Fundamentals of Astronomy: A guide for Olympiads

This book covers the fundamentals of astronomy, such as coordinate systems, transformation of coordinates, measurement of time, telescopes, the black body, flux and magnitude, the cosmic distance ladder, celestial mechanics and Kepler's laws, the motion of planets and transfer orbits. Each chapter contains many exercises and problems to help the readers familiarise themselves with the contents. Part of the questions were selected from more than 10 different National Astronomy Olympiads, the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) and the International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO). At the end of the book there are detailed solutions to all the exercises and problems. The only prerequisite is a basic knowledge of high school mathematics and physics. Slightly more advanced mathematical tools are covered in the appendix, making the book self-contained. This book is specifically aimed at students preparing for the regional and national phases of the Astronomy Olympiads, but will also represent a valuable resource for those selected to represent their countries at international competitions. For more information, visit the website: www.astrolympiad.com. Read more