DOCSLIB.ORG

Stars and Telescopes : a Resource Book for Teachers of Lower School Science

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Stars and Telescopes : a Resource Book for Teachers of Lower School Science Edith Cowan University Research Online ECU Publications Pre. 2011 1981 Stars and telescopes : a resource book for teachers of lower school science Clifton L. Smith Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks Part of the Science and Mathematics Education Commons Smith, C. (1981). Stars and telescopes : a resource book for teachers of lower school science. Nedlands, Australia: Nedlands College of Advanced Education. This Book is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks/7034 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. � NEDLANDS COLLEGE of Advanced Education .. Stars and Telescopes T 522 SM! (WATCC) \ \ S T A R S AND T E L E S C O P E S S T A R S A N D T E L E S C O P E S A Resource Book for Teachers of Lower School Science by CLIFTON L, SMITH Graphics by G. Pollard Media Services Nedlands College of Advanced Education Stirling Highway NEDLANDS WA 6009 1981 C O N T E N T S AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1 STAR GROUPINGS 3 TYPES OF STARS 9 TELESCOPES 11 PLAN I SPHERE 15 ASTRONOMICAL DATA BOOK 17 ANGLE MEASURERS 19 PROMINENT CONSTELLATIONS 25 OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES 37 STAR MAPS AND DATA BOOKS 38 REFERENCES BOOKS 39 TEACHING AIDS •• 40 SUGGESTIONS FOR AN OBSERVATIONAL EVENING 43 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This resource book has been designed to meet the needs of teachers of lower school science who wish to gain experience in celestial astronomy in order to conduct an obser- vational evening for lower school science students. The material will be treated at an elementary level, and is intended for teachers who require the acquisition of knowledge, skills and experience in the space sciences. This resource book will consider: * Types of star groupings: double stars, binary stars, open star clusters, globular clusters, galaxies, and constellations. * Types of stars: main sequence stars, red giants, variable !:l;ars, white dwarfs, black dwarfs, and neutron stars. * Types of telescopes: prime focus, newtonian focus, cassegrain focus, coud� focus, and Schmidt design telescopes. * Teaching Aids: planispheres, angle measurers, star maps, celestial sphere, constellation simulator. Later, we will discuss celestial observations activities suitable f�r lower school science activity work by; * Naked eye observations: recognition of prominent constellations and stars, and the measurement of angular distances. 2 *Binocular observations: gross properties of celestial objects. *Telescope observations: detailed properties of celestial objects. 3 STAR GROUPINGS Stars tend to group in a variety of types of formations. These formations are usually the result of gravitational attrac- tion between the stars. Some stars are solitary, isolated occupants of space. However, most stars within a galaxy are associated with other stars. Several types of star associations occur, ranging from just several stars in the grouping to extremely large star clusters. 1. Binary Star System Most stars in our Galaxy are not solitary, but are bound by the force of gravity to one, and sometimes many, companions. About half of all star systems are binary or multiple systems. In binary star systems the two stars move around each other in elliptical orbits. Example: Alpha Centauri 4 2. Open Star Cluster Open star clusters, or galactic clusters, are loose and irregular aggregations of stars containing several hundred to several thousand stars. Individual stars in the open cluster are easily resolved with a telescope, and in some cases can be seen with the naked eye. Open clusters are mainly located close to the galactic plane, which is recognised as the Milky Way in the heavens at night. Examples: Hyades, Pleiades (Seven Sisters) • . • • • • • • • • 5 3. Globular Cluster Globular clusters are relatively tightly packed clusters of stars containing hundreds of thousands or millions of stars in spherical symmetry. Globular clusters are symmetrically distribu- ted around the nucleus of the galaxy. Stars in globular clusters are generally older than stars in the galactic arms. Examples: Omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae . .. .. /: . .. I o o ... • • • • • Globular clusters • • • • • + - 100 000 light years --+ 6 4. Galaxies Galaxies are now thought to be the basic unit of the Universe. That is, the Universe contains galaxies. Galaxies are celestial structures with a large number of stars gravitationally 11 held together. Typically about 1 x 10 stars compose a galaxy, with each star possessing a mass comparable to that of our Sun. Three major types of galaxies are observed. (a) Elliptical galaxies have stars symmetrically distributed in an ellipsoid, with dimensions differing from galaxy to galaxy. (b) Spiral galaxies possess the characteristic star spiral arms which sweep out behind the rotating galactic nucleus. Normal spiral galaxies have a central nucleus of stars with radiating spiral arms. Barred spiral galaxies have a distinct "bar" of stars through the nucleus, and from wh.ich two spiral arms trail. (c) Irrecular galaxies are generally smaller galaxies which do not possess structure or symmetry. Their shape is probably due to lack of rotation. The Large Magellanic and Small Magellanic Clouds are irregular galaxies close to our galaxy, the Milky Way. 7 5. Constellations Constellations are arbitary patterns of the brighter stars in the heavens. They do not portray real groupings of stars, which may be greatly dispersed at varying distances in space. The ancient mythological names have been retained in Latin form. Each star in the constellation is described by a greek letter of the alphabet, with a designated to the brightest star, e to the next brightest star, etc. For example, a Crux is the brightest star in the Southern Cross. l'i ll1 Iiij ,, i i :i , V> EARTH The famous southern hemisphere constellation of CRUX is composed of stars at varying distances from Earth. a Crux 300 light years e Crux 490 light years y Crux 200 light years 0 Crux 590 light years 9 TYPES OF STARS Stars are born from interstellar hydrogen gas and dust in the galactic arms. A gravitational collapse of the gas nebula causes the internal pressure and temperature to increase. When the temperature is sufficiently high (6 million K), fusion reactions commence converting hydrogen to helium and releasing enormous quantities of energy. The hydrogen fusion reaction is referred to as hydrogen burning, and the gas cloud is now a protostar. When the gravitational contraction forces are in equilibrium with the thermal pressure of the gas of the star, the star is then in its stable hydrogen burning phase. Our Sun is undergoing hydrogen burning, and is termed a Main Sequence star. After about 1 x 10 1° years, the hydrogen in the core will have been consumed and the fusion reactions cease. Gravitational collapse will recommence, further increasing the stellar central pressure and temperature. At about 30 million K helium fusion reactions begin, again arresting the gravitational collapse and distending the outer gas envelope of the star. This bloated outer envelope of gas will become cooler and hence redder, with an increase in stellar radius by a factor of 1000 . The star is now in the Red Giant phase. Further progressive gravitational collapses occur as core fuel depletes, produces fusion reactions for C, N, 0, etc, up to Fe. Iron is the terminating nuclide in the series as it does not undergo fusion reactions. During these phases of the burning reactions the star becomes unstable with its outer gas envelope expanding and contraction. The stellar object is now a Variable Star. 11 TELESCOPES The function of a telescope is to collect light from a celestial object and to focus this light to an image. Refracting telescopes achieve this outcome by means of a lens, while a reflect­ ing telescope employs a curved mirror. Reflecting telescopes use a parabolic mirror to minimise spherical aberration. Several optical configurations are possible to achieve the production of an image which can be focussed onto a photographic plate or viewed with an eyepiece� (a) Prime Focus Telescope The photographic plate or eyepiece is actually situated in the telescope tube. (b) Newtonian Focus 12 The Newtonian focus takes the light beam from the telescope tube by means of a plane mirror. This configuration requires the camera or eyepiece to be near the top end of the telescope tube. (c) Cassegrain Focus A second small convex mirror in the field of view focusses the image through a hole in the main reflector. This configuration is very convenient to use, however it reduces the light collecting aperture. - However the insertion of a small plane mirror in front of the primary mirror provides a cassegrain focus configuration with side viewing. 13 (d) Coude Focus An unfocussed image is reflected to a stationary observing station away from the telescope in a separate laboratory.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ann Merchant Boesgaard Publications Merchant, A. E., Bodenheimer, P., and Wallerstein, G
    Ann Merchant Boesgaard Publications Merchant, A. E., Bodenheimer, P., and Wallerstein, G. (1965). “The Lithium Isotope Ratio in Two Hyades F Stars.” Ap. J., 142, 790. Merchant, A. E. (1966). “Beryllium in F- and G-Type Dwarfs.” Ap. J., 143, 336. Hodge, P. W., and Merchant, A. E. (1966). “Photometry of SO Galaxies II. The Peculiar Galaxy NGC 128.” Ap. J., 144, 875. Merchant, A. E. (1967). “The Abundance of Lithium in Early M-Type Stars.” Ap. J., 147, 587. Merchant, A. E. (1967). “Measured Equivalent Widths in Early M-Type Stars.” Lick Obs. Bull. No. 595 (Univ. of California Press). Boesgaard, A. M. (1968). “Isotopes of Magnesium in Stellar Atmosphere.” Ap. J., 154, 185. Boesgaard, A. M. (1968). “Observations of Beryllium in Stars.” Highlights of Astron- omy, ed. L. Perek (Dordrecht: D. Reidel), p. 237. Boesgaard, A. M. (1969). “Intensity Variation in Ca Emission in an MS Star.” Pub. A. S. P., 81, 283. Boesgaard, A. M. (1969). “Observational Clues to the Evolution of M Giant Stars.” Pub. A. S. P., 81, 365. Boesgaard, A. M. (1970). “The Lithium Isotope Ratio in δ Sagittae.” Ap. J., 159, 727. Boesgaard, A. M. (1970). “The Ratio of Titanium to Zirconium in Late-Type Stars.” Ap. J., 161, 163. Boesgaard, A. M. (1970). “On the Lithium Content in Late-Type Giants.” Ap. Letters, 5, 145. Boesgaard, A. M. (1970). “Lithium in Heavy-Metal Red Giants.” Ap. J., 161, 1003. Boesgaard, A. M. (1971). “The Lithium Content of Capella.” Ap. J., 167, 511. Boesgaard, A. M. (1973). “Iron Emission Lines in a Orionis.” In Stellar Chromospheres, eds.
    [Show full text]
  • Urania Nr 3/2005
    > /2005 (717) urania 3/tom LXXVI maj—czerwiec mhćirn iVlich jp f f l owiek, który świat nauczył rnier> życe(?) wokóf planetoid Fotome anzytów za pomocą rnaiych Europejskie Obserwatorium Południowe leskopami pomocniczymi (AT) o średnicy a dalej ogromne budynki mieszczące wiel­ (ESO) zbudowało w latach 1988-2002, na 1,8 m, które mogą zajmować 30 różnych kie teleskopy i 2 kopuły teleskopów pomoc­ ściętym wierzchołku góry Cerro Paranal pozycji, będą stanowiły ciągle rozbudowy­ niczych (obecnie są 2 AT, będzie ich 8). (2635 m n.p.m.) na pustyni Atacama w Chi­ wany instrument interferometryczny (VLTI) Na górnym zdjęciu widzimy teleskop „z gó­ le, Bardzo Duży Teleskop (VLT). Składa o bazie sięgającej przeszło 200 m, które­ ry" wraz z okolicznym krajobrazem, toro­ się on z czterech teleskopów o średnicy go rozdzielczość (0,001 sekundy łuku) bę­ wiskami teleskopów AT i drogami kanałów 8,2 m, mogących kierować zebrane świa­ dzie tak wielka, że można by widzieć nim optycznych prowadzących zebrane świa­ tło do wspólnego ogniska. Razem zbierają astronautę na Księżycu. Dolne zdjęcie tło do wspólnego ogniska interferometru one tyle światła, ile zbierałby teleskop przedstawia ogólny, obecny (2005 r.) wi­ oznaczonego gwiazdką. Idea i zasady o średnicy 16 m, a pracując w systemie dok tego obserwatorium. Na pierwszym działania tego instrumentu wywodzą się interferometrycznym, stanowią teleskop planie widzimy torowisko i stanowiska ob­ z odkryć i prac Alberta Michelsona. o średnicy prawie 130 m. Wspomagane te­ serwacyjne dla teleskopów pomocniczych, Zdjęcia ESO U R A N IA - POSTtPY ASTRONOMII 3/2005 Szanowni i Drodzy Czytelnicy, Interferometria, jako technika badawcza, zdobywa coraz szersze pola zastosowań w astronomii.
    [Show full text]
  • A Basic Requirement for Studying the Heavens Is Determining Where In
    Abasic requirement for studying the heavens is determining where in the sky things are. To specify sky positions, astronomers have developed several coordinate systems. Each uses a coordinate grid projected on to the celestial sphere, in analogy to the geographic coordinate system used on the surface of the Earth. The coordinate systems differ only in their choice of the fundamental plane, which divides the sky into two equal hemispheres along a great circle (the fundamental plane of the geographic system is the Earth's equator) . Each coordinate system is named for its choice of fundamental plane. The equatorial coordinate system is probably the most widely used celestial coordinate system. It is also the one most closely related to the geographic coordinate system, because they use the same fun­ damental plane and the same poles. The projection of the Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere is called the celestial equator. Similarly, projecting the geographic poles on to the celest ial sphere defines the north and south celestial poles. However, there is an important difference between the equatorial and geographic coordinate systems: the geographic system is fixed to the Earth; it rotates as the Earth does . The equatorial system is fixed to the stars, so it appears to rotate across the sky with the stars, but of course it's really the Earth rotating under the fixed sky. The latitudinal (latitude-like) angle of the equatorial system is called declination (Dec for short) . It measures the angle of an object above or below the celestial equator. The longitud inal angle is called the right ascension (RA for short).
    [Show full text]
  • Physics Abstracts CLASSIFICATION and CONTENTS (PACC)
    Physics Abstracts CLASSIFICATION AND CONTENTS (PACC) 0000 general 0100 communication, education, history, and philosophy 0110 announcements, news, and organizational activities 0110C announcements, news, and awards 0110F conferences, lectures, and institutes 0110H physics organizational activities 0130 physics literature and publications 0130B publications of lectures(advanced institutes, summer schools, etc.) 0130C conference proceedings 0130E monographs, and collections 0130K handbooks and dictionaries 0130L collections of physical data, tables 0130N textbooks 0130Q reports, dissertations, theses 0130R reviews and tutorial papers;resource letters 0130T bibliographies 0140 education 0140D course design and evaluation 0140E science in elementary and secondary school 0140G curricula, teaching methods,strategies, and evaluation 0140J teacher training 0150 educational aids(inc. equipment,experiments and teaching approaches to subjects) 0150F audio and visual aids, films 0150H instructional computer use 0150K testing theory and techniques 0150M demonstration experiments and apparatus 0150P laboratory experiments and apparatus 0150Q laboratory course design,organization, and evaluation 0150T buildings and facilities 0155 general physics 0160 biographical, historical, and personal notes 0165 history of science 0170 philosophy of science 0175 science and society 0190 other topics of general interest 0200 mathematical methods in physics 0210 algebra, set theory, and graph theory 0220 group theory(for algebraic methods in quantum mechanics, see
    [Show full text]
  • Stars and Their Spectra: an Introduction to the Spectral Sequence Second Edition James B
    Cambridge University Press 978-0-521-89954-3 - Stars and Their Spectra: An Introduction to the Spectral Sequence Second Edition James B. Kaler Index More information Star index Stars are arranged by the Latin genitive of their constellation of residence, with other star names interspersed alphabetically. Within a constellation, Bayer Greek letters are given first, followed by Roman letters, Flamsteed numbers, variable stars arranged in traditional order (see Section 1.11), and then other names that take on genitive form. Stellar spectra are indicated by an asterisk. The best-known proper names have priority over their Greek-letter names. Spectra of the Sun and of nebulae are included as well. Abell 21 nucleus, see a Aurigae, see Capella Abell 78 nucleus, 327* ε Aurigae, 178, 186 Achernar, 9, 243, 264, 274 z Aurigae, 177, 186 Acrux, see Alpha Crucis Z Aurigae, 186, 269* Adhara, see Epsilon Canis Majoris AB Aurigae, 255 Albireo, 26 Alcor, 26, 177, 241, 243, 272* Barnard’s Star, 129–130, 131 Aldebaran, 9, 27, 80*, 163, 165 Betelgeuse, 2, 9, 16, 18, 20, 73, 74*, 79, Algol, 20, 26, 176–177, 271*, 333, 366 80*, 88, 104–105, 106*, 110*, 113, Altair, 9, 236, 241, 250 115, 118, 122, 187, 216, 264 a Andromedae, 273, 273* image of, 114 b Andromedae, 164 BDþ284211, 285* g Andromedae, 26 Bl 253* u Andromedae A, 218* a Boo¨tis, see Arcturus u Andromedae B, 109* g Boo¨tis, 243 Z Andromedae, 337 Z Boo¨tis, 185 Antares, 10, 73, 104–105, 113, 115, 118, l Boo¨tis, 254, 280, 314 122, 174* s Boo¨tis, 218* 53 Aquarii A, 195 53 Aquarii B, 195 T Camelopardalis,
    [Show full text]
  • ESO Annual Report 2004 ESO Annual Report 2004 Presented to the Council by the Director General Dr
    ESO Annual Report 2004 ESO Annual Report 2004 presented to the Council by the Director General Dr. Catherine Cesarsky View of La Silla from the 3.6-m telescope. ESO is the foremost intergovernmental European Science and Technology organi- sation in the field of ground-based as- trophysics. It is supported by eleven coun- tries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Created in 1962, ESO provides state-of- the-art research facilities to European astronomers and astrophysicists. In pur- suit of this task, ESO’s activities cover a wide spectrum including the design and construction of world-class ground-based observational facilities for the member- state scientists, large telescope projects, design of innovative scientific instruments, developing new and advanced techno- logies, furthering European co-operation and carrying out European educational programmes. ESO operates at three sites in the Ataca- ma desert region of Chile. The first site The VLT is a most unusual telescope, is at La Silla, a mountain 600 km north of based on the latest technology. It is not Santiago de Chile, at 2 400 m altitude. just one, but an array of 4 telescopes, It is equipped with several optical tele- each with a main mirror of 8.2-m diame- scopes with mirror diameters of up to ter. With one such telescope, images 3.6-metres. The 3.5-m New Technology of celestial objects as faint as magnitude Telescope (NTT) was the first in the 30 have been obtained in a one-hour ex- world to have a computer-controlled main posure.
    [Show full text]
  • Summer Solstice 1985 No
    Summer Solstice 1985 No. 47 • a· .;.. \ .. .~ ' ... ...... e"., 5 Q."" « o in en tI( u • • " '·,!_M! H. BATTErJ Di-l~ ~ I ;.J I Of..! (.. 51 R Of HV SIC ~ L. em S;:::P VA TOR v 5071 WEST SAANI~H ROAD \:I..:~·rC,F~Irit Be \.. <,:1.<. c, !'16 • Cassiopeia Editorial The recent Annual General Meeting celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the DOD, and in the process demonstrated that one of the many accomplishments of the University of Toronto 's Astronomy Department is skill in planning and organizing a meeting. No. 47 Summer Solstice 1985 Despite extra complications such as the joint session with the Planetarium Association of Canada on education in astronomy, and the ceremony at the DOD, everything seemed to go extremely smoothly. Highlights of the meeting were the first annual Helen Sawyer Hogg Public Lecture, given by Owen Gingerich and entitled "The Mysterious Nebulae: 1610-1924", the R.M. Petrie Memorial Lecture on "The Galactic CANADIAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY Centre" by Charles Townes, and two very stimulating invited talks, on "Physical Processes in White Dwarfs" by Gilles Gontaine, and on "The SOCIETE CANADIENNE D'ASTRONOMIE Ages of Gl obul ar Cl usters from Ste 11 ar Model s" by Don VandenBerg . A special session on the 000 produced some very entertaining reminiscenses from Peter Millman, Bill Harris, Chris Purton and Don MacRae . Editor: Colin Se arfe, University of Victoria One of the few failings of the meeti ngs was the inadequate space allotted for the poster sessions. The boards themselves were spacious and their size was well publicized in advance.
    [Show full text]
  • Doppler Imaging of the Helium-Variable Star a Centauri*
    A&A 520, A44 (2010) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201014157 & c ESO 2010 Astrophysics Doppler imaging of the helium-variable star a Centauri D. A. Bohlender1,J.B.Rice2, and P. Hechler2 1 National Research Council of Canada, Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, BC, V9E 2E7, Canada e-mail: [email protected] 2 Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brandon University, Brandon, MB R7A 6A9, Canada e-mail: [email protected] Received 29 January 2010 / Accepted 14 June 2010 ABSTRACT Aims. The helium-peculiar star a Cen exhibits interesting line profile variations of elements such as iron, nitrogen and oxygen in addition to its well-known extreme helium variability. The objective of this paper is to use new high signal-to-noise, high-resolution spectra to perform a quantitative measurement of the helium, iron, nitrogen and oxygen abundances of the star and determine the relation of the concentrations of the heavier elements on the surface of the star to the helium concentration and perhaps to the magnetic field orientation. Methods. Doppler images have been created for the elements helium, iron, nitrogen and oxygen using the programs described in earlier papers by Rice and others. An alternative surface abundance mapping code has been used to model the helium line variations after our Doppler imaging of certain individual helium lines produced mediocre results. Results. Doppler imaging of the helium abundance of a Cen confirms the long-known existence of helium-rich and helium-poor hemispheres on the star and we measure a difference of more than two orders of magnitude in helium abundance from one side of the star to the other.
    [Show full text]
  • A Multi-Technique Study of the Dynamical Evolution of the Viscous Disk Around the Be Star Ω Cma
    University of São Paulo (USP) Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences Department of Astronomy Sayyed Mohammad Reza Ghoreyshi A Multi-technique Study of the Dynamical Evolution of the Viscous Disk around the Be Star w CMa São Paulo 2018 Sayyed Mohammad Reza Ghoreyshi A Multi-technique Study of the Dynamical Evolution of the Viscous Disk around the Be Star w CMa Tese apresentada ao Departamento de Astrono- mia do Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ci- ências Atmosféricas da Universidade de São Paulo como requisito parcial para a obtenção do título de Doutor em Ciências. Área de Concentração: Astronomia Orientador: Prof. Dr. Alex Cavaliéri Carciofi São Paulo 2018 To my dear wife, Minoo, who tolerated all difficulties, and to my dear kids, Arshida & Arshavir, who endured a difficult time, for this thesis becoming true. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, Prof. Dr. Alex Cavaliéri Carciofi, for the patient guidance, encouragement and advice he has provided throughout my time as his student. I have been extremely lucky to have a supervisor who cared so much about my work, and who responded to my questions and queries so promptly. I would also like to thank every body at IAG who helped me scientifically or technically. In particular I would like to thank Dr. Daniel Moser Faes for his constant helps at different points of this thesis. It would have been very difficult for me to take this work to completion without his incredible support and advice. I must express my sincere gratitude to Minoo, my wife, for her continued support, encoura- gement and patience for experiencing all of the ups and downs of my research time.
    [Show full text]
  • Galactic and Extragalactic Studies, Xxiii. Opacity of the Southern Milky Way Dust Clouds by Harlow Shapley and Jacqueline Sweeney
    GALACTIC AND EXTRAGALACTIC STUDIES, XXIII. OPACITY OF THE SOUTHERN MILKY WAY DUST CLOUDS BY HARLOW SHAPLEY AND JACQUELINE SWEENEY HARVARD COLLEGE OBSERVATORY Communicated June 3, 1955 The greater richness of the southern celestial hemisphere when compared with the northern is illustrated by its brightest constellations, Scorpius, Sagittarius, Centaurus, and Crux, and in such stellar giants of brightness and size as Sirius, Antares, Canopus, and Achernar. It is the hemisphere of the nearest external galaxies (the Magellanic Clouds) and of the central nucleus of our Milky Way. A consequence of the latter is that more than four-fifths of the known globular star clusters, including the two brightest, Omega Centauri and 47 Tucanae, are also southern, as is the heavily obscured Messier 4, probably the nearest of all globular clusters. But perhaps the most outstanding features of the southern sky are the brilliance of the gaseous nebulosities in Orion, Carina, and Sagittarius and the darkness of the large obscurations among the Milky Way star clouds, especially the darkness of the Coalsack and of the complex of obscurities around Rho Ophi- uchi. An examination of the opacity of these discrete dark nebulosities, and of the general cosmic dust that obscures the distant parts of the southern Milky Way, is reported in this communication. 1. On the basis of galaxy counts on photographs made with the Mount Wilson reflectors, E. P. Hubble published in 1934 his well-known picture of the distribution of faint galaxies. He was able to take his sampling survey southward only to dec- lination -30°. Hubble's work on northern galaxies is now being reinforced, or actually supplanted, by the full-coverage atlas of the northern sky by C.
    [Show full text]
  • The Electric Sun Hypothesis
    Basics of astrophysics revisited. II. Mass- luminosity- rotation relation for F, A, B, O and WR class stars Edgars Alksnis [email protected] Small volume statistics show, that luminosity of bright stars is proportional to their angular momentums of rotation when certain relation between stellar mass and stellar rotation speed is reached. Cause should be outside of standard stellar model. Concept allows strengthen hypotheses of 1) fast rotation of Wolf-Rayet stars and 2) low mass central black hole of the Milky Way. Keywords: mass-luminosity relation, stellar rotation, Wolf-Rayet stars, stellar angular momentum, Sagittarius A* mass, Sagittarius A* luminosity. In previous work (Alksnis, 2017) we have shown, that in slow rotating stars stellar luminosity is proportional to spin angular momentum of the star. This allows us to see, that there in fact are no stars outside of “main sequence” within stellar classes G, K and M. METHOD We have analyzed possible connection between stellar luminosity and stellar angular momentum in samples of most known F, A, B, O and WR class stars (tables 1-5). Stellar equatorial rotation speed (vsini) was used as main parameter of stellar rotation when possible. Several diverse data for one star were averaged. Zero stellar rotation speed was considered as an error and corresponding star has been not included in sample. RESULTS 2 F class star Relative Relative Luminosity, Relative M*R *eq mass, M radius, L rotation, L R eq HATP-6 1.29 1.46 3.55 2.950 2.28 α UMi B 1.39 1.38 3.90 38.573 26.18 Alpha Fornacis 1.33
    [Show full text]
  • Astronomy 2009 Index
    Astronomy Magazine 2009 Index Subject Index 1RXS J160929.1-210524 (star), 1:24 4C 60.07 (galaxy pair), 2:24 6dFGS (Six Degree Field Galaxy Survey), 8:18 21-centimeter (neutral hydrogen) tomography, 12:10 93 Minerva (asteroid), 12:18 2008 TC3 (asteroid), 1:24 2009 FH (asteroid), 7:19 A Abell 21 (Medusa Nebula), 3:70 Abell 1656 (Coma galaxy cluster), 3:8–9, 6:16 Allen Telescope Array (ATA) radio telescope, 12:10 ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array), 4:21, 9:19 Alpha (α) Canis Majoris (Sirius) (star), 2:68, 10:77 Alpha (α) Orionis (star). See Betelgeuse (Alpha [α] Orionis) (star) Alpha Centauri (star), 2:78 amateur astronomy, 10:18, 11:48–53, 12:19, 56 Andromeda Galaxy (M31) merging with Milky Way, 3:51 midpoint between Milky Way Galaxy and, 1:62–63 ultraviolet images of, 12:22 Antarctic Neumayer Station III, 6:19 Anthe (moon of Saturn), 1:21 Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), 4:24 APEX (Atacama Pathfinder Experiment) radio telescope, 3:19 Apollo missions, 8:19 AR11005 (sunspot group), 11:79 Arches Cluster, 10:22 Ares launch system, 1:37, 3:19, 9:19 Ariane 5 rocket, 4:21 Arianespace SA, 4:21 Armstrong, Neil A., 2:20 Arp 147 (galaxy pair), 2:20 Arp 194 (galaxy group), 8:21 art, cosmology-inspired, 5:10 ASPERA (Astroparticle European Research Area), 1:26 asteroids. See also names of specific asteroids binary, 1:32–33 close approach to Earth, 6:22, 7:19 collision with Jupiter, 11:20 collisions with Earth, 1:24 composition of, 10:55 discovery of, 5:21 effect of environment on surface of, 8:22 measuring distant, 6:23 moons orbiting,
    [Show full text]