Polarization of light: basic concepts and applications in astrophysics

Abstract The astrophysics allows to understand applications about physical laws and it constitutes a powerful, didactic tool for the teaching. Concepts of the electromagnetism, such as the polarization of the light let us study different astronomical objects, such as stars, planets and galaxies. This work shows an historical revision about the polarization, physical concepts described by Maxwell's equation. Also, some concepts as polarization states, Stokes parameters and polarization processes will be presented. As well applications in solar physics, planetary systems, interstellar matter, Astronomical Massers, pulsars and Active Galactic Nuclei will be described in this article.