Phys 102 Astronomy Name ______AOD Example PLANETARY CONFIGURATIONS
THE CONFIGURATIONS OF THE PLANETS: Orbit of Superior Planet
Eastern Orbit of Earth Quadrature
Orbit of Inferior Planet
Greatest Eastern Elongation
Inferior Superior Opposition Conjunction Conjunction Conjunction
Greatest Western
Western Quadrature
Planet Configurations AOD Solution.doc 9/22/2006 PLANETARY CONFIGURATIONS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY Use Starry Night to look at the actual configuration of the solar system at your birth (day and time). • Set The DATE and Time and Place of your birth • Set LOCATION to SURFACE OF SUN, ELEVATION ~ 35 AU • On the FIND tab, click on the boxes to the right of each planet. • On the VIEWING OPTIONs tab shut off all objects but the planets. • Select and center the sun, zoom in until Saturn's orbit fills the screen, rotate the image until Earth is below the sun. Print it out to the printer in rm. 231, 232 or 207. • Mark the line from the Earth to Sol (use a ruler) and determine the configurations of all the planets. Most planets will be between configurations. Use Starry Night to find the planetary (ecliptic) longitudes. • Staple your print outs to this page to hand in. Planetary Planet Configuration Elongation Longitude Sun Venus and The sun DEFINES configurations! 164.2° 0° Mercury ☿ Almost greatest W elongation 146.5° 17.7° W almost at conjunction ♀ Headed to superior conjunction 147.3° 16.9° W with each other! ♂ Approaching W. quadrature 55.5° 108.8° W Cosmic! ♃ Between conjunction & E quadrature 210.0° 45.8° E ♄ Just past E quadrature 259.3° 95.1° E
YOUR NATAL CHART Use the Atlas and Time Zone Server (Astrodienst “astrodeenst” at http://www.astro.ch/atlas/) to calculate your natal chart … the date, time, and location of your birth are all important. Compare the natal chart with the Starry Night view at your birthplace on your birthdate at your birth time. Note which ones were “up” at the time of your birth. Staple a print-out of your chart to this page to hand in.
CONSTELLATION UP AT YOUR OBJECT Astronomical (Starry Night) Astrological (Astrodienst) BIRTH? Leo Virgo no . Taurus Gemini yes ☿ Leo Leo no ♀ Leo Leo no ♂ Taurus Taurus yes ♃ Virgo Scorpius no ♄ Ophiuchus Sagittarius no ♅ Cancer Leo no ♆ Virgo Scorpius no
Page 2 Planet Configurations AOD Solution.doc 9/22/2006
The Inner Solar System at AOD’s Birth (2:02 am, 9/7/58, Denver, CO)
v nearly lined up with y, headed
toward superior
conjunction
y at greatest western elongation
These planets are visible
in the morning sky
m approaching
western quadrature
Page 3 Planet Configurations AOD Solution.doc 9/22/2006
The Outer Solar System at AOD’s Birth (2:02 am, 9/7/58, Denver, CO)
j between
conjunction and eastern quadrature
t just past
eastern quadrature
These planets are visible
in the evening sky
Page 4 Planet Configurations AOD Solution.doc 9/22/2006
AOD’s Natal Chart (2:02 am, 9/7/58, Denver, CO)
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