Astrophysics is the science that studies the universe as a whole, which includes comets, galaxies, and planets. To study the vastness of the universe, astrophysicists usually focus on four different sections. 1) the knowledge of the Solar System deals with understanding everything related to the Sun and the magnetic systems related to it,
2) the knowledge that focuses on the stars to determine what the interior of the stars is like and the explosive phenomena that take place in the universe (the so-called gamma ray bursts),
3) knowledge of the structure and evolution of our galaxy and the central hole in it and
4) the knowledge of extragalactic physics and the analysis of the universe as a whole (this section of astrophysics is known as cosmology).
Astrophysics studies
A student considering studying astrophysics should know that there are general subjects such as mathematics, electromagnetism, optics, computing or electronics. Already in the astronomy section, there are subjects such as cosmology, fluid physics, thermodynamics, photometry, star physics or the main theories of this science (for example, the theory of relativity).
Astrophysics, astronomy, cosmology and astrology
When we think about the universe and its complexity, we must bear in mind that there are several disciplines related to it.
First of all, astrology is a pseudoscience that explains the relationship between people and the situation of the planets based on the date of birth. Astrology is not scientifically recognized and is rather a system of divination.
Astrophysics is the physics projected towards astronomy. Thus, nuclear fusion is a physical process, which is used to study the relationships between electromagnetic radiation and the matter of the universe and all this is done from a theoretical vision called stellar evolution.
Astronomy is the science of space and focuses on the knowledge of the laws and theories that govern the universe (for example, the Big Bang theory or the law of universal gravitation).
Cosmology is an area of astrophysics and studies the dynamics, structures and evolution of the Universe. Scientific cosmology must be differentiated from religious or philosophical cosmology, two disciplines that have a rational and spiritual dimension but not strictly scientific.
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