Download Astronomy lab: Planets

Key
Phys 102 Astronomy
Name ____________________
POSITIONS
OF THE
PLANETS
PLANETARY POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE SUN:
Use appendix 11 in the Field Guide for February 15, 2006 to complete the following table:
Object
Planetary
Longitude
Elongation
Atlas
Chart #
327°
341°
289°
59°
228°
126°
0°
341°-327°=14° E
327°-289°=38° W
(360°+59°)-327°=92° E
327°-228°=98° E
(360°+126°)-327°=159° E
32
32
42
10/23
28/40
13/25
Sol ()
Mercury (☿)
Venus(♀)
Mars (♂)
Jupiter (♃)
Saturn (♄)
Constellation
Cap/Aqr boundary
Aquarius
Sagittarius
Taurus
Libra
Cancer
PLANETARY POSITIONS IN THE SKY
The digram below shows an observer looking south at sunset. From the planetary longitude of the sun
and planets abovee, show where the planets will be in the observer’s sky (some may be below the horizon).
Discuss how these positions correspond to the times the planets will be visible to this observer (eg. after
sunset, before sunrise or most of the night).
Sun’s PL + 90°
57°
_______
m
Observer’s
meridian
Come look
for the
planets
with me!
t
Sun’s PL ± 180°
147°
_______
E
observer
looking
south
y
Sun’s PL
327°
_______
Sun setting onW
western horizon
v
j
Sun’s PL - 90°:
237°
_______
Planets in the Sky Solution.doc
2/13/2006
PLANETARY POSITIONS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
A view of the solar system as seen FROM ABOVE THE NORTH ECLIPTIC POLE with the sun in the
center is shown below. The line from the Earth (
) to the sun () represents the planetary longitude of
the sun. For each of the five visible planets,
1) Center a protractor on the Earth, measure the elongation angle from the sun's longitude.
2) Use a ruler to determine where this crosses the orbit of the planet you're plotting, and mark the
planet's position on its orbit.
Special Note: Can you be certain where Mercury and Venus are in their orbits? How many positions
for each planet are possible? What information will help you figure this out?
3) Describe the planetary configuration position of each planet.
327°
Sol’s Planetary Longitude: __________
Eastern Elongation
Western Elongation
Venus:
327°-289°
= 38° W
Mercury:
341°-327°
= 14° E
Saturn:
(360+126)°-327°
= 159° E
Mars
(360+59)°-327°
= 92° E
y
m
t
Jupiter:
327°-228°
= 98° W
v
j
Center protractor
on Earth!