branches of astronomy.docx - Branches of astronomy...

Branches of astronomy
Astrobiology – studies the advent and evolution of biological systems in
the universe.
Astrophysics – branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the
universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as
their interactions and behavior.[1] Among the objects studied are
galaxies, stars, planets, exoplanets, the interstellar medium and the
cosmic microwave background; and the properties examined include
luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition. The
subdisciplines of theoretical astrophysics are:
Compact objects – this subdiscipline studies very dense matter in white
dwarfs and neutron stars and their effects on environments including
accretion.
Physical cosmology – origin and evolution of the universe as a whole.
The study of cosmology is theoretical astrophysics at its largest scale.
Quantum cosmology - the study of cosmology through the use of
quantum field theory to explain phenomena general relativity cannot