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Key Phys 102 Astronomy Name ____________________ POSITIONS OF THE PLANETS PLANETARY POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE SUN: Use appendix 11 in the Field Guide for September 15, 2016 to complete the following table: Planets in order of orbit distance from the Sun. Object Planetary Longitude Atlas Chart # Constellation Elongation Mercury (☿) Venus(♀) Mars (♂) Jupiter (♃) Saturn (♄) 173 168 200 262 181 251 27 27 28 41 27 41 Leo Leo Virgo Ophiuchus Virgo Ophiuchus ZERO! 5° W 27° E 89° E 8° E 78° E Sol () 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° 263° _______ ♄ ♂ Observer’s meridian ♀ Come look for the planets with me! Sun’s PL ± 180 353° _______ E observer looking south Sun’s PL - 90°: 83° _______ Sun setting on western horizon ♃ W ☿ Sun’s PL 173° _______ Planets in the Sky Fall 2016 Solution 9/12/2016 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? 173° Sol’s Planetary Longitude: __________ Eastern Elongation Western Elongation Jupiter: 341°- 169° = 172° W Aapproaching conjunction. Venus’ elongation on 9/15: 200 - 173 = 27° E. On 10/1 it will be 220 - 189 = 31° E. Since elongation is increasing, Venus is on the far side of its orbit. Mars, Jupiter & Saturn motion seen from Earth Venus & Mercury motion seen from Earth Venus: 200°-273° = 27° E Mercury: 173°-168° = 5° W Saturn: 251° - 173° = 78° E Mars: 262°-173° = 89° E. Just past Eastern Quadriture CENTER PROTRACTOR ON EARTH! Mercury’s elongation on 9/15: 173 - 168 = 5° W. On 10/1 it will be 189 – 171 = 18° W, Since elongation is increasing, Mercury is on the near side of its orbit and just past inferior conuction.