Theoretical Part (ภาคทฤษฎี)

1. Basic Astrophysics and Basic Calculus (ดาราฟิสิกส์เบื้องต้นและแคลคูลัสเบื้องต้น)

1.1 Basic Calculus (Differentiation, Integration)

1.2 Celestial Mechanics (Newton’s Laws of Gravitation, Kepler’s Laws for circular and non-circular orbits, Roche limit, barycentre, 2-body problem, Lagrange points)

1.3 Electromagnetic Theory & Quantum Physics (Electromagnetic spectrum, Radiation Laws, Blackbody radiation)

1.4 Thermodynamics (Thermodynamic equilibrium, Ideal gas, Energy transfer)

1.5 Spectroscopy and Atomic Physics (Absorption, Emission, Scattering, Spectra of Celestial objects, Doppler effect, Line formations, Continuum spectra, Splitting and Broadening of spectral lines, polarisation)

1.6 Nuclear Physics (Basic concepts including structure of atom, Mass defect and binding energy Radioactivity, Neutrinos)

2. Coordinates and Times

2.1 Celestial Sphere (Spherical trigonometry, Celestial coordinates and their applications, Equinox and Solstice, Circumpolar stars, Constellations and Zodiac)

2.2 Concept of Time (Solar time, Sidereal time, Julian date, Heliocentric Julian date, Time zone, Universal Time, Local Mean Time, Different definitions of “year”, Equation of time)

3. Solar System

3.1 The Sun (Solar structure, Solar surface activities, Solar rotation, Solar radiation and Solar constant, Solar neutrinos, Sun-Earth relations, Role of magnetic fields, Solar wind and radiation pressure, Heliosphere, Magnetosphere)

3.2 The Solar System (Earth-Moon System, precession, nutation, libration, Formation and evolution of the Solar System, Structure and components of the Solar System, Structure and orbits of the Solar System objects, Sidereal and Synodic periods, Retrograde motion, Outer reaches of the solar system)

3.3 Space Exploration (Satellite trajectories and transfers, Human exploration of the Solar System, planetary missions, Sling-shot effect of gravity, Space-based instruments)

3.4 Phenomena (Tides, Seasons, Eclipses, Aurorae, Meteor Showers)

4. Stars (การก่อกำเนิดและการวิวัฒนาการของดาวฤกษ์)

4.1 Stellar Properties (Methods of Distance determination, Radiation, Luminosity and magnitude, Color indices and temperature, Determination of radii and masses, Stellar motion, Irregular and regular stellar variabilities – broad classification & properties, Cepheids & period-luminosity relation, Physics of pulsation)

4.2 Stellar Interior and Atmospheres (Stellar equilibrium, Stellar nucleosynthesis, Energy transportation, Boundary conditions, Stellar atmospheres and atmospheric spectra –

4.3 Stellar Evolution (Stellar formation, Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, Pre-Main Sequence, Main Sequence, Post-Main Sequence stars, supernovae, planetary nebulae, End states of stars)

5. Stellar Systems (ระบบดาวฤกษ์)

5.1 Binary Star Systems (Different types of binary stars, Mass determination in binary star systems, Light and radial velocity curves of eclipsing binary systems, Doppler shifts in binary systems, interacting binaries, peculiar binary systems)

5.2 Exoplanets (Techniques used to detect exoplanets)

5.3 Star Clusters (Classification and Structure, Mass, age, luminosity and distance determination)

5.4 Milky Way Galaxy (Structure and composition, Rotation, Satellites of Milky Way)

5.5 Interstellar Medium (Gas, dust, HII regions, 21cm radiation, nebulae, interstellar absorption, dispersion measure, Faraday rotation Techniques used to detect exoplanets)

5.6 Galaxies (Classifications based on structure, composition and activity, Mass, luminosity and distance determination, Rotation curves)

5.7 Accretion Processes (Basic concepts (spherical and disc accretion), Eddington luminosity)

6. Cosmology (เอกภพวิทยา)

6.1 Elementary Cosmology (Expanding Universe and Hubble’s Law, Cluster of galaxies, Dark matter, Dark energy, Gravitational lensing, Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, Big Bang, Alternative models of the Universe, Large scale structure, Distance measurement at cosmological scale, cosmological redshift)

Practical Part

This part consists of 2 sections: observations and data analysis sections. The theoretical part of the Syllabus provides the basis for all
problems in the practical part.

The observations section focuses on contestant’s experience in

1. naked-eye observations,
2. usage of sky maps and catalogues,
3. application of coordinate systems in the sky, magnitude estimation, estimation of angular separation
4. usage of basic astronomical instruments-telescopes and various detectors for observations but enough instructions must be provided to
   the contestants. Observational objects may be from real sources in the sky or imitated sources in the laboratory. Computer simulations may be
   used in the problems but sufficient instructions must be provided to the contestants.

The data analysis section focuses on the calculation and analysis of the astronomical data provided in the problems. Additional requirements
are as follows:

1. Proper identification of error sources, calculation of errors, and estimation of their influence on the final results.
2. Proper use of graph papers with different scales, e.g., polar and logarithmic papers. Transformation of the data to get a linear plot
   and finding “Best Fit” line approximately.
3. Basic statistical analysis of the observational data.
4. Knowledge of the most common experimental techniques for measuring physical quantities mentioned in Part A.