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/sci/ - Science & Math

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4643868 No.4643868 [Reply] [Original]

Stopped taking physics last year
Suddenly got super interested in astronomy
Possible to study astronomy with little to no experience in physics?
Or should I not try and apply for Astronomy major in college because I will fail?

>> No.4643877

At my college an astronomy major is really a major in astrophysics, you will still end up taking all the basic physics courses, probably through quantum mechanics.

>> No.4643884

>>4643877
Are you implying that I might be able to get in / survive?

I have no real deep knowledge of this subject, but I am reading all the articles I can find.

>> No.4643886
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4643886

>>4643868
>Possible to study astronomy with little to no experience in physics

Nope. Astronomy is pretty much just a branch of physics. It is taught that way at many universities, with most classes overlapping (at least at undergrad level).

>> No.4643893

Astronomy is NOT astrophysics. If you can do algebra you can probably make it through an astronomy minor (don't know about a major, my university doesn't have one). Also I'm a physics grad student and I TA'd Astro 1 last quarter, and the math is so trivial a middle school student can do it.

>> No.4643904

>>4643886
What I meant to say that I don't have any deep knowledge of physics. I took many courses and stopped after one that had to do with frequencies of light and such.

>> No.4643905

Not OP, but on a similar topic:

What would be the best resources for starmaps, both from earth's perspective and the galaxy as a whole? I already have a sound basis on physics and history of the stars, but I can't individually name any. I'd like to be able to.

>> No.4643907
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4643907

>>4643893
But that is an babby intro course dipshit.

The math and content will get signifiganly harder as you actually persue astronomy all the way up to general relitivity and quantum cosmology level.

>> No.4643911

>>4643907

That's not astronomy though, that is legitimately astrophysics.

>> No.4643916
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4643916

>>4643904
Just think of astronomy as a branch of physics (which it fucking is).

If you aren't able to get a good grasp on undergrad physics, then you will not have a very good grasp on astronomy. If you can;t understand basic light shit, you won't get astronomy either. Get off your ass and go study more math/physics, then come back to astronomy when you are up to speed.

>> No.4643930

>>4643916
Problem wasn't that I was too dumb to understand, I was just overwhelmed because of math and chemistry too.
I have taken most of the physics courses that my school has to offer and planning on going to night school to take the rest.

>> No.4643934

>>4643907

Dude my bad, I just looked at the requirements for an astro minor, and it's virtually impossible to get it without getting a physics major as well.

>> No.4643936

>>4643930

Curiosity, passion and drive matter most OP. If you love astronomy then go for it. You will need lots of math and physics so you had better get used to it. You'll basically need a physics undergrad degree anyway as astronomy involves mechanics, em, quantum and thermo. I have a BS in physics but I'm doing astrophysics PhD. Questions welcome.

>> No.4643943

>>4643936

Wherefrom?
I am currently studying in USA but I feel that the quality of education is bad here so I will go back to Finland to finish my senior year.

>> No.4643949

Read about the energy trap. It's literally nonsensical at this point to plan for a future in which you will need a supermarket to feed yourself.

http://physics.ucsd.edu/do-the-math/2011/10/the-energy-trap/

>> No.4643955

>>4643868
>Possible to study astronomy with little to no experience in physics?
>Possible to study quantum mechanics with little to no experience in physics?
>Possible to study general relativity with little to no experience in physics?
>Possible to study experimental astrophysics with little to no experience in physics?

>> No.4643965

>>4643943

US. Texas to be precise. I dont know what the colleges are like in Europe but the US has some of the best schools for science (grad and undergrad) in the world