Lecture 3: The Sun-Earth-Moon System Coordinate Systems, Moon Phases, Tides, and Calendars
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 1 Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 2 ! Used to describe the apparent size of an object or the apparent distance between objects in space.
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/cosmic_reference/angular.html
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 3 ! Usually expresses in degrees, arcminutes, and arcseconds
" 1°=1/360 of a circle " 1 arcmin = 1’= 1/60 of a degree " 1 arcsec = 1’’ = 1/60 of an arcmin =1/3600 of a degree
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 4 ! Rough Estimates " Extending your fist against the night sky should cover roughly 10 degrees " Your thumb should cover roughly 2 degrees " Your little finger should cover roughly 1 degree
https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/measuring-the-sky-by-hand.html Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 5 ! Angular Measurements and Distance " the parsec – corresponds to the distance at which the mean radius of the earth’s orbits subtends an angle of one arcsecond. " measure used for large distances outside the solar system. " equal to about 3.26 light-years
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 6 By Srain at English Wikipedia - This image is an altered version of :Image:Stellarparallax2.svg, which is an SVG version of :Image:Stellarparallax2.png. Stellarparallax2.svg was released into the public domain by its creator, Booyabazooka., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ index.php?curid=4196613
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 7 ! For objects such as the Sun and stars, we cannot directly perceive their distance ! Historically the sky was perceived as a sphere with little lights on it
Earth within celestial sphere" by Tfr000 (talk) 20:06, 29 March 2012 (UTC) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Earth_within_celestial_sphere.gif#mediaviewer/File:Earth_within_celestial_sphere.gif
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 8 ! The apparent eastward path of the Sun throughout the year " the plane of the Earth’s orbit "Ecliptic with earth and sun animation" by Tfr000 (talk) 16:54, 15 March 2012 (UTC) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http:// " tilted with respect to the commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ecliptic_with_earth_and_sun_animation.gif#mediaviewer/ File:Ecliptic_with_earth_and_sun_animation.gif celestial equator due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis (23.5o)
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 9 ! Equinox – point where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator ! Solstice – point where the ecliptic and celestial equator are at the maximum 23.5o separation
"Earths orbit and ecliptic" by Tfr000 (talk) 01:59, 15 March 2012 (UTC) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earths_orbit_and_ecliptic.PNG#mediaviewer/ File:Earths_orbit_and_ecliptic.PNG
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 10 ! Just like the curved surface of the earth has a coordinate system …
! So does the sky, 2 systems in fact " Altitude and Azimuth " Right Ascension and Declination
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 11 ! Also known as the Horizontal coordinate system " The observer’s local horizon is the fundamental plane separating the hemisphere’s " Altitude – or elevation. The angle between the object and the local horizon " Azimuth – the angle of the object around the horizon " Zenith – the point directly overhead " Zenith Distance – the distance from zenith
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 12 "Azimuth-Altitude schematic" by TWCarlson - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Azimut_altitude.svg. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Azimuth-Altitude_schematic.svg#mediaviewer/ File:Azimuth-Altitude_schematic.svg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 13 ! Celestial Coordinate System – Analogous to the Longitude-Latitude Coordinate System on Earth " The projection of the Earth’s equator onto the Celestial Sphere is the fundamental plane (units: degrees arcsec arcmin) " Right Ascension – Measures the angular distance of an object eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox (units: hr min sec) " Declination – Measures the angular distance of an object perpendicular to the celestial equator
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 14 "Ra and dec demo animation small" by Tfr000 (talk) 20:50, 17 April 2012 (UTC) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ra_and_dec_demo_animation_small.gif#mediaviewer/ File:Ra_and_dec_demo_animation_small.gif
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 15 Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 16 ! The observed motion of the Sun and Stars is due to the motions of the Earth – rotation, revolution, precession
"AxialTiltObliquity" by Dna-webmaster - self-made by Dna-webmaster; earth-image from NASA. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:AxialTiltObliquity.png#mediaviewer/File:AxialTiltObliquity.png Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 17 ! Observing from the Earth, how does the Sun move? " Daily Motion " Yearly Motion
Copyright © James B. Kaler. All rights reserved. These contents are the property of the author and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the author's express consent except in fair use for educational purposes. Thanks to reader number counter on blogger. Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 18 ! Daily Motion – What do we observe? " Due to the rotation of the Earth " Day – 86,400 SI seconds (24 hours) is the Astronomical unit of time " Astronomical Definitions ! Mean Solar Day – average time of a single rotation of the planet with respect to the Sun (average over the year = 24 hours) ! Sidereal Day – an entire rotation of the planet with respect to the stars (3min 56sec shorter than solar day)
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 19 ! Sidereal Day is shorter than the Solar Day
1 to 2 is one sidereal day
1 to 3 is one solar day
"Sidereal day (prograde)". Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Sidereal_day_(prograde).png#mediaviewer/File:Sidereal_day_(prograde).png
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 20 ! Yearly Motion – What do we observe? " Due to the revolution of the Earth " Year – A Julian year is defined as exactly 365.25 days of 86,400 SI seconds (24 hours). " Other Astronomical Years ! Sidereal Year – the time it takes the Earth to complete one revolution with respect to the fixed stars (fixed frame of reference) ! Tropical year – the time it takes the Sun to return to the same position in the cycle of the seasons (for example: vernal equinox to vernal equinox)
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 21 ! Using the position of the Sun or stars to keep time " Astrolabes " Sundials
"Iranian Astrolabe 14" by Jacopo Koushan (User:Jacopo188)Photograph by Masoud Safarniya "Equatorial sundial topview" by WillowW - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (User:M.safarniya) - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Equatorial_sundial_topview.gif#mediaviewer/File:Equatorial_sundial_topview.gif File:Iranian_Astrolabe_14.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Iranian_Astrolabe_14.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 22 ! At local noon the sun is at its highest point in the sky (crosses the meridian) ! This is different for every longitude " Time Zones – Offset from Universal Time
"Meridian on celestial sphere" by Tfr000 (talk) 16:56, 18 June 2012 (UTC) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - "World Time Zones Map" by TimeZonesBoy - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Meridian_on_celestial_sphere.png#/media/ File:World_Time_Zones_Map.png#mediaviewer/File:World_Time_Zones_Map.png File:Meridian_on_celestial_sphere.png Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 23 ! How does the motion of the sun depend on the time of year? ! How does the motion of the sun depend on the location of the observer?
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 24 ! At the equator – path during the solstices
"Solstice-0" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solstice-0.jpg#mediaviewer/ File:Solstice-0.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 25 ! At 20o latitude – path during the solstices
"Solstice-20" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solstice-20.jpg#mediaviewer/ File:Solstice-20.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 26 ! At 50o latitude – path during the solstices
"Solstice-50" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solstice-50.jpg#mediaviewer/ File:Solstice-50.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 27 ! At 70o latitude – path during the solstices
"Solstice-70" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solstice-70.jpg#mediaviewer/ File:Solstice-70.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 28 ! At 90o latitude – path during the solstices
"Solstice-90" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Solstice-90.jpg#mediaviewer/ File:Solstice-90.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 29 ! Precession – change in the orientation of a rotating body " Axial precession of the Earth – movement of the rotational axis ! Complete precessional cycle is 26,000 years or 1o every 72 years ! Also called precession of the equinoxes
"Earth precession" by NASA, Mysid - Vectorized by Mysid in Inkscape after a NASA Earth Observatory image in Milutin Milankovitch Precession.. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth_precession.svg#mediaviewer/File:Earth_precession.svg
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 30 "Precession N" by Tauʻolunga - self, 4 bit GIF. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Precession_N.gif#mediaviewer/ File:Precession_N.gif
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 31 ! A way of organizing time – periods are usually synchronized with the cycle of the Sun or Moon. ! Calendars in use today: " Gregorian Calendar " Islamic Calendar " Hindu Calendars
"Hindu calendar 1871-72" by Unknown - http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/world/images/s92.jpg Description: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/world/world-object.html. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ Elizabeth Charlton, File:Hindu_calendar_1871-72.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Hindu_calendar_1871-72.jpg2016 32 ! International Standard " refinement to the Julian Calendar in 1582 by the Catholic Church " also reformed the lunar calendar used by the church " corrected the length of the year by .002% " brought the date of Easter to the correct time of year (agreed upon by the First Council of Nicaea in 325) ! Leap years " a year containing an extra day to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical or seasonal year " most years that are integer multiples of 4 are leap years " the century years must be integer multiples of both 100 and 400
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 33 ! Diurnal Motion – the apparent daily motion of stars around the celestial poles " due to the rotation of the Earth " visible stars depend on your location on the Earth and where the Earth is in its orbit
"Deep Crux wide field with fog" by Naskies - Own workPreviously published: http:// www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=89854. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution- Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Deep_Crux_wide_field_with_fog.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Deep_Crux_wide_field_with_fog.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 34 What do you think?
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 35 ! The energy put out by the sun changes over the year ! Prediction: " The energy should be measurably different from space ! Interpretation: " Hypothesis is wrong (energy doesn’t vary)
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 36 ! The distance from the sun changes ! Prediction: " The distance should be measurably different " It should be warmest when closest ! Interpretation: " Hypothesis is wrong (coldest when closest)
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 37 "Seasons1" by following Duoduoduo's advice, vector image: Gothika. - [1]. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Seasons1.svg#mediaviewer/File:Seasons1.svg ! The angle to the sun changes ! Prediction: " The angle should be measurably different " It should be warmest when sun must direct " Seasons should be opposite in southern hemisphere ! Interpretation: " Hypothesis is right
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 39 "North season" by Tauʻolunga - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:North_season.jpg#mediaviewer/File:North_season.jpg "Earth-lighting-summer-solstice EN". Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth-lighting-summer- solstice_EN.png#mediaviewer/File:Earth-lighting-summer-solstice_EN.png "Earth-lighting-winter-solstice EN". Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earth-lighting-winter- solstice_EN.png#mediaviewer/File:Earth-lighting-winter-solstice_EN.png "Seasonearth". Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/File:Seasonearth.png#mediaviewer/File:Seasonearth.png " The appearance changes " Amount of illumination " Location of illumination
" What are the phases?
"Lunar libration with phase Oct 2007 450px" by Tomruen - Lunar_libration_with_phase_Oct_2007.gif. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Lunar_libration_with_phase_Oct_2007_450px.gif#mediaviewer/ File:Lunar_libration_with_phase_Oct_2007_450px.gif
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 44 " Name " % illuminated " New " 0 % illuminated " Crescent " 0-50 % illuminated " Quarter " 50 % illuminated " Gibbous " 50-100 % illuminated " Full " 100 % illuminated
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 45 " Waxing means " % illuminated is increasing " Waning means " % illuminated is decreasing
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 46 ! The moon is not always up at the same time.
! The Moon rises roughly 50 minutes later each day ! Sometimes up at night ! Sometimes up during the day
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 47 "Moon phases en" by Orion 8 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moon_phases_en.jpg#/media/File:Moon_phases_en.jpg
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 48 ! What are tides? " The regular rise and fall of the water level surface ! What causes tides? " The gravitational interaction between the Earth and Moon " The gravitation of the
sun also contributes to a "Tide schematic". Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http:// smaller extent commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tide_schematic.svg#mediaviewer/File:Tide_schematic.svg
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 49 "Tide overview" by iThe source code of this SVG is valid.This vector image was created with Inkscape. - Own work. Licensed under CreativeElizabeth Commons Charlton, Attribution-Share 2016 Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - 50 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tide_overview.svg#mediaviewer/File:Tide_overview.svg ! How often is there a high tide? " Approximately every 12 hours ! How often is there a low tide? " Approximately every 12 hours ! Why do the times of high and low tide change from day to day? " The moon is also orbiting around the Earth each month
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 51 ! Two types of eclipses:
" Solar "Solar eclipse 1999 4 NR" by Luc Viatour - Own work www.lucnix.be. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Solar_eclipse_1999_4_NR.jpg#mediaviewer/ " Lunar File:Solar_eclipse_1999_4_NR.jpg
"Eclipse lune" by Luc Viatour - own work www.lucnix.beNikon case FE2 Otical refractor Vixen 1000mm F/D10addition of several images in Photoshop. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eclipse_lune.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Eclipse_lune.jpg Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 52 " Definition…
" The shadow of the moon falls on the Earth
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 53 Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 Credit: Mir 27 Crew; Copyright: CNES 54 " Moon blocks out sun
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 55 " Where does the moon need to be compared to the earth and sun for a solar eclipse to happen?
" Moon is between Sun and Earth " Possible at new moon phase
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 56 "Geometry of a Total Solar Eclipse" by Sagredo - Own work. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http:// commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Geometry_of_a_Total_Solar_Eclipse.svg#mediaviewer/ File:Geometry_of_a_Total_Solar_Eclipse.svgElizabeth Charlton, 2016 57 " Total solar eclipse " Moon completely blocks Sun " Partial solar eclipse " Moon blocks part of Sun " Annular solar eclipse " Moon blocks center but not edge
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 58
" Definition " Shadow of the earth falls on the moon
" Total lunar eclipse – " moon entirely in Earth’s shadow " Partial lunar eclipse – " moon partially in Earth’s shadow
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 60 " Where does the moon need to be compared to the earth and sun for a lunar eclipse to happen?
" Moon is behind earth compared to sun " Full moon phase
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 61 "Geometry of a Lunar Eclipse" by Sagredo - Own work, images of Earth and Moon derived from NASA images. Licensed under Public Elizabethdomain via Wikimedia Charlton, Commons 2016 - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ 62 File:Geometry_of_a_Lunar_Eclipse.svg#mediaviewer/File:Geometry_of_a_Lunar_Eclipse.svg ! The Moon’s orbit is tilted with respect to the ecliptic: " Nodes – points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic " Eclipses only occur when the Moon is
passing through a node "Lunar eclipse diagram-en" by SuperManu - en:Image:Lunareclipsediagram2.gif by Tom Ruen, and derivating from Image:Solar eclipse fr.svg. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lunar_eclipse_diagram-en.svg#mediaviewer/ File:Lunar_eclipse_diagram-en.svg
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 63 ! Eclipses in the UK " http://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/uk/oxford
! NASA Website ! http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html ! Total Solar Eclipse in the US ! August 21st , 2017
Elizabeth Charlton, 2016 64