Students
Astrophysics is one of the three major pillars of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Bonn. This fact, together with a long and successful tradition in the education of astronomy in Bonn, has motivated us to further strengthen the concept of astronomy studies. The opportunity arose with the introduction of the Bachelor/Master studies in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
In the M.Sc. of Astrophysics we also provide stipends for outstanding student proposals.
Bachelor of Science in Physik
Many courses with astronomical content can already be chosen during the B.Sc. in Physics programme.
By choosing astronomy as a compulsory elective subject, introductory lectures are already taken in the first two semesters, in which the entire spectrum of astronomical research, from the stars and gas nebulae of our Milky Way to galaxies, quasars and the universe as a whole, i.e. cosmology, is presented. Around 70% of all Bachelor's students choose astronomy as a compulsory elective subject.
In the proseminar (typically in the 4th semester), a topic from astronomical research can be chosen.
Typically, a course from one of the two Master's programmes (i.e. physics or astrophysics) is taken in the 5th semester; this gives students the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the physics of stars or cosmology at an early stage.
The topic of the Bachelor's thesis (6th semester) can be chosen from an area of astrophysics and often offers a good introduction to future research work as part of the Master's programme.
The B.Sc. in Physics programme therefore offers sufficient flexibility to familiarise students with a variety of astronomical topics in the early stages of their studies.
Since 2023, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Euclid satellite mission will map more than a third of the sky and use gravitational lensing methods and the spatial distribution of matter in the universe to investigate the history of the expansion of the cosmos. The main goal of Euclid is the empirical investigation of so-called dark energy, which is responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe. Astrophysicists from Bonn are playing a central role in this mission.
Master of Science in Astrophysics
A prerequisite for the M.Sc. in Astrophysics programme is a completed Bachelor's degree, usually in physics. Astronomical knowledge acquired there is very helpful for the Master's programme, but is not a mandatory requirement. The degree programme is offered exclusively in English, which helps to ensure a high level of internationality: more than half of all Master's students in Bonn come from abroad.
In addition to the compulsory courses, in which the fundamentals of (astro)physics and the properties of the building blocks of our universe are taught (stars, interstellar medium, galaxies, cosmology), there is a laboratory practical course, in which advanced experiments on astrophysics and experiments on modern topics in physics are carried out, as well as a large number of elective courses that cover the breadth of astrophysical research. The focus of these elective courses is defined by the fields of work of the researchers based at the University of Bonn and the neighbouring Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy: star formation, stellar evolution, supernovae, compact objects such as microquasars, neutron stars and pulsars, black holes, the interstellar medium, star clusters, galaxies, active galactic nuclei (such as quasars), galaxies, galaxies and the interstellar medium. galaxies, cosmology, large-scale structure of the universe, gravitational lensing, sky surveys in different frequency ranges (radio and X-ray astronomy as well as optical astronomy). As part of the Bonn-Cologne Graduate School, courses can also be taken at the University of Cologne, which further increases the variety of topics.
After two semesters of training in the various lectures, internships and seminars as well as a possible four-week project (‘internship’) in one of the research groups, a one-year research phase follows, which results in a Master's thesis at the end.
During this research phase, students become members of a research group. As a rule, they are not only supervised by the respective group leader/lecturer, but also have the other group members as further possible contacts. As the work topics are dedicated to current problems in astrophysical research, the work in the research phase often leads to a publication in a specialised journal.
The new ALMA observatory in Chile is operated by the European Southern Observatory. With its 64 antennas, ALMA analyses the distribution of gas and dust in the cosmos with unprecedented sensitivity and angular resolution, and has already led to groundbreaking results in many areas, from star formation in our Milky Way to the evolution of distant galaxies. Bonn is home to several groups conducting intensive research with ALMA, as well as the German ALMA Regional Centre.
Furture perspectives
In the course of the programme, especially in the research phase, students acquire a wide range of knowledge that goes far beyond purely astronomical expertise, such as image processing, statistical methods, handling large amounts of data, data reduction and analysis, different programming languages and methods of graphical representation of quantitative relationships: Image processing, statistical methods, handling large amounts of data, data reduction and analysis, different programming languages and methods of graphical representation of quantitative relationships, scientific writing or scientific English. This knowledge and experience provides an excellent foundation for your future career.
Kontakt
Office hours
In preparation, dates and times are placeholders!
- Montag - Donnerstag
09.30 - 12.00 Uhr - Montag - Dienstag
13.30 - 15.00 Uhr - Donnestag
13.30 - 17.00 Uhr - Mittwochnachmittag und freitags
geschlossen