Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
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Textbook Question
Chapter 2, Problem 23E
What is a constellation as astronomers define it today? What does it mean when an astronomer says, “I saw a comet in Orion last night”?
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Description: If you could see both the Sun and the other stars during the day, this is what the sky would
look like looking south at noon on January 1 for an observer in the northern hemisphere. The Sun would
appear in the sky next to the more distant stars in the constellation Sagittarius, (labeled constellation C).
Also shown are other constellations (named and labeled A, B, D, and E) that will be visible above the
horizon at this time when facing south.
Aquarius
-EAST
B
Capricornus
Horizon
Sagittarius
SOUTH
SUN
D
Scorpius
Libra
E
WEST->>
If you go out to look at the night sky tonight from central Iowa, the North Star (aka Polaris) is located near the North Celestial Pole at an altitude of approximately 42 degrees above the horizon. Why is that the case?
What is the altitude of the celestial equator at its highest point as viewed from this location and how do we calculate that?
Explain the myth behind one of the constellations located near North Celestial Pole and then explain the myth behind another constellation along the ecliptic plane.
Description: If you could see both the Sun and the other stars during the day, this is what the sky would
look like looking south at noon on January 1 for an observer in the northern hemisphere. The Sun would
appear in the sky next to the more distant stars in the constellation Sagittarius, (labeled constellation C).
Also shown are other constellations (named and labeled A, B, D, and E) that will be visible above the
horizon at this time when facing south.
Aquarius
-EAST
B
Capricornus
Horizon
Sagittarius
SOUTH
SUN
D
Scorpius
Libra
E
WEST->>
Chapter 2 Solutions
Astronomy
Ch. 2 - From where on Earth could you observe all of the...Ch. 2 - Give four ways to demonstrate that Earth is...Ch. 2 - Explain, according to both geocentric and...Ch. 2 - In what ways did the work of Copernicus and...Ch. 2 - What were four of Galileo’s discoveries that were...Ch. 2 - Explain the origin of the magnitude designation...Ch. 2 - Ursa Minor contains the pole star, Polaris, and...Ch. 2 - How many degrees does the Sun move per day...Ch. 2 - How many degrees does the Moon move per day...Ch. 2 - Explain how the zodiacal constellations are...
Ch. 2 - The Sun was once thought to be a planet. Explain...Ch. 2 - Is the ecliptic the same thing as the celestial...Ch. 2 - What is an asterism? Can you name an example?Ch. 2 - Why did Pythagoras believe that Earth should be...Ch. 2 - How did Aristotle deduce that the Sun is farther...Ch. 2 - What are two ways in which Aristotle deduced that...Ch. 2 - How did Hipparchus discover the wobble of Earth’s...Ch. 2 - Why did Ptolemy have to introduce multiple circles...Ch. 2 - Why did Copernicus want to develop a completely...Ch. 2 - What two factors made it difficult, at first, for...Ch. 2 - What phases would Venus show if the geocentric...Ch. 2 - Describe a practical way to determine in which...Ch. 2 - What is a constellation as astronomers define it...Ch. 2 - Draw a picture that explains why Venus goes...Ch. 2 - Show with a simple diagram how the lower parts of...Ch. 2 - Parallaxes of stars were not observed by ancient...Ch. 2 - Why do you think so many people still believe in...Ch. 2 - Consider three cosmological perspectives-the...Ch. 2 - The north celestial pole appears at an altitude...Ch. 2 - What were two arguments or lines of evidence in...Ch. 2 - Although the Copernican system was largely correct...Ch. 2 - During a retrograde loop of Mars, would you expect...Ch. 2 - The Great Pyramid of Giza was constructed nearly...Ch. 2 - Explain why more stars are circumpolar for...Ch. 2 - What is the altitude of the north celestial pole...Ch. 2 - If you were to drive to some city south of your...Ch. 2 - Hipparchus could have warned us that the dates...Ch. 2 - Explain three lines of evidence that argue against...Ch. 2 - What did Galileo discover about the planet Jupiter...Ch. 2 - What did Galileo discover about Venus that cast...Ch. 2 - Suppose Eratosthenes had found that, in...Ch. 2 - Suppose Eratosthenes’ results for Earth’s...Ch. 2 - Suppose you are on a strange planet and observe,...
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- What is an asterism? Can you name an example?arrow_forwardLook at The Sky Around You, item 1a. In the looking south illustration, is Canis Major a circumpolar constellation? Why or why not?arrow_forwardI am trying to plot the ground tracks of an orbit. But I am having a problem with finding the longitude. The equation for the longitude is shown in the image. Is the Theta GMST initially zero because the greenwich meridian points to the Aries point (x-axis). How do you calculate alpha or vernal equinox? I saw a formula for alpha which is alpha = arctan(ry/rx), but the formula was for Right Ascension angle. Is the right ascension angle the same as vernal equinox. If not, then what is the formula for vernal equinox.arrow_forward
- Is there any place on Earth where all the visible stars are circumpolar? If so, where? Is there any place on Earth where none of the visible stars is circumpolar? If so, where? Explain your answers.arrow_forwardPart 3 1. The diameter of the Sun is 1,391,400 km. The diameter of the Moon is 3,474.8 km. Find the ratio, r= Dsa/Dsvan between the sizes. 2. From the point of view of an obs erver on Eanth (consider the Earth as a point-like object), during the eclipse, the Moon covers the Sun exactly. Sketch a picture to illustrate this fact. Use a nuler to get a straight line. Your drawing does not need to be in scale. 3. The Sun is 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) away from the Earth. Find the distance between the Earth and the Moon in AU's using the ratio of similar triangles. Show your work. DEM= AU. Convert this to kilometers. Use 1 AU = 149,600,000 km. DEM = km.arrow_forwardHow Do We Know? Why is astrology a pseudoscience?arrow_forward
- How Do We Know? Why must a scientific argument dealing with some aspect of nature take all of the known evidence into account?arrow_forwardUse Kepler's 3rd Law and the small angle approximation. a) An object is located in the solar system at a distance from the Sun equal to 41 AU's . What is the objects orbital period? b) An object seen in a telescope has an angular diameter equivalent to 41 (in units of arc seconds). What is its linear diameter if the object is 250 million km from you? Draw a labeled diagram of this situation.arrow_forwardEAn astronaut arrives on the planet Oceania and climbs to the top of a cliff overlooking the sea. The astronaut's eye is 100 m above the sea level and he observes that the horizon in all directions appears to be at angle of 5 mrad below the local horizontal. What is the radius of the planet Oceania at sea level? How far away is the horizon from the astronaut? 6000 km and 50 km 3600 km and 20 km 2000 km and 40 km 8000 km and 40 kmarrow_forward
- What would be the distance to the nearest star, Alpha Centauri (4.4 light-years away). (Hint: Find the distance to Alpha Centauri in units of AU.) Express your answer to two significant figures and include the appropriate units.arrow_forwardReview Conceptual Example 3 for information pertinent to this problem. When we look at a particular star, we are seeing it as it was 307 years ago. How far away from us (in meters) is the star? Take a year to be 365.25 days.arrow_forwardAs we discuss in class, the radius of the Earth is approximately 6370 km. Theradius of the Sun, on the other hand, is approximately 700,000 km. The Sun is located,on average, one astronomical unit (1 au) from the Earth. Imagine that you stand near Mansueto Library, at the corner of 57th and Ellis.Mansueto’s dome is 35 feet (10.7 meters) high. Let’s imagine we put a model of theSun inside the dome, such that it just fits — that is, the model Sun’s diameter is 35 feet The nearest star to the Solar System outside of the Sun is Proxima Centauri,which is approximately 4.2 light years away. Given the scale model outlined above,how far would a model Proxima Centauri be placed from you? Give your answer inmiles and kmarrow_forward
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