A) Jupiter orbits the Sun with an average orbital radius of 5.2 au. What is the solar flux at the distance of Jupiter? What is the solar power (in units of Watts) absorbed by Jupiter? B) Jupiter is fairly reflective, with an albedo of ∼ 0.54, which means that it reflects roughly 54% of the solar power incident on its surface (for comparison, the moon’s albedo is only ∼ 0.12). Given your answer in a), what is the luminosity of Jupiter due to reflected sunlight? If you assume this light is reflected equally in all directions from the sunlit hemisphere of Jupiter, what is the current flux of light from Jupiter on the Earth? (Hint: why do I ask for the current flux?) C) From your result in b), and given the Sun’s apparent magnitude as viewed on Earth, m = −26.81, what do you predict is the current apparent magnitude of Jupiter in the night sky? Check your answer against https://theskylive.com/jupiter-info! Does your result agree? What other effects might we need to consider to improve our calculation? (Look west after sunset to see Jupiter and Saturn right now!) D)Some of the most distant objects in our Solar System are Kuiper belt objects, which are small planetoids that orbit the Sun at distances of ∼ 1000 au. Calculate the Sun’s apparent magnitude at the Kuiper belt. By what factor is the Sun fainter than as seen from the Earth? Is the Sun still the brightest star in the sky at this distance?

Applications and Investigations in Earth Science (9th Edition)

9th Edition

ISBN:9780134746241

Author:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa

Publisher:Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens, Dennis G. Tasa

Chapter1: The Study Of Minerals

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 1LR

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A) Jupiter orbits the Sun with an average orbital radius of 5.2 au. What is the solar flux at the distance of Jupiter? What is the solar power (in units of Watts) absorbed by Jupiter? B) Jupiter is fairly reflective, with an albedo of ∼ 0.54, which means that it reflects roughly 54% of the solar power incident on its surface (for comparison, the moon’s albedo is only ∼ 0.12). Given your answer in a), what is the luminosity of Jupiter due to reflected sunlight? If you assume this light is reflected equally in all directions from the sunlit hemisphere of Jupiter, what is the current flux of light from Jupiter on the Earth? (Hint: why do I ask for the current flux?) C) From your result in b), and given the Sun’s apparent magnitude as viewed on Earth, m = −26.81, what do you predict is the current apparent magnitude of Jupiter in the night sky? Check your answer against https://theskylive.com/jupiter-info! Does your result agree? What other effects might we need to consider to improve our calculation? (Look west after sunset to see Jupiter and Saturn right now!) D)Some of the most distant objects in our Solar System are Kuiper belt objects, which are small planetoids that orbit the Sun at distances of ∼ 1000 au. Calculate the Sun’s apparent magnitude at the Kuiper belt. By what factor is the Sun fainter than as seen from the Earth? Is the Sun still the brightest star in the sky at this distance?

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