Teaching

Courses I teach or supervise at KU Leuven, with links to the official programme pages.

Planetary Systems (Master)

Formation and evolution of planetary systems, from solar-system dynamics to exoplanets, debris disks, and astrobiology. 6 ECTS. KU Leuven website

  • L1 — The plurality of worlds
  • L2 — The dynamics of planetary systems (Part 1)
  • L3 — The dynamics of planetary systems (Part 2)
  • L4 — Extrasolar planets (Part 1): RV, astrometry, timing, and microlensing
  • L5 — Extrasolar planets (Part 2): exoplanet imaging (Romain Laugier)
  • L6 — Extrasolar planets (Part 3): the transit technique
  • L7 — Origin of the solar system and planet formation (Part 1)
  • L8 — Origin of the solar system and planet formation (Part 2)
  • Group presentations — exoplanet research papers
  • L9 — Life in planetary systems

Observational Techniques in Astronomy (Master)

Physical and statistical bases of modern astronomical instrumentation, from coordinate systems and photometry to telescopes, spectroscopy, interferometry, and detectors. Students complete two projects (SED modelling and HERMES data analysis). 6 ECTS. KU Leuven website

  • L1 — General introduction and course content
  • L2 — Introduction: coordinate systems, velocity, and time
  • L3 — Introduction: magnitudes, photometry, and extinction
  • P1 — Project 1: SED modelling
  • L4 — Observing techniques: telescopes and telescope optics
  • L5 — Observing techniques: telescope instruments
  • L6 — Observing techniques: spectroscopy
  • P2 — Project 2: HERMES data analysis
  • L7 — Observing techniques: interferometry
  • L8 — Observing techniques: adaptive optics and turbulence
  • L9 — Observing techniques: detectors
  • Q&A — Q&A session

Astronomical Methods, Tools and Techniques (Bachelor)

Essential methods and concepts of modern astronomy: public data archives, first-order calibration and data reduction, modelling, and the literature tools used to write reports. Theory is paired with practical exercises. Shared with Prof. Hugues Sana. 6 ECTS. KU Leuven website

  • L1 — Introduction
  • L2 — Telescopes (part 1)
  • L3 — Telescopes (part 2)
  • L4 — Detectors (part 1)
  • L5 — Detectors (part 2)
  • L6 — Photometry (part 1)
  • L7 — Photometry (part 2)
  • L8 — Spectroscopy (part 1)
  • L9 — Spectroscopy (part 2)
  • L10 — Models
  • L11 — Planets (part 1)
  • L12 — Planets (part 2)
  • L13 — Simulations

Bachelor projects

Supervised research projects for undergraduate students in astronomy and instrumentation. KU Leuven website