Stellarium – a valuable resource for teaching astronomy in the
... symbol to locate the planet (e.g. Jupiter) and advancing the date a month at a time. The planet will move relative to the constellations. (The movement can be seen more clearly if the constellation drawings are switched on). As the earth goes on its way around the sun the rotation axis of the earth ...
... symbol to locate the planet (e.g. Jupiter) and advancing the date a month at a time. The planet will move relative to the constellations. (The movement can be seen more clearly if the constellation drawings are switched on). As the earth goes on its way around the sun the rotation axis of the earth ...
THE HERTZSPRUNG-RUSSELL DIAGRAM
... Milky Way is a continuing process—the stars in the Galaxy didn’t all form at the same time. The main sequence in the middle of the plot, where we have the largest number of stars, is quite broad—much wider than the error on the colour measurement (which is <0.025 magnitudes, remember). This is a rea ...
... Milky Way is a continuing process—the stars in the Galaxy didn’t all form at the same time. The main sequence in the middle of the plot, where we have the largest number of stars, is quite broad—much wider than the error on the colour measurement (which is <0.025 magnitudes, remember). This is a rea ...
Altair - the hottest `cool` star in X-rays
... to contribute at a few percent level. These properties are quite typical for weakly active stars and similar to those of the quiescent Sun. This suggests that large active regions or significant flaring components are virtually absent on the surface of Altair. Instead, the corona appears to be domin ...
... to contribute at a few percent level. These properties are quite typical for weakly active stars and similar to those of the quiescent Sun. This suggests that large active regions or significant flaring components are virtually absent on the surface of Altair. Instead, the corona appears to be domin ...
Put your title in here…
... Outline Overview of Black Holes The Stellar Disruption Event The Flare The Stellar Wind Core Remnants ...
... Outline Overview of Black Holes The Stellar Disruption Event The Flare The Stellar Wind Core Remnants ...
Galactic Archaeology: Current Surveys
... worldwide transferral of resources to larger (and larger) facilities. It is clear that 4 m class telescopes - and smaller - still have a critical role to play, particularly in spectroscopic surveys. The 6 degree field-of-view of the UK Schmidt telescope and the ∼ 100 multiplexing capability of the 6 ...
... worldwide transferral of resources to larger (and larger) facilities. It is clear that 4 m class telescopes - and smaller - still have a critical role to play, particularly in spectroscopic surveys. The 6 degree field-of-view of the UK Schmidt telescope and the ∼ 100 multiplexing capability of the 6 ...
Earth in Space - Learning Outcomes
... The development of what we know about the Earth, Solar System and Universe is a fascinating study in its own right. From earliest times Man has wondered at and speculated over the ‘Nature of the Heavens’. It is hardly surprising that most people (until around 1500 A.D.) thought that the Sun revolved ...
... The development of what we know about the Earth, Solar System and Universe is a fascinating study in its own right. From earliest times Man has wondered at and speculated over the ‘Nature of the Heavens’. It is hardly surprising that most people (until around 1500 A.D.) thought that the Sun revolved ...
Word
... frequency increases if source and receiver are coming together and decreases if they are moving apart. For electromagnetic waves, including radar, which travel through empty space, the Doppler effect depends only on the relative velocity v of source and receiver. No meaning can be attached to their ...
... frequency increases if source and receiver are coming together and decreases if they are moving apart. For electromagnetic waves, including radar, which travel through empty space, the Doppler effect depends only on the relative velocity v of source and receiver. No meaning can be attached to their ...
Cepheus (constellation)
... between 3.5m and 4.4m over a period of 5 days and 9 hours. The Cepheids are a class of pulsating variable stars; Delta Cephei has a minimum size of 40 solar diameters and a maximum size of 46 solar diameters. It is also a double star; the yellow star also has a wide-set blue-hued companion of magnit ...
... between 3.5m and 4.4m over a period of 5 days and 9 hours. The Cepheids are a class of pulsating variable stars; Delta Cephei has a minimum size of 40 solar diameters and a maximum size of 46 solar diameters. It is also a double star; the yellow star also has a wide-set blue-hued companion of magnit ...
Chapter 6: Stellar Evolution (part 2)
... First observed visually on Feb. 24, 1987 in the LMC. Kind of unique light-curve and intrinsically dimmer, compared with the “normal” Type II SNe. Progenitor: B3 I blue supergiant (16-20 M ). The key evidence for the core collapse and the formation of a neutron star is the detection of the neutrinos ...
... First observed visually on Feb. 24, 1987 in the LMC. Kind of unique light-curve and intrinsically dimmer, compared with the “normal” Type II SNe. Progenitor: B3 I blue supergiant (16-20 M ). The key evidence for the core collapse and the formation of a neutron star is the detection of the neutrinos ...
How to Measure the Earth - Ramapo College of New Jersey
... the Earth: using the lengths of shadows, the elevation of stars, or the altitude of a mountain. Explaining these methods can be done in roughly two hours of class time. If an instructor wants to assign students a project to carry out one of these calculations then one or two more hours may be needed ...
... the Earth: using the lengths of shadows, the elevation of stars, or the altitude of a mountain. Explaining these methods can be done in roughly two hours of class time. If an instructor wants to assign students a project to carry out one of these calculations then one or two more hours may be needed ...
2011-GravLens
... Abell 2218, a cluster of galaxies about 2 billion light-years away, was used as lens to see a galaxy some 13 billion years old This galaxy at the background of the Abell 2218 A faint galaxy is outlined by a white ring in the shape of a Abell 2218 is seen from Earth as it would have been just 750 sau ...
... Abell 2218, a cluster of galaxies about 2 billion light-years away, was used as lens to see a galaxy some 13 billion years old This galaxy at the background of the Abell 2218 A faint galaxy is outlined by a white ring in the shape of a Abell 2218 is seen from Earth as it would have been just 750 sau ...
Bill Gray 168 Ridge Road Bowdoinham, ME 04008 ph (207) 666
... to collect as many images as possible in an effort to find where the software breaks down. So far, it doesn't. As long as the image contains at least three or four GSC stars (three usually works, four always does), the software always finds a match, and is then able to improve it by doing a least-sq ...
... to collect as many images as possible in an effort to find where the software breaks down. So far, it doesn't. As long as the image contains at least three or four GSC stars (three usually works, four always does), the software always finds a match, and is then able to improve it by doing a least-sq ...
a wide-field survey for variable stars
... formation. To further complicate the picture, infrared observations indicate that T Tauri itself is part of a multiple system and suggest that the associated Hind’s Nebula may also contain a very young stellar object. This remarkable color image spans about 4 light-years across, at the estimated dis ...
... formation. To further complicate the picture, infrared observations indicate that T Tauri itself is part of a multiple system and suggest that the associated Hind’s Nebula may also contain a very young stellar object. This remarkable color image spans about 4 light-years across, at the estimated dis ...
description
... Discover which constellations are the key “sign posts” and be able to find the location of all the constellations in the sky from these sign posts. Are the stars within a constellation connected to each other? Probably not. The stars within one constellation are all at different distances from us, o ...
... Discover which constellations are the key “sign posts” and be able to find the location of all the constellations in the sky from these sign posts. Are the stars within a constellation connected to each other? Probably not. The stars within one constellation are all at different distances from us, o ...
Unit 11: Dark Energy
... to study the fuzzy "nebulae" mixed in among the point-like images of stars. They found it difficult to determine what these pinwheel-like objects were because they did not know whether they were nearby small systems where one star was forming or distant large objects as big as the whole Milky Way. D ...
... to study the fuzzy "nebulae" mixed in among the point-like images of stars. They found it difficult to determine what these pinwheel-like objects were because they did not know whether they were nearby small systems where one star was forming or distant large objects as big as the whole Milky Way. D ...
A novel and sensitive method for measuring very weak magnetic
... efficiencies of low-resolution spectropolarimetery (using most or all of the Balmer lines) with the new method (using only the core of Hα). Conclusions. The new method of field detection reaches the level of sensitivity that was expected. It appears that for suitable DA stars, about the same field unc ...
... efficiencies of low-resolution spectropolarimetery (using most or all of the Balmer lines) with the new method (using only the core of Hα). Conclusions. The new method of field detection reaches the level of sensitivity that was expected. It appears that for suitable DA stars, about the same field unc ...
Observational astronomy
Observational astronomy is a division of the astronomical science that is concerned with recording data, in contrast with theoretical astrophysics, which is mainly concerned with finding out the measurable implications of physical models. It is the practice of observing celestial objects by using telescopes and other astronomical apparatus.As a science, the study of astronomy is somewhat hindered in that direct experiments with the properties of the distant universe are not possible. However, this is partly compensated by the fact that astronomers have a vast number of visible examples of stellar phenomena that can be examined. This allows for observational data to be plotted on graphs, and general trends recorded. Nearby examples of specific phenomena, such as variable stars, can then be used to infer the behavior of more distant representatives. Those distant yardsticks can then be employed to measure other phenomena in that neighborhood, including the distance to a galaxy.Galileo Galilei turned a telescope to the heavens and recorded what he saw. Since that time, observational astronomy has made steady advances with each improvement in telescope technology.A traditional division of observational astronomy is given by the region of the electromagnetic spectrum observed: Optical astronomy is the part of astronomy that uses optical components (mirrors, lenses and solid-state detectors) to observe light from near infrared to near ultraviolet wavelengths. Visible-light astronomy (using wavelengths that can be detected with the eyes, about 400 - 700 nm) falls in the middle of this range. Infrared astronomy deals with the detection and analysis of infrared radiation (this typically refers to wavelengths longer than the detection limit of silicon solid-state detectors, about 1 μm wavelength). The most common tool is the reflecting telescope but with a detector sensitive to infrared wavelengths. Space telescopes are used at certain wavelengths where the atmosphere is opaque, or to eliminate noise (thermal radiation from the atmosphere). Radio astronomy detects radiation of millimetre to dekametre wavelength. The receivers are similar to those used in radio broadcast transmission but much more sensitive. See also Radio telescopes. High-energy astronomy includes X-ray astronomy, gamma-ray astronomy, and extreme UV astronomy, as well as studies of neutrinos and cosmic rays.Optical and radio astronomy can be performed with ground-based observatories, because the atmosphere is relatively transparent at the wavelengths being detected. Observatories are usually located at high altitudes so as to minimise the absorption and distortion caused by the Earth's atmosphere. Some wavelengths of infrared light are heavily absorbed by water vapor, so many infrared observatories are located in dry places at high altitude, or in space.The atmosphere is opaque at the wavelengths used by X-ray astronomy, gamma-ray astronomy, UV astronomy and (except for a few wavelength ""windows"") far infrared astronomy, so observations must be carried out mostly from balloons or space observatories. Powerful gamma rays can, however be detected by the large air showers they produce, and the study of cosmic rays is a rapidly expanding branch of astronomy.For much of the history of observational astronomy, almost all observation was performed in the visual spectrum with optical telescopes. While the Earth's atmosphere is relatively transparent in this portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, most telescope work is still dependent on seeing conditions and air transparency, and is generally restricted to the night time. The seeing conditions depend on the turbulence and thermal variations in the air. Locations that are frequently cloudy or suffer from atmospheric turbulence limit the resolution of observations. Likewise the presence of the full Moon can brighten up the sky with scattered light, hindering observation of faint objects.For observation purposes, the optimal location for an optical telescope is undoubtedly in outer space. There the telescope can make observations without being affected by the atmosphere. However, at present it remains costly to lift telescopes into orbit. Thus the next best locations are certain mountain peaks that have a high number of cloudless days and generally possess good atmospheric conditions (with good seeing conditions). The peaks of the islands of Mauna Kea, Hawaii and La Palma possess these properties, as to a lesser extent do inland sites such as Llano de Chajnantor, Paranal, Cerro Tololo and La Silla in Chile. These observatory locations have attracted an assemblage of powerful telescopes, totalling many billion US dollars of investment.The darkness of the night sky is an important factor in optical astronomy. With the size of cities and human populated areas ever expanding, the amount of artificial light at night has also increased. These artificial lights produce a diffuse background illumination that makes observation of faint astronomical features very difficult without special filters. In a few locations such as the state of Arizona and in the United Kingdom, this has led to campaigns for the reduction of light pollution. The use of hoods around street lights not only improves the amount of light directed toward the ground, but also helps reduce the light directed toward the sky.Atmospheric effects (astronomical seeing) can severely hinder the resolution of a telescope. Without some means of correcting for the blurring effect of the shifting atmosphere, telescopes larger than about 15–20 cm in aperture can not achieve their theoretical resolution at visible wavelengths. As a result, the primary benefit of using very large telescopes has been the improved light-gathering capability, allowing very faint magnitudes to be observed. However the resolution handicap has begun to be overcome by adaptive optics, speckle imaging and interferometric imaging, as well as the use of space telescopes.Astronomers have a number of observational tools that they can use to make measurements of the heavens. For objects that are relatively close to the Sun and Earth, direct and very precise position measurements can be made against a more distant (and thereby nearly stationary) background. Early observations of this nature were used to develop very precise orbital models of the various planets, and to determine their respective masses and gravitational perturbations. Such measurements led to the discovery of the planets Uranus, Neptune, and (indirectly) Pluto. They also resulted in an erroneous assumption of a fictional planet Vulcan within the orbit of Mercury (but the explanation of the precession of Mercury's orbit by Einstein is considered one of the triumphs of his general relativity theory).