Astronomy

• knowledge of basic astronimical concepts and objects and evolution of the Universe
• interdisciplinary problem solving in astronomical tutorials and observations

Enrollment into the current study year. For the exchange students, meeting of the course prerequisites will be checked by the Study committee of the school.

History of astronomy, basics of orientation and astronomical observations, main properties of telescopes
- Kepler laws
- Our and other solar systems, Sun
- Stars: basic properties, HR diagram, a brief description of the development of stars from birth to the final stage
- Galaxies: structure, types and basic properties
- Cosmology: a brief description of the origin and evolution of the universe
- Observations, work with computer guided telescope
- Basics of astrophotography
- Analysis and reduction of astronomical images
- One observational exercises

Students will become familiar with:
- astronomy instrumentation
- development of our understaning of the Universe
- properties of astronomical objects
- astronomical observations with a modern telescope

Basic:

• A. Gomboc: Osnove astronomije, Nova Gorica : Založba Univerze, 2025. E-version
• H. Karttunen et al: Fundamental Astronomy, Springer, 6th edition, 2017. Catalogue
• B.W. Caroll, D.A. Ostlie: An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Addison-Wesley; 2nd edition, 2006. Catalogue

Additional:

• A. Fraknoi, D. Morrison, S. C. Wolff: Astronomy, Openstax, 2016. Catalogue E-version

• written tests, writen exam, experimental project report
• oral exam

Prof. dr. Andreja Gomboc se raziskovalno največ ukvarja s plimskim raztrganjem zvezd v bližini masivnih črnih lukenj, izbruhi sevanja gama in dogodki gravitacijskih valov. Je članica več mednarodnih kolaboracij, med njimi Gaia in Rubin LSST. Doslej je objavila več kot 130 znanstvenih člankov v mednarodnih referiranih revijah. Je avtorica učbenika Osnove astronomije izdane pri založbi UNG leta 2025.

Prof. Dr. Andreja Gomboc main filed of research are tidal distruption of stars by massive black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and gravitational wave events. She is a member of seveal international astrophysical collaborations, e.g. Gaia, Rubin LSST. She has published more than 130 scientific papers in international refereed journals. She is the author of the textbook Astronomy Fundamentals, published in 2025 by UNG Press.

Izbrane objave /selected publications:

1. G. Ghirlanda et al (incl. A. Gomboc). HERMES: Gamma-ray burst and gravitational wave counterpart hunter. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 689, id.A175, 2024.
2. Gaia Collaboration (incl. A. Gomboc). Discovery of a dormant 33 solar-mass black hole in pre- release Gaia astrometry. Astronomy & Astrophysics, 686, id.L2, 2024.

3. T. Jankovič, C. Bonnerot, A. Gomboc. Spin-induced offset stream self-crossing shocks in tidal disruption events. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 529, 1, 2024.

4. K. Bučar Bricman, S. Van Velzen, M. Nicholl, A. Gomboc. Rubin Observatory's Survey Strategy Performance for Tidal Disruption Events. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 268, 1, 2023.

5. T. Jankovič, A. Gomboc. The Mass Fallback Rate of the Debris in Relativistic Stellar Tidal Disruption Events. The Astrophysical Journal, 946, 1, 2023.

6. K.M. Hambleton et al (incl. A. Gomboc). Rubin Observatory LSST Transients and Variable Stars Roadmap. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 135, 1052, 2023.

7. K. Bricman, A. Gomboc. The Prospects of Observing Tidal Disruption Events with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. The Astrophysical Journal, 890, 1, 2020.

8. S. Covino et al. (incl. A. Gomboc). The unpolarized macronova associated with the gravitational wave event GW 170817. Nature Astronomy, 1: 791-794, 2017.