Download Astronomy Assignment #1

Astronomy Assignment: Bright versus Nearby Stars
Your Name______________________________________
Your Class Meeting Time __________________________
This assignment is due on ___Monday, Nov 05_________
Submit this cover sheet with your assignment.
Complete the assigned problems from the text listed below and address the Instructor Assigned Topic.
Mathematical problems may be hand written. Write out the problem, show your work in solving the problem
and state your answer in a complete sentence. Failure to complete all three of these tasks will result in less
than full credit awarded. The Instructor assigned topic must be typed.
Text Problems: None
Instructor Assigned Topic:
Compare and contrast two sets of stars in two paragraphs. Data for those sets appears on the following
pages. Also a blank HR diagram follows so you can plot the stars from both sets on it to aid in your
comparison.
First paragraph: Summarize the properties of the twenty brightest stars and compare the twenty brightest
stars to the Sun. Is the Sun like or unlike the brightest stars in the sky? Be quantitative in your
description.
Second paragraph: Summarize the properties of the twenty nearest star systems and compare them to the
Sun. Is the Sun like or unlike the nearest stars in the sky? Be quantitative in your description.
Third Paragraph: Does the Sun appear to be a common star. Comment on your feelings or the
implications regarding your discovery.
Include the completed HR diagram for both sets of stars with your paragraphs. Use easily distinguished
between symbols for the Bright Stars and the Nearest Stars.
The Twenty Brightest Stars
Multiple
Star
System
Spectral
Type
Luminosity
Class
Apparent
Magnitude, m
Absolute
Magnitude, M
Distance, lyrs
Yes
A1
V
-1.46
1.4
8.8
F0
Ib/II
-0.72
-3.1
98
G2
V
-0.01
4.4
4.3
Arcturus
K2
III
-0.06
-0.3
35.9
Vega
A0
V
0.04
0.5
26.1
Star
Sirius
Canopus
Alpha Centauri
Yes
Capella
Yes
G0
III
0.05
-0.7
46
Rigel
Yes
B8
Ia
0.14
-6.8
815
Procyon
Yes
F5
IV
0.37
2.6
11.4
Betelgeuse
M2
Ia/Ib
0.41
-5.5
490
Achernar
B5
V
0.51
-1
65.2
B1
III
0.63
-4.1
295
A7
IV
0.77
2.2
16.6
Beta Centauri
Yes
Altair
Alpha Crucis
Yes
B1
IV
1.39
-4
390
Aldebaran
Yes
K5
III
0.86
-0.2
52.2
B1
V
0.91
-3.6
260
M1
IB
0.92
-4.5
390
K0
III
1.16
0.8
39.1
A3
V
1.19
2
22.8
Deneb
A2
Ia
1.26
-6.9
2,600
Beta Crucis
B0
IV
1.28
-4.6
490
Spica
Antares
Yes
Pollux
Fomalhaut
Yes
2
The Twenty Nearest Star Systems
Common Name
Alpha Centauri A
Catalog Name
Gl 559
Multiple
Star
System
A
Yes
Spectral Type
Luminosity
Class
Apparent
Magnitude, m
Absolute
Magnitude, M
Distance,
lyrs
G2
V
0.01
4.38
4.36
K0
V
1.34
5.71
4.40
Alpha Centauri B
Gl 559
Proxima Centauri
Gl 551
M5.5
V
11.09
15.53
4.22
Barnard's Star
Gl 699
M4.0
V
9.53
13.22
5.96
Wolf 359
Gl 406
M6.0
V
13.44
16.55
7.78
Lalande 21185
Gl 411
M2.0
V
7.47
10.44
8.29
Sirius
Gl 244
A
A1
V
-1.43
1.47
8.58
Sirius B
Gl 244
B
White Dwarf
V
8.44
11.34
8.58
Gl 65
A
M5.5
V
12.54
15.4
8.72
UV Ceti
Gl 65
B
M6.0
V
12.99
15.85
8.72
Ross 154
Gl 729
M3.5
V
10.43
13.07
9.68
Ross 248
Gl 905
M5.5
V
12.29
14.79
10.32
epsilon Eridani
Gl 144
K2
V
3.73
6.19
10.52
Lacaille 9352
Gl 887
M1.5
V
7.34
9.75
10.74
Ross 128
Gl 447
M4.0
V
11.13
13.51
10.91
EZ Aquarii
Gl 866
A
M5.0
V
13.33
15.64
11.26
Gl 866
B
----
--
13.27
15.58
11.26
Gl 866
C
----
--
14.03
16.34
11.26
Gl 280
A
F5 I
IV
0.38
2.66
11.40
Gl 280
B
10.7
12.98
11.40
Gl 820
A
Gl 820
B
Gl 725
A
Gl 725
B
Gl 15
A
Gl 15
B
Procyon
61 Cygni
B
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
White Dwarf
Yes
Yes
Yes
K5.0
V
5.21
7.49
11.40
K7.0
V
6.03
8.31
11.40
M3.0
V
8.9
11.16
11.52
M3.5
V
9.69
11.95
11.52
M1.5
V
8.08
10.32
11.62
M3.5
V
11.06
13.3
11.62
epsilon Indi
Gl 845
K5
Ve
4.69
6.89
11.82
DX Cancri
GJ 1111
M6.5
V
14.78
16.98
11.82
tau Ceti
Gl 71
G8
Vp
3.49
5.68
11.88
RECONS 1
GJ 1061
M5.5
V
13.03
15.21
11.92
3
HR Diagram
Main Sequence Stars
-10
Absolute Magnitude
-5
0
5
10
15
20
O0 O5 B0 B5 A0 A5 F0 F5 G0 G5 K0 K5 M0 M5
Spectral Type
4