Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course List)
14th Edition
ISBN: 9781305960961
Author: Michael A. Seeds, Dana Backman
Publisher: Cengage Learning
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Question
Chapter 2, Problem 5RQ
To determine
How the Greek- letter designation of a star gives a clue to its brightness.
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Star A has an apparent magnitude of –1.5 and is 12.6 light-years from Earth. Star B has an apparent magnitude of 0.4 and is 15.6 light-years from Earth.
Why should apparent magnitude NOT be used to determine which star is brighter? What information could help you determine which star is brighter?
A line drawn from the 2 pointer stars that points towards which famous and important
second magnitude star in Ursa Minor?
Vega
Sirius
Polaris
Peocyon
Which of the following is least reasonable regarding the magnitude scale:
Group of answer choices
The numerical difference between a star's absolute and apparent magnitudes is a measure of the distance to the star.
If the Sun were moved to a distance of 10 parsecs, its apparent magnitude would be about 4.8 and it would therefore not be visible to the naked eye.
The fact that Sun's absolute magnitude of 4.8 is greater than the Sun's apparent magnitude of -27 implies that the Sun is a lot closer than 10 parsecs.
Apparent magnitude measures a star's apparent brightness when viewed at the star's actual distance from the observer.
A star's absolute magnitude is its apparent magnitude when viewed from a distance of 10 parsecs.
Chapter 2 Solutions
Horizons: Exploring the Universe (MindTap Course List)
Ch. 2 - Why have astronomers added modern constellations...Ch. 2 - What is the difference between asterism d a...Ch. 2 - What characteristic do starts in a constellation...Ch. 2 - Do people from other cultures on Earth see the...Ch. 2 - Prob. 5RQCh. 2 - Prob. 6RQCh. 2 - What does the word apparent mean in apparent...Ch. 2 - In what ways is the celestial sphere a scientific...Ch. 2 - Why do astronomers use the word on to describe...Ch. 2 - Earth did not rotate, could you define the...
Ch. 2 - Where would you go on Earth if you wanted to be...Ch. 2 - Prob. 12RQCh. 2 - Explain h to make a simple astronomical...Ch. 2 - 14. Why does the number of circumpolar...Ch. 2 - How could you detect Earths precession t examining...Ch. 2 - How Do We know? How can a scientific model be...Ch. 2 - Using stars from one or more of the “official”...Ch. 2 - Prob. 2DQCh. 2 - Prob. 1PCh. 2 - If two stars differ by 8.6 magnitudes, what is...Ch. 2 - Prob. 3PCh. 2 - By what factor is sunlight brighter than...Ch. 2 - If you are at a latitude of 35° north of Earths...Ch. 2 - Prob. 1LTLCh. 2 - Prob. 2LTL
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Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, physics and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Similar questions
- Is the Sun an average star? Why or why not?arrow_forwardUrsa Minor contains the pole star, Polaris, and the asterism known as the Little Dipper. From most locations in the Northern Hemisphere, all of the stars in Ursa Minor are circumpolar. Does that mean these stars are also above the horizon during the day? Explain.arrow_forwardExplain 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_forward
- I 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_forwardSee Hint What is the greatest distance (in degrees) that a star can be from Polaris and still be circumpolar as seen from Honolulu HI (latitude 20.0 °)?arrow_forwardWhy would you not want to use Astronomical Units (AU's) for the distance between stars?arrow_forward
- Consider two identical stars, A and B. Star B is 10 times farther away than star A. What is the difference in magnitudes between the two stars?arrow_forwardThe nearest star to our sun is Proxima Centauri, at a distance of 4.3 light-years from the Sun. A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year (365 days). How far away, in kilometers, is Proxima Centauri from the Sun?Express your answer using two significant figures.arrow_forwardDistance from Apparent Brightness (rank; brightest, 8 = dimmest) Name of Star Earth (light years) | 1 = Sun Sirius 8.6 Canopus Arcturus 309 3. 36.7 4 Rigel Vega Alpha Centauri Bernard's Star 773 5 25.3 4.3 7 5.9 8 13 What sentence explains why a star can be much farther from Earth than the Sun, but still be bright? nida nenv A. Distance from Earth and apparent brightness are related. B. Bright stars that are farther away are larger than the Sun. C. The higher it appears in the sky, the brighter the star. D. The apparent brightness scale goes up as stars get dimmer. del sdTarrow_forward
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