lab 9
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Purdue University, Northwest *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
263
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
5
Uploaded by MagistrateSardine3593
1.
What is strange about the motion of Neptune’s moon Triton and what does that imply about
its origin?
The largest moon in Neptune's fleet is known as Triton. It's unusual because it's the only large
body in the solar system that's orbited in the opposite direction of the planet. Scientists believe
that it's a Kuiper Belt object that got caught in Neptune's gravitational pull millions of years ago.
2.
Saturn’s rings are one of the wonders of the solar system.
Why are they so thin?
Where
have we seen this process before in this course?
It's believed that the interactions between the particles of the rings can be caused by the tilt of
the particles in their orbit. For instance, the particles that are higher above or below the rings
have more energy than those that are closer to them.
3.
As recently as 2009, a new ring was discovered around Saturn.
Read the article and answer
the questions about the ring: “NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope Discovers Largest Ring Around
Saturn” http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006205610.htm
a. What is believed to be the source of this ring?
One of Saturn's farthest moons, Phoebe, circles within the newfound ring, and is likely the
source of its material.
b. The ring may be the answer to a puzzling question about Saturn’s moon, Iapetus.
Explain the
puzzle and possible answer.
Astronomers have long suspected that there is a connection between Saturn's outer moon
Phoebe and the dark material on Iapetus," said Hamilton. "This new ring provides convincing
evidence of that relationship.
c. Why was this ring not discovered with telescopes before Spitzer?
After examining the data collected by NASA's Spitzer spacecraft, the scientists discovered a
layer of dust. It's difficult to see because the particles are diffuse, and they can extend beyond
the ring material on its way to Saturn and beyond.
4.
Your friend Scooter says, “I saw a brilliant comet streaking through the sky last night!”
Explain to Scooter what is wrong with his statement.
Be sure to inform him how comets appear
to move in our night sky, and tell him what he probably saw last night.
Scooter is wrong because comets do not streak through the sky. Scooter may have seen a
shooting star. A shooting star is a type of object that appears in the sky as a bright streak of
light. It's made up of rocks that are in space. Upon entering Earth's atmosphere, these rocks
ignite and glow brightly. Regardless of its path, a comet's tails can point away from the sun. This
is because the Sun's influence on the escaping gas and dust particles leads to tails that are
slightly different.
5.
Scooter, impressed by your command of astronomical knowledge, now says, “Pluto was a
planet when I was a kid.
Why don’t they keep it as the ninth planet?”
a. Explain to Scooter at least 3 reasons why Pluto is different from the 8 planets.
Most of the planets in the solar system orbit around the sun in a close circle. But Pluto's
approach is elliptical, and it doesn't circle the star. It's also tilted, unlike the orbits of the other
planets. Pluto's path is angled 17 degrees higher than that of the other planets.
The first two
rules apply to Pluto, which is round and orbits the sun. But it doesn't follow the third rule, and it's
not yet cleared the orbit's neighborhood. Because of this, it's no longer regarded as a planet.
b. What is Pluto considered now?
What is your opinion on this classification?
In 2006, the IAU downgraded Pluto to a dwarf planet. This means that other bodies in the outer
part of the solar system, such as the gas giants, will also be regarded as planets. All my life I
considered Pluto a planet, even though scientifically it is not considered one anymore, I like to
think of it as one.
6.
How does a comet’s tail form?
Comets are like rocks rolling across the universe. As they approach the sun, their gases are
vaporized, causing them to release microparticles and dust. The radiation pressure of the sun
then causes these materials to flow through a tail-like structure.
7.
Go to: http://spaceguardcentre.com/what-are-neos/mitigation/.
Describe the general options
we have to deal with a massive impact threat, and some of the problems with each.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Evacuate / Ride the Storm
Based on the accurate prediction of a ground-zero impact, and with adequate warning, it's
possible to evacuate the areas in danger, such as coastal regions. This would be a good option
for small impacts, but for larger, global threats, long-term supplies and protection would be
needed for the surviving population.
Destruction
Various studies have been conducted on the possibility of using nuclear weapons to destroy
approaching objects. However, due to the lack of precise information about their composition
and properties, it's not possible to predict with absolute accuracy if this strategy would work. If
the object is not properly disrupted, it could still cause multiple impacts from its original body.
The effects of a cluster bomb on the Earth could be more powerful than those of a cannon ball.
Deflection / Acceleration / Deceleration
If an impactor must be identified, its orbit could be modified to ensure that it doesn't crash into
the Earth. One method that's considered is to place a spacecraft close to the body, then move it
away from the body using gravity. It could also use mass drivers or propulsion units, which are
composed of the object's own fuel.
8.
Look up the New Horizons mission and describe something surprising or new we’ve learned
about Pluto or its moons.
Cite the website you used.
During its journey past Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft came across a heart-shaped
region known as Tombaugh Regio. It's named after Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered the
planet. The left half of this region is covered with nitrogen snow, while the right side is
dominated by methane ice.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/17/science/pluto-images-charon-moons-new-
horizons-flyby.html#:~:text=The%20most%20striking%20feature%20that,side%20is%20more
%20methane%20ice.&text=Pluto%20Had%20an%20Ocean%20of%20Liquid%20Water
.