, 21-cm line radiation; molecular clouds; HI and H II regions.  Nebulae - dark, emission and reflection; Planetary nebulae.  Supernova remnants.

Hubble Classification of galaxies.  Red shift and the Expanding Universe.  Hubble Law.  Distance indicators and calibration of the extragalactic distance scale. Clusters and superclusters of galaxies.  Voids.  Interacting galaxies and CD galaxies. Rotation curves of spiral galaxies.  Masses of galaxies.  The M/L relation. X-rays from clusters of galaxies and the cooling flow.  Dark matter in galaxies.

6. Radio and Other Astronomies (5 - Units) (Course No.APS ZG522)

Radio interferometers - Very Large Array (VLA); Very Long Baseline Interferometers (VLBI):
Historical Background. Measuring techniques. Emission mechanisms. Radio sources - optical identification problem. Radio galaxies - Definition, Radio energy generation, Radio structures.  Properties of radio galaxies - optical and radio. Seyfert galaxies.  Active galaxies.  Nuclei of galaxies.  SETI. Radio observation of molecular clouds.  2.7 K background radiation.  The radio sun.  Indian scenario - Ooty radio telescope and GMRT.

Other astronomies - IR, UV, X-ray, gamma ray, Cosmic rays.

7.  Relativity and Cosmology (5 - Units) (Course No.APS ZG532)

Einstein’s Special and General Theories of Relativity. Einstein’s Field Equations and special solutions. Robertson-Walker Metric, Friedman Model and other Cosmological models. Big bang theory and nucleosynthesis.  Inflationary theory.  Steady State Theory.   Early Universe.
COBE and other observations. The emerging outlook.

8. Planetarium Operation and Management (5 - Units) (Course No.APS ZG542)

History of Planetarium Development - Pre Projection Planetarium era - Types of Instruments which have been developed in the last 75 years - Various types of Domes, seating arrangements, etc. - Preparation of Planetarium programmes - Automated audio and video synchronised shows - Planetarium overall management including finance and viability -
Portable planetaria - i ) demountable;  ii) inflatable
 

Dissertation

This is a required component for all higher degree students except for those who opt out and are selected for practice school programme. The unit requirements will vary from 12 to 25 units. It may be registered for one full semester (12-25 units) after completing all courses or may be registered for varied units (4 to 10 units) along with other courses.

NOTE: This is the currently approved semesterwise pattern which may be changed, based on needs by the senate appointed 1.08 committee.
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The fee schedule for the 3-semester programme is as follows:

Admission Fee          :  Rs. 10,000/-
Caution Deposit        :  Rs.   1,000/-
First Semester Fee    :  Rs. 10,000/-
Second Semester Fee:  Rs. 10,000/-
Third Semester Fee   :  Rs. 10,000/-

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Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, Calcutta:

The M. P. Birla Planetarium at Calcutta is a unit of Registered Society "The Birla Institute of Fundamental Research".  The Planetarium was established for educational, scientific and research activities. It was formally inaugurated on 2nd July, 1963 by the Prime Minister of India Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru.  This was the second major Planetarium to be set up in the Commonwealth countries and was the first of its kind in India and the largest in Asia. Syt. M. P. Birla was the driving force behind this and the project was his brainchild.

The Institute has been conducting research on various aspects of astronomy, astrophysics and space sciences and is running a Post Graduate Diploma course and a basic course for popularisation of astronomy, astrophysics and space sciences.

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Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani:

The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani is an all-India Institute for Higher Education deemed to be a University since 1964.  BITS has acquired the reputation of a highly purposive innovative University often setting the pace for workable reforms in higher education suitable and relevant to the national  context.   The Institute operates three tiers of education, namely, the Integrated First Degree Programmes, Higher Degree Programmes and Doctoral Programmes.  An important aspect of education at BITS is its institutionalised linkages with the world of work.  The institute attaches great importance to University-Industry Linkage and gives a mutually reinforcing thrust to it through Practice School as well as the off-campus Distance Learning & Collaborative Programmes specifically in the area of Science & Technology to meet the human resource development requirement of various industries.
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Background

It was in the year 1997 that Prof. R. Subramanian, Director, M. P. Birla Planetarium discussed in detail with Prof. S. Venkateswaran, Director, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (Deemed University) regarding a new M.Phil. Degree Programme in Astronomy and Planetarium Sciences to be registered with Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (Deemed  University) through necessary senate resolution  as an off-campus collaborative education programme through distance learning.  After extensive interaction with all the Deans of Science and Engineering Department of Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani under the overall guidance of Prof. Venkateswaran a detailed syllabus was drawn for a 3-semester M. Phil.  Degree Programme which was duly approved by the senate of Birla Institute of Technology & Science.   A Memorandum of Understanding was entered into between Prof. R. Subramanian on behalf of the Birla Institute of Fundamental Research and Prof. S. Venkateswaran of Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani.

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