University of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics - Central Authentication System

Celestial Mechanics

General data

Course ID:	1104-4A22
Erasmus code / ISCED:	13.704 The subject classification code consists of three to five digits, where the first three represent the classification of the discipline according to the Discipline code list applicable to the Socrates/Erasmus program, the fourth (usually 0) - possible further specification of discipline information, the fifth - the degree of subject determined based on the year of study for which the subject is intended. / (0533) Physics The ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) code has been designed by UNESCO.
Course title:	Celestial Mechanics
Name in Polish:	Mechanika nieba
Organizational unit:	Faculty of Physics
Course groups:	Astronomy (2nd level); 1st year courses
Course homepage:	http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/~kiraga/Mech13.html
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores):	6.00 Basic information on ECTS credits allocation principles: the annual hourly workload of the student’s work required to achieve the expected learning outcomes for a given stage is 1500-1800h, corresponding to 60 ECTS; the student’s weekly hourly workload is 45 h; 1 ECTS point corresponds to 25-30 hours of student work needed to achieve the assumed learning outcomes; weekly student workload necessary to achieve the assumed learning outcomes allows to obtain 1.5 ECTS; work required to pass the course, which has been assigned 3 ECTS, constitutes 10% of the semester student load.
Language:	Polish
Prerequisites (description):	Basic knowledge of classical mechanics.
Mode:	Classroom
Short description:	Introduction to basic problems of celestial mechanics and its applications. The lecture is divided into two main parts. The first is related to the Solar System, planetary systems and binary stars (two body problem, perturbations, limited three body problem). The second is the introduction to the dynamics of stellar systems (galaxies, stellar clusters).
Full description:	1. Historical overview of problems related to celestial mechanics (observations of planetary motion, Kepler laws). 2. Introductory information about Solar System and extrasolar planetary systems. 3. Two body problem and its applications. 4. Perturbations of planetary motion (perturbation equations due to Lagrange, Gauss and Euler) 5. Limited three body problem. 6. Basic astronautics 7. Non gravitational effects in small body motion. 8. Observational data about the Galaxy and other stellar systems 9. Stellar orbits in galactic disc. 10. Statistical description of stellar distribution 11. Two body interactions and relaxation time. 12 Spiral structure.
Bibliography:	Lecture presentations: http://www.astrouw.edu.pl/~kiraga/Mech13.html Paweł Artymowicz, "Astrofizyka układów planetarnych", PWN, Warszawa 1995. Stefan Wierzbiński, "Mechnika nieba", PWN, Warszawa 1973. Forest R. Moulton, "An introduction to celestial mechanics", The MacMillan Company 1914. Michał Jaroszyński, "Galaktyki i budowa Wszechświata", PWN, Warszawa 1993 James Binney, Scott Tremaine, "Galactic dynamics", Princeton University Press, 1987
Learning outcomes:	(in Polish) Wiedza: 1. Znajomość budowy i własności Układu Słonecznego, Galaktyki i typowych układów gwiazdowych. 2. Znajomość rozwiązań zagadnienia dwóch ciał i ograniczonego zagadnienia trzech ciał. 3. Znajomość schematu obliczeń perturbacji ruchu ciał. 4. Znajomość podstawowych metod statystycznego opisu układów gwiazdowych. Umiejętności: 1. Potrafi wyznaczyć obserwowaną pozycję obiektu na podstawie znajomości elementów orbitalnych. 2. Potrafi wyznaczyć niezaburzone elementy orbity ciała na podstawie obserwacji. 3. Potrafi w przybliżony sposób obliczać trajektorie sond kosmicznych.
Assessment methods and assessment criteria:	home works test in the middle of the semester written exam Oral exam
Internships:	none

Classes in period "Summer semester 2024/25" (past)

Time span:	2025-02-17 - 2025-06-08	Selected timetable range: weekly course term Go to timetable MO WYK TU CW W TH FR
Type of class:	Classes, 30 hours, 15 places more information Lecture, 30 hours, 15 places more information
Coordinators:	Marcin Kiraga
Group instructors:	Marcin Kiraga
Students list:	(inaccessible to you)
Credit:	Course - Examination Lecture - Examination

Classes in period "Summer semester 2025/26" (in progress)

Time span:	2026-02-16 - 2026-06-07	Selected timetable range: weekly course term Go to timetable MO WYK TU CW W TH FR
Type of class:	Classes, 30 hours, 15 places more information Lecture, 30 hours, 15 places more information
Coordinators:	Marcin Kiraga
Group instructors:	Marcin Kiraga
Students list:	(inaccessible to you)
Credit:	Course - Examination Lecture - Examination

Course descriptions are protected by copyright.
Copyright by University of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics.