DOCSLIB.ORG

The Solar Neighborhod Within 17 Light Years

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

The Solar Neighborhood within 17 light years. 29 There are 45 stars within 17 light years of the sun. It is very hard to appreciate just how big space is. By considering our neighborhood in the Milky Way, we can start to get a sense of scale. Local star map courtesy NASA/JPL The table below gives the names, distances and angles to 11 of the most well-known neighbors to the sun. Although stars are spread out in 3-dimensional space, we will compress these distances to their 2-dimensional equivalents. On a 2-dimensional grid, place a dot at the Origin to represent the Sun. With a metric ruler and a protractor, plot the stars on a piece of paper and label each star. Use a scale of 1 centimeter = 1 light year. Name Angle Distance Alpha Centauri 220 4.3 light years Barnard's Star 270 5.9 Wolf 359 170 7.6 Sirius 100 8.6 Epsilon Eridani 50 10.7 61 Cygni 315 11.2 Procyon 115 11.4 Tau Ceti 25 11.9 Kruger 60 335 12.8 40 Eridani 60 15.9 Altair 300 16.6 Problem 1 - What is the distance between Sirius and Altair? Problem 2 - What is the distance between Kruger 60 and Altair? Problem 3 - Can you find a pair of stars that are closer to each other than either of them are to the Sun? Problem 4 - If you were starting from Earth, what is the shortest journey you could make that would visit all of the stars in your map? Space Math http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov Answer Key 29 Problem 1 - At the scale of 1 cm = 1 light year, they are separated by about 24 centimeters or 24 light years. Problem 2 - They are separated by 7 centimeters or 7 light years. Problem 3 - For example: Procyon and Sirius are 4 cm apart or 4 light years. 61 Cygni and Kruger 60 are 3 cm apart or 3 light years. Problem 4 - One path consists of Sun-Barnards Star-Altair-Kruger 60- 61 Cygni-Tau Ceti-Epsilon Eridani- 40 Eridani-Sirius-Procyon-Wolf 359-Alpha Centauri -Sun. The total distance is about 80 light years. Space Math http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov .
Recommended publications
  • FY08 Technical Papers by GSMTPO Staff

    FY08 Technical Papers by GSMTPO Staff

    AURA/NOAO ANNUAL REPORT FY 2008 Submitted to the National Science Foundation July 23, 2008 Revised as Complete and Submitted December 23, 2008 NGC 660, ~13 Mpc from the Earth, is a peculiar, polar ring galaxy that resulted from two galaxies colliding. It consists of a nearly edge-on disk and a strongly warped outer disk. Image Credit: T.A. Rector/University of Alaska, Anchorage NATIONAL OPTICAL ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY NOAO ANNUAL REPORT FY 2008 Submitted to the National Science Foundation December 23, 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................. 1 1 SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES AND FINDINGS ..................................................................................... 2 1.1 Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory...................................................................................... 2 The Once and Future Supernova η Carinae...................................................................................................... 2 A Stellar Merger and a Missing White Dwarf.................................................................................................. 3 Imaging the COSMOS...................................................................................................................................... 3 The Hubble Constant from a Gravitational Lens.............................................................................................. 4 A New Dwarf Nova in the Period Gap............................................................................................................
  • The Nearest Stars: a Guided Tour by Sherwood Harrington, Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    The Nearest Stars: a Guided Tour by Sherwood Harrington, Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    www.astrosociety.org/uitc No. 5 - Spring 1986 © 1986, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 390 Ashton Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. The Nearest Stars: A Guided Tour by Sherwood Harrington, Astronomical Society of the Pacific A tour through our stellar neighborhood As evening twilight fades during April and early May, a brilliant, blue-white star can be seen low in the sky toward the southwest. That star is called Sirius, and it is the brightest star in Earth's nighttime sky. Sirius looks so bright in part because it is a relatively powerful light producer; if our Sun were suddenly replaced by Sirius, our daylight on Earth would be more than 20 times as bright as it is now! But the other reason Sirius is so brilliant in our nighttime sky is that it is so close; Sirius is the nearest neighbor star to the Sun that can be seen with the unaided eye from the Northern Hemisphere. "Close'' in the interstellar realm, though, is a very relative term. If you were to model the Sun as a basketball, then our planet Earth would be about the size of an apple seed 30 yards away from it — and even the nearest other star (alpha Centauri, visible from the Southern Hemisphere) would be 6,000 miles away. Distances among the stars are so large that it is helpful to express them using the light-year — the distance light travels in one year — as a measuring unit. In this way of expressing distances, alpha Centauri is about four light-years away, and Sirius is about eight and a half light- years distant.
  • Where Are the Distant Worlds? Star Maps

    Where Are the Distant Worlds? Star Maps

    W here Are the Distant Worlds? Star Maps Abo ut the Activity Whe re are the distant worlds in the night sky? Use a star map to find constellations and to identify stars with extrasolar planets. (Northern Hemisphere only, naked eye) Topics Covered • How to find Constellations • Where we have found planets around other stars Participants Adults, teens, families with children 8 years and up If a school/youth group, 10 years and older 1 to 4 participants per map Materials Needed Location and Timing • Current month's Star Map for the Use this activity at a star party on a public (included) dark, clear night. Timing depends only • At least one set Planetary on how long you want to observe. Postcards with Key (included) • A small (red) flashlight • (Optional) Print list of Visible Stars with Planets (included) Included in This Packet Page Detailed Activity Description 2 Helpful Hints 4 Background Information 5 Planetary Postcards 7 Key Planetary Postcards 9 Star Maps 20 Visible Stars With Planets 33 © 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted. Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov Detailed Activity Description Leader’s Role Participants’ Roles (Anticipated) Introduction: To Ask: Who has heard that scientists have found planets around stars other than our own Sun? How many of these stars might you think have been found? Anyone ever see a star that has planets around it? (our own Sun, some may know of other stars) We can’t see the planets around other stars, but we can see the star.
  • 100 Closest Stars Designation R.A

    100 Closest Stars Designation R.A

    100 closest stars Designation R.A. Dec. Mag. Common Name 1 Gliese+Jahreis 551 14h30m –62°40’ 11.09 Proxima Centauri Gliese+Jahreis 559 14h40m –60°50’ 0.01, 1.34 Alpha Centauri A,B 2 Gliese+Jahreis 699 17h58m 4°42’ 9.53 Barnard’s Star 3 Gliese+Jahreis 406 10h56m 7°01’ 13.44 Wolf 359 4 Gliese+Jahreis 411 11h03m 35°58’ 7.47 Lalande 21185 5 Gliese+Jahreis 244 6h45m –16°49’ -1.43, 8.44 Sirius A,B 6 Gliese+Jahreis 65 1h39m –17°57’ 12.54, 12.99 BL Ceti, UV Ceti 7 Gliese+Jahreis 729 18h50m –23°50’ 10.43 Ross 154 8 Gliese+Jahreis 905 23h45m 44°11’ 12.29 Ross 248 9 Gliese+Jahreis 144 3h33m –9°28’ 3.73 Epsilon Eridani 10 Gliese+Jahreis 887 23h06m –35°51’ 7.34 Lacaille 9352 11 Gliese+Jahreis 447 11h48m 0°48’ 11.13 Ross 128 12 Gliese+Jahreis 866 22h39m –15°18’ 13.33, 13.27, 14.03 EZ Aquarii A,B,C 13 Gliese+Jahreis 280 7h39m 5°14’ 10.7 Procyon A,B 14 Gliese+Jahreis 820 21h07m 38°45’ 5.21, 6.03 61 Cygni A,B 15 Gliese+Jahreis 725 18h43m 59°38’ 8.90, 9.69 16 Gliese+Jahreis 15 0h18m 44°01’ 8.08, 11.06 GX Andromedae, GQ Andromedae 17 Gliese+Jahreis 845 22h03m –56°47’ 4.69 Epsilon Indi A,B,C 18 Gliese+Jahreis 1111 8h30m 26°47’ 14.78 DX Cancri 19 Gliese+Jahreis 71 1h44m –15°56’ 3.49 Tau Ceti 20 Gliese+Jahreis 1061 3h36m –44°31’ 13.09 21 Gliese+Jahreis 54.1 1h13m –17°00’ 12.02 YZ Ceti 22 Gliese+Jahreis 273 7h27m 5°14’ 9.86 Luyten’s Star 23 SO 0253+1652 2h53m 16°53’ 15.14 24 SCR 1845-6357 18h45m –63°58’ 17.40J 25 Gliese+Jahreis 191 5h12m –45°01’ 8.84 Kapteyn’s Star 26 Gliese+Jahreis 825 21h17m –38°52’ 6.67 AX Microscopii 27 Gliese+Jahreis 860 22h28m 57°42’ 9.79,
  • Temperature-Spectral Class-Color Index Relationships for Main

    Temperature-Spectral Class-Color Index Relationships for Main

    ASTRONOMY SURVIVAL NOTEBOOK Stellar Evolution SESSION FOURTEEN: THE EVOLUTION OF STARS Approximate Characteristics of Several Types of MAIN SEQUENCE STARS Mass in Contraction Surface Luminosity M Years on Radius Class Comparison to Zero Age Temp. compared Absolute Main in to Sun Main Sequence (K) to sun Magnitude Sequence suns Not well known O6 29.5 10 Th 45,000 140,000 -4.0 2 M 6.2 mid blue super g O9 22.6 100 Th 37,800 55,000 -3.6 4 M 4.7 late blue super g B2 10.0 400 Th 21,000 3,190 -1.9 30 M 4.3 early B5 5.46 1 M 15,200 380 -0.4 140 M 2.8 mid A0 2.48 4 M 9,600 24 +1.5 1B 1.8 early A7 1.86 10 M 7,920 8.8 +2.4 2 B 1.6 late F2 1.46 15 M 7,050 3.8 +3.8 4 B 1.3 early G2 1.00 20 M 5,800 1.0 +4.83 10 B 1.0 early sun K7 0.53 40 M 4,000 0.11 +8.1 50 B 0.7 late M8 0.17 100 M 2,700 0.0020 +14.4 840B 0.2 late minimum 2 Jupiters Temperature-Spectral Class-Color Index Relationships for Main-Sequence Stars Temp 54,000 K 29,200 K 9,600 K 7,350 K 6,050 K 5,240 K 3,750 K | | | | | | | Sp Class O5 B0 A0 F0 G0 K0 M0 Co Index (UBV) -0.33 -0.30 -0.02 +0.30 +0.58 +0.81 +1.40 1.
  • Jjmonl 1810.Pmd

    Jjmonl 1810.Pmd

    alactic Observer John J. McCarthy Observatory G Volume 11, No. 10 October 2018 Halloween spook See page 19 for more information The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky Technical Support It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Bob Lambert has established itself as a significant educational and recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Louise Gagnon Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT .......................... 3 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/IRIDIUM SATELLITES .............. 18 INOMN HIGHLIGHT, MARE HUMORUM SOLAR ACTIVITY ................................................................ 18 AND GASSENDI CRATER .................................................. 5 NASA'S GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ................................... 18 LUNAR ICE ........................................................................
  • Monday, November 13, 2017 WHAT DOES IT MEAN to BE HABITABLE? 8:15 A.M. MHRGC Salons ABCD 8:15 A.M. Jang-Condell H. * Welcome C

    Monday, November 13, 2017 WHAT DOES IT MEAN to BE HABITABLE? 8:15 A.M. MHRGC Salons ABCD 8:15 A.M. Jang-Condell H. * Welcome C

    Monday, November 13, 2017 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HABITABLE? 8:15 a.m. MHRGC Salons ABCD 8:15 a.m. Jang-Condell H. * Welcome Chair: Stephen Kane 8:30 a.m. Forget F. * Turbet M. Selsis F. Leconte J. Definition and Characterization of the Habitable Zone [#4057] We review the concept of habitable zone (HZ), why it is useful, and how to characterize it. The HZ could be nicknamed the “Hunting Zone” because its primary objective is now to help astronomers plan observations. This has interesting consequences. 9:00 a.m. Rushby A. J. Johnson M. Mills B. J. W. Watson A. J. Claire M. W. Long Term Planetary Habitability and the Carbonate-Silicate Cycle [#4026] We develop a coupled carbonate-silicate and stellar evolution model to investigate the effect of planet size on the operation of the long-term carbon cycle, and determine that larger planets are generally warmer for a given incident flux. 9:20 a.m. Dong C. F. * Huang Z. G. Jin M. Lingam M. Ma Y. J. Toth G. van der Holst B. Airapetian V. Cohen O. Gombosi T. Are “Habitable” Exoplanets Really Habitable? A Perspective from Atmospheric Loss [#4021] We will discuss the impact of exoplanetary space weather on the climate and habitability, which offers fresh insights concerning the habitability of exoplanets, especially those orbiting M-dwarfs, such as Proxima b and the TRAPPIST-1 system. 9:40 a.m. Fisher T. M. * Walker S. I. Desch S. J. Hartnett H. E. Glaser S. Limitations of Primary Productivity on “Aqua Planets:” Implications for Detectability [#4109] While ocean-covered planets have been considered a strong candidate for the search for life, the lack of surface weathering may lead to phosphorus scarcity and low primary productivity, making aqua planet biospheres difficult to detect.
  • W359 E31 RS.Pdf

    W359 E31 RS.Pdf

    WOLF 359 "SÉCURITÉ" by Gabriel Urbina (Writer's Note: The following takes place on Day 864 of the Hephaestus Mission) INT. U.S.S. URANIA - FLIGHT DECK - 1400 HOURS We come in on the STEADY HUM of a ship's engine. There's various BEEPS and DINGS from a control console. Sharp-eared listeners might notice that things sound considerably sleeker and smoother than what we're used to. Someone TYPES into a console, and hits a SWITCH. There's a discrete burst of STATIC, followed by - JACOBI Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité. U.S.S. Hephaestus Station, this is the U.S.S. Urania. Be advised that we are on an intercept vector. Request you avoid any course corrections or exterior activity. Please advise your intentions. He hits a BUTTON. For a BEAT he just awaits the reply. JACOBI (CONT'D) Still no reply, sir. You really think someone's alive in there? I mean... look at that thing. It's only duct tape and sheer stubbornness keeping it together. KEPLER No. They're there. Rebroadcast, and transmit the command authentication codes. JACOBI Aye-aye. (hits the radio switch) Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité. U.S.S. Hephaestus, this is the U.S.S. Urania. I say again: we are on an approach vector to your current position. Authentication code: Victor-Uniform-Lima-Charlie- Alpha-November. Please advise your intentions. BEAT. And then - KRRRCH! MINKOWSKI (over radio receiver) U.S.S. Urania, this is Hephaestus Actual. Continue on current course, and use vector zero one decimal nine for your final approach. 2. JACOBI Copy that, Hephaestus Actual.
  • An October 2003 Amateur Observation of HD 209458B

    An October 2003 Amateur Observation of HD 209458B

    Tsunami 3-2004 A Shadow over Oxie Anders Nyholm A shadow over Oxie – An October 2003 amateur observation of HD 209458b Anders Nyholm Rymdgymnasiet Kiruna, Sweden April 2004 Tsunami 3-2004 A Shadow over Oxie Anders Nyholm Abstract This paper describes a photometry observation by an amateur astronomer of a transit of the extrasolar planet HD 209458b across its star on the 26th of October 2003. A description of the telescope, CCD imager, software and method used is provided. The preparations leading to the transit observation are described, along with a chronology. The results of the observation (in the form of a time-magnitude diagram) is reproduced, investigated and discussed. It is concluded that the HD 209458b transit most probably was observed. A number of less successful attempts at observing HD 209458b transits in August and October 2003 are also described. A general introduction describes the development in astronomy leading to observations of extrasolar planets in general and amateur observations of extrasolar planets in particular. Tsunami 3-2004 A Shadow over Oxie Anders Nyholm Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Background 3 2.1 Transit pre-history: Mercury and Venus 3 2.2 Extrasolar planets: a brief history 4 2.3 Early photometry proposals 6 2.4 HD 209458b: discovery and study 6 2.5 Stellar characteristics of HD 209458 6 2.6 Characteristics of HD 209458b 7 3. Observations 7 3.1 Observatory, equipment and software 7 3.2 Test observation of SAO 42275 on the 14th of April 2003 7 3.3 Selection of candidate transits 7 3.4 Test observation and transit observation attempts in August 2003 8 3.5 Transit observation attempt on the 12th of October 2003 8 3.6 Transit observation attempt on the 26th of October 2003 8 4.
  • The Search for Exomoons and the Characterization of Exoplanet Atmospheres

    The Search for Exomoons and the Characterization of Exoplanet Atmospheres

    Corso di Laurea Specialistica in Astronomia e Astrofisica The search for exomoons and the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres Relatore interno : dott. Alessandro Melchiorri Relatore esterno : dott.ssa Giovanna Tinetti Candidato: Giammarco Campanella Anno Accademico 2008/2009 The search for exomoons and the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres Giammarco Campanella Dipartimento di Fisica Università degli studi di Roma “La Sapienza” Associate at Department of Physics & Astronomy University College London A thesis submitted for the MSc Degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics September 4th, 2009 Università degli Studi di Roma ―La Sapienza‖ Abstract THE SEARCH FOR EXOMOONS AND THE CHARACTERIZATION OF EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES by Giammarco Campanella Since planets were first discovered outside our own Solar System in 1992 (around a pulsar) and in 1995 (around a main sequence star), extrasolar planet studies have become one of the most dynamic research fields in astronomy. Our knowledge of extrasolar planets has grown exponentially, from our understanding of their formation and evolution to the development of different methods to detect them. Now that more than 370 exoplanets have been discovered, focus has moved from finding planets to characterise these alien worlds. As well as detecting the atmospheres of these exoplanets, part of the characterisation process undoubtedly involves the search for extrasolar moons. The structure of the thesis is as follows. In Chapter 1 an historical background is provided and some general aspects about ongoing situation in the research field of extrasolar planets are shown. In Chapter 2, various detection techniques such as radial velocity, microlensing, astrometry, circumstellar disks, pulsar timing and magnetospheric emission are described. A special emphasis is given to the transit photometry technique and to the two already operational transit space missions, CoRoT and Kepler.
  • Coronal Activity Cycles in 61 Cygni

    Coronal Activity Cycles in 61 Cygni

    A&A 460, 261–267 (2006) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065459 & c ESO 2006 Astrophysics Coronal activity cycles in 61 Cygni A. Hempelmann1, J. Robrade1,J.H.M.M.Schmitt1,F.Favata2,S.L.Baliunas3, and J. C. Hall4 1 Universität Hamburg, Hamburger Sternwarte, Gojenbergsweg 112, 21029 Hamburg, Germany e-mail: [email protected] 2 Astrophysics Division – Research and Science Support Department of ESA, ESTEC, Postbus 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands 3 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA, USA 4 Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA Received 19 April 2006 / Accepted 25 July 2006 ABSTRACT Context. While the existence of stellar analogues of the 11 years solar activity cycle is proven for dozens of stars from optical observations of chromospheric activity, the observation of clearly cyclical coronal activity is still in its infancy. Aims. In this paper, long-term X-ray monitoring of the binary 61 Cygni is used to investigate possible coronal activity cycles in moderately active stars. Methods. We are monitoring both stellar components, a K5V (A) and a K7V (B) star, of 61 Cyg with XMM-Newton. The first four years of these observations are combined with ROSAT HRI observations of an earlier monitoring campaign. The X-ray light curves are compared with the long-term monitoring of chromospheric activity, as measured by the Mt.Wilson CaII H+K S -index. Results. Besides the observation of variability on short time scales, long-term variations of the X-ray activity are clearly present. For 61 Cyg A we find a coronal cycle which clearly reflects the well-known and distinct chromospheric activity cycle.
  • MYLES GASKIN Going out in Style HUSKY PICKS for HOLIDAY TRAVELS

    MYLES GASKIN Going out in Style HUSKY PICKS for HOLIDAY TRAVELS

    THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON ALUMNI MAGAZINE DEC 18 THE GREATEST RUNNING BACK IN HUSKY HISTORY MYLES GASKIN Going Out In Style HUSKY PICKS FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELS Columbia Flannel Long Sleeve Shirt Sport Noir Sheen Tote fanatics.com shop.littlearth.com Knit Hat zhats.com String Pack logobrands.com Outerstuff Girls' Washington W Fame Hoodie ubookstore.com Travel Backpack sportsluggage.com Wheeled Carry-on Duffl e Hardcase Carry-on Spinner Travel Pillows Plush Teddy Bear sportsluggage.com pegasussports.com huskyteamstore.com I GIVE BECAUSE photographed in cooperation with UW partner Alaska Airlines COLLEGE CHANGES LIVES Merisa H.W. Lawyer, mother, champion Dawg Pack Pup Size Road Rest Dawg Wash Your Dawg (or cat) will enjoy the Travel prepared with this Arrive awake and alert. This Stay fresh on the go with this journey in one of these two stylish to-go size 6-piece fan kit frosty tipped, high-pile Sherpa Husky travel case/toiletry bag. in-cabin pet carriers. Lightweight of essential supplies— throw will keep you toasty warm. Durable microfi ber and interior polyester, a removable washable lip balm, hand sanitizer, wet Thick Husky purple trim and and exterior zippered pockets JOIN ME pad, and mesh ventilation panels wipes, SPF-30 sunscreen, logo patch confi rm that you’re make it handy for headphones, make these comfortable quarters for peppermints and nail clippers. a happy napping Dawg. jewelry, and charging cords, too. uw.edu/boundless #beboundless all pets (except Cougs and Ducks). amazon.com ubookstore.com amazon.com sportsluggage.com REAL DAWGS WEAR PURPLE WearPurple 2 COLUMNS MAGAZINE DEC 2 0 1 8 realdawgswearpurple HuskyPicks_winter.indd 1 11/5/18 11:53 AM Full Page Ad Template | Live Area 7.75" x 10.25" | Trim Size 8.375" x 10.875" | Bleed Size 8.875" x 11.375" Seattle.