4. What is the main advantage of the celestial coordinate system over altitude-azimuth coordinates?

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1 SUMMARY Looking at the night sky is not only fun, it will help you understand some of the phenomena described in chapters 1 and 2. Star maps will help you identify constellations and bright stars, and by learning the mythology of the stars, you will be able to find your way around the night sky more easily. In addition, you will forge a link to distant and ancient cultures. For many people, backyard astronomy even with simple equipment is an enjoyable and exciting hobby. Perhaps you will discover a comet and have it named for you! QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW 1. Do we see the same constellations today as ancient cultures saw? 2. What are right ascension and declination? 3. What are altitude and azimuth? 4. What is the main advantage of the celestial coordinate system over altitude-azimuth coordinates? 5. What is a transit? 6. Approximately where would you look for Mercury in the sky at about sunset? 7. Is magnification or aperture diameter more important when selecting a telescope? 8. What is meant by Morning Star? 9. What is meant by dark adaption? What is averted vision? 10. Why does the pupil of your eye grow wider in dim light? THOUGHT QUESTIONS 1. If a planet is at opposition and you see it high in the sky, about what time of night must it be? 2. Could you ever see Mercury in the western sky at dawn? 3. Considering the orbits in Figure E1.13, where would Venus and Mercury be when they appeared closest together on the sky? What is the name for the alignment when planets are in that position

2 compared to Earth? Would they be easy to see from Earth when closest together? Why? 4. Pirates are often depicted wearing an eye patch. Can you think of any reason a pirate with two good eyes might wear an eye patch while on a ship? TEST YOURSELF 1. If Venus is 42 away from the Moon, then it should be about away from it. (a) two hands (b) a hand and three fingers (c) two and a half hands (d) two hands and a thumb Page As a star rises and moves across the sky, which of the following change? (more than one may be correct) (a) Its right ascension (b) Its declination (c) Its azimuth (d) Its altitude (e) None of the above 3. Imagine that you are lost, but you see two bright stars both initially at an altitude of 20, one about 90 to the right of the other. After about half an hour, the star to the right is still at the same altitude, but the star on the left is about 5 higher. What direction is north? (a) Toward the star on the left.

3 (b) Toward the star on the right. (c) Opposite the star on the left. (d) Opposite the star on the right. 4. A planet is at inferior conjunction. It therefore rises at approximately (a) sunset. (b) sunrise. (c) midnight. (d) 2 hours before the Sun. (e) You can't tell from the available information. 5. If Mercury is at greatest elongation to the west of the Sun, it will be easiest to see (a) just before dawn. (b) just after sunset. (c) about midnight. (d) just before sunset. (e) None of the above 6. Which of the following planets can be at inferior conjunction? (a) Jupiter

4 (b) Mars (c) Uranus (d) Venus (e) All of them 7. When your eye is dark-adapted, (select all that apply) (a) your pupils are smallest. (b) your pupils are biggest. (c) your color vision is at its most sensitive. (d) your eyes are most sensitive to light. KEY TERMS altitude, 66 asterism, 62 averted vision, 70 azimuth, 66 conjunction, 68 dark adaption, 70 declination, 65 Evening Star, 69 greatest elongation, 69 inferior conjunction, 68 Morning Star, 69 opposition, 69

5 right ascension, 65 superior conjunction, 68 synodic period, 69 transit, 69 PROJECTS Motion of the Moon and Planets: You can use the fold-out star chart at the back of the book to track the positions of the Moon and planets as they move in their orbits. Determine from the table at the bottom of the chart when the Moon is a couple of days past new so that it will be visible in the early evening. Go outside shortly after sunset and look for the Moon in the west near where the Sun went down. Next check the dates along the bottom of the star map to find out what region of the sky is visible at that date and time. As the sky darkens, locate the brighter stars near the Moon and mark on the chart where the Moon is with respect to those stars. Finally, make a sketch of the Moon's shape. Repeat this process for the next 4 or 5 nights. The Moon will set a little later each evening, so you need to adjust your observing time accordingly. After watching for a few nights, mark out the Moon's path on the star map. Ideally, you might want to follow the Moon's track for about 2 weeks, although as the Moon reaches third quarter (3 weeks after new moon), you'll have to stay up pretty late because the thirdquarter moon does not rise until midnight. If you are really ambitious, get up before dawn and watch the crescent moon shrink as it approaches the new phase. You can also use this method to study the motion of the planets. Venus is a good choice because it is bright and moves rapidly across the sky. Mercury also moves rapidly, but it usually lies too close to the Sun to see the stars around it. To locate the planets, use the tables along the bottom of the fold-out starchart, which will tell you what constellation the planet is in for the month when you make your observations. The table also indicates whether each planet is more easily seen in the morning or evening. Because the outer planets move relatively slowly across the sky, you should space out your observations, perhaps marking positions once a week rather than every night. As you progress in your project, you might ask whether the planets really follow the ecliptic. Can you see retrograde motion?

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