本講義では、赤外線天文衛星「あかり」がもたらした成果を中心に、欧米のHerschel/Spitzer衛星による数々の例が紹介される。それによって、宇宙の星間空間にどのような固体微粒子が存在し、それらが星形成や銀河進化・物質進化にどういった役割を果たすのか、宇宙赤外線天文学の総合的な知識を取得する。

In this course, observational results obtained by AKARI, the Japanese infrared astronomical satellite, are shown together with those by Herschel and Spitzer, the Europe- and the U.S.-led infrared astronomical satellite, respectively. Students will gain a wide knowledge of space infrared astronomy, particularly on what kind of solid-state particles (dust grains) are present in the universe, how they are distributed, and how important they are in the processes of star formation and the evolution of galaxies and matter.