Astronomy Today (9th Edition)
9th Edition
ISBN: 9780134450278
Author: Eric Chaisson, Steve McMillan
Publisher: PEARSON
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Question
Chapter 1, Problem 9MC
To determine
The correct option, from the following options, that a smaller Earth will result in, using the Figure
(a) A smaller parallax angle.
(b) A shorter distance measured to the object.
(c) A larger apparent displacement.
(d) Stars appearing closer together.
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If we view a star now, and then view it again 6 months later, our position will have changed by the diameter of the Earth's orbit around the sun. For nearby stars (within 100 light-years or so), the change in viewing location is sufficient to make the star appear to be in a slightly different location in the sky. Half of the angle from one location to the next is known as the parallax angle (see figure). Parallax can be used to measure the distance to the star. An approximate relationship is given by
d =
3.26
p
,
where d is the distance in light-years, and p is the parallax measured in seconds of arc. Vega is a star that has a parallax angle of 0.13 second. How far is Vega from the sun? Note: Parallax is used not only to measure stellar distances. Our binocular vision actually provides the brain with a parallax angle that it uses to estimate distances to objects we see. (Round your answer to two decimal places.) light-years
The nearest star to our solar system is 4.29 light years away. How much is thisdistance in terms of parsecs? How much parallax would this star (named Alpha Centauri) show when viewed from two locations of the Earth six months apart in its orbit around the Sun ?
A star spans a parallax angle θ = 2 arcsecond when seen on Earth (6 months spans 2θ). Its distance is _____ light years from us.
Chapter 1 Solutions
Astronomy Today (9th Edition)
Ch. 1 - Prob. 1DCh. 1 - Prob. 2DCh. 1 - Prob. 3DCh. 1 - Prob. 4DCh. 1 - Prob. 5DCh. 1 - Prob. 6DCh. 1 - Prob. 7DCh. 1 - Prob. 8DCh. 1 - Prob. 9DCh. 1 - Prob. 10D
Ch. 1 - Prob. 11DCh. 1 - Prob. 12DCh. 1 - Prob. 13DCh. 1 - Prob. 14DCh. 1 - Prob. 15DCh. 1 - Prob. 1MCCh. 1 - Prob. 2MCCh. 1 - Prob. 3MCCh. 1 - Prob. 4MCCh. 1 - Prob. 5MCCh. 1 - Prob. 6MCCh. 1 - Prob. 7MCCh. 1 - Prob. 8MCCh. 1 - Prob. 9MCCh. 1 - Prob. 10MCCh. 1 - Prob. 1PCh. 1 - Prob. 2PCh. 1 - Prob. 3PCh. 1 - Prob. 4PCh. 1 - Prob. 5PCh. 1 - Prob. 6PCh. 1 - Prob. 7PCh. 1 - Prob. 9P
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- A star is observed at a distance of 90 pc. What will be its parallax angle?arrow_forwardThe Sun is much closer to Earth than are the nearest stars, yet it is not possible to measure accurately the diurnal parallax of the Sun relative to the stars by measuring its position relative to background objects in the sky directly. Explain why.arrow_forwardWhat is the advantage of measuring a parallax distance to a star as compared to our other distance measuring methods?arrow_forward
- Explain the origin of the magnitude designation for determining the brightness of stars. Why does it seem to go backward, with smaller numbers indicating brighter stars?arrow_forwardHow Do We Know? Why is astrology a pseudoscience?arrow_forwardParallaxes are measured in fractions of an arcsecond. One arcsecond equals 1/60 arcmin; an arcminute is, in turn, 1/60th of a degree (°). To get some idea of how big 1° is, go outside at night and find the Big Dipper. The two pointer stars at the ends of the bowl are 5.5° apart. The two stars across the top of the bowl are 10° apart. (Ten degrees is also about the width of your fist when held at arm’s length and projected against the sky.) Mizar, the second star from the end of the Big Dipper’s handle, appears double. The fainter star, Alcor, is about 12 arcmin from Mizar. For comparison, the diameter of the full moon is about 30 arcmin. The belt of Orion is about 3° long. Keeping all this in mind, why did it take until 1838 to make parallax measurements for even the nearest stars?arrow_forward
- Describe two ways of determining the diameter of a star.arrow_forward)The apparent brightness of the Earth is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the Earth and the star) True or falsearrow_forward(the complete question is in the picture) If the Newtonian constant has units G = [N · m2/kg2], the speed of light has units c = [m/s], the mass has units M = [kg] and the SI unit newtons is equivalentto N = [kg · m/s2], what are the units of the relation GM/c3?A. [kg · s]B. [kg · m2/s]C. [m2/s]D. [s]arrow_forward
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