Spring 2027

Basic Astrophysics II

Basic Astrophysics II introduces physical concepts for analyzing astrophysical dynamics, covering particle and fluid dynamics, gravitational dynamics, and magneto-hydrodynamics.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Ellen Zweibel3.6/5

Summary

1 / 2

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.12 GPA, 25.0% A/AB (n=4 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.67 GPA, 83.3% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.57 GPA, 64.3% A/AB (n=14 letter grades).

What you’ll be able to do

  • Demonstrate proficiency in the basic physics of astrophysics.

  • Obtain the necessary preparation to succeed in a rigorous curriculum of graduate level astronomy.

  • Apply a quantitative understanding of the physical underpinnings of fluid dynamics to problems drawn from astrophysical contexts.

  • Derive and apply the basic equations that govern the role of magnetic fields in astrophysical fluids.

  • Demonstrate a basic understanding of the role and occurrence of turbulence in astrophysical fluids.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
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All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

Graduate/professional standing

  • Graduate/professional standing
ASTRON 702

This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Graduate/professional standing

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 2.00/5 from 1 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2019: 3.55 GPA, 70.0% A/AB (n=10 letter grades); Spring 2020: 3.69 GPA, 87.5% A/AB (n=8 letter grades); Spring 2022: 3.12 GPA, 25.0% A/AB (n=4 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

ELLEN ZWEIBEL is recorded teaching in Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Spring 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 200

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2022: 3.12 GPA, 25.0% A/AB (n=4 letter grades); Spring 2023: 3.67 GPA, 83.3% A/AB (n=6 letter grades); Spring 2024: 3.57 GPA, 64.3% A/AB (n=14 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

No workload feedback recorded.

Topics

  • Particle and fluid dynamics of stellar and gaseous systems
  • Gravitational dynamics, two-body relaxation, and phase space
  • Fluid dynamics equations applied to waves, shocks, winds, accretion, and instabilities
  • Introduction to magneto-hydrodynamics

Skills

  • Apply fundamental equations of fluid dynamics to astrophysical phenomena like waves, shocks, and accretion.
  • Derive and apply equations governing magnetic fields in astrophysical fluids.
  • Understand the role and occurrence of turbulence in astrophysical fluids.

Grades

Latest available · Spring 2024— not enough history to project Spring 2027.

average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
Instructor

Grade distribution · % of letter grades

A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

Grades over time

Through Spring 2024

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

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Selected offering source records
ASTRON 702 · Spring 2027

Basic Astrophysics II

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:188:022985",
    "course_id": "ASTRON 702",
    "course_uid": "course_8253125a80812597c402ea47",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "022985",
    "source_subject_id": "188",
    "title": "Basic Astrophysics II",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Occasionally"
  }
]
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Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

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Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

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Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "ec40ce00bfeeb7801fec581d355184ec1e4fdc539eb3b4b1aa2b2e0d1e5c87d8",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}