The application of physical theory to celestial systems such as stars, planets, galaxies, supernovae, and black holes. Astrophysics proper is concerned with explaining phenomena more so than making observations, the latter falling under the purview of astronomy.
17
votes
1answer
617 views
What nonlinear deformations will a fast rotating planet exhibit?
It is common knowledge among the educated that the Earth is not exactly spherical, and some of this comes from tidal forces and inhomogeneities but some of it comes from the rotation of the planet ...
13
votes
6answers
818 views
Why isn't dark matter just matter?
There's more gravitational force in our galaxy (and others) than can be explained by counting stars. So why not lots of dark planetery systems (ie without stars) ? Why must we assume some undiscovered ...
17
votes
2answers
340 views
Experimental observation of matter/antimatter in the universe
Ordinary matter and antimatter have the same physical properties when it comes to, for example, spectroscopy. Hydrogen and antihydrogen atoms produce the same spectroscopy when excited, and adsorb the ...
6
votes
4answers
861 views
Shape of the universe
What is the exact shape of the universe?
I know of the balloon analogy, and the bread with raisins in it.
These clarify some points, like how the universe can have no centre, and how it can expand ...
9
votes
3answers
835 views
Age of the Earth and the star that preceded the Sun
One of the great unheralded advances made in the history of science was the ability to determine the age of Earth based on the decay of isotopic uranium. Based on the apparent abundance of uranium in ...
7
votes
4answers
373 views
Is the Fine Stucture constant constant?
I have read that the fine structure constant may well not be a constant. Now, if this were to be true, what would be the effect of a higher or lower value? (and why?)
6
votes
3answers
656 views
Can black holes actually merge?
If time stops at the event horizon, can we ever detect two black holes merging? In other words, if you are a short distance away, would you encounter a spherically symmetric gravitational field, or a ...
9
votes
5answers
759 views
Hubble's law and conservation of energy
If all distances are constantly increasing, as Hubble's law say, then lots of potential energies of form ~$\frac{1}{r}$ changes, so how is the total energy of the Universe conserved with Hubble's ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Why does Venus rotate the opposite direction as other planets?
Given: Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum.
Reverse spinning with dense atmosphere (92 times > Earth & CO2 dominant sulphur based).
Surface same degree of aging all over.
Theoretical large ...
2
votes
2answers
158 views
Are there formulae for calculating stellar luminosity and effective temperature as a function of age?
Is there a manageable formula or set of formulas or simple algorithms that approximate stellar luminosity and effective temperature (or radius) as a function of stellar age?
I'm aware that accurate ...
7
votes
1answer
722 views
Why do galaxies and water going down a plug hole spin?
We all experience things spinning, whether it's water down a drain, the earth on its axis, planets round the sun, or stars in a galaxy - even electrons round an atom.
But why is spin so common in ...
20
votes
6answers
2k views
How fast a (relatively) small black hole will consume the Earth?
This question appeared quite a time ago and was inspired, of course, by all the fuss around "LHC will destroy the Earth".
Consider a small black hole, that is somehow got inside the Earth. Under ...
8
votes
6answers
1k views
The final death of a black hole
What are the different death scenarios for a black hole? I know they can evaporate through Hawking radiation - but is there any other way? What if you just kept shoveling more and more mass and ...
8
votes
3answers
453 views
Evidence for black hole event horizons
I know that there's a lot of evidence for extremely compact bodies. But is there any observation from which we can infer the existence of an actual horizon?
Even if we are able to someday resolve ...
2
votes
2answers
601 views
What are good books for graduates/undergraduates in Astrophysics?
There are no book recommendations for Astrophysics here. I will write my own answer, but I am also interested in what are others' views on the question (I will NOT mark my own answer as the best one).
...
