Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory

Details Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory

Dec 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006aas...20923203d&link_type=abstract

2007 AAS/AAPT Joint Meeting, American Astronomical Society Meeting 209, #232.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society,

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

One way to get students actively involved in astronomy is to use a planetarium program as a virtual observatory to determine various angles or times. From these “observations” relative distances can be deduced.
For example, parallax can be demonstrated by using a planetarium program to determine the position of the moon at a particular instant in time as observed from different locations on the Earth.
Another example is that the size of Earth’s orbit relative to the moon's orbit can be determined by using a planetarium program to measure the angular separation between the moon and the sun when the moon is exactly half illuminated. The distance ratio is simply the cosine of this angle.
In addition, the size of the orbit of Venus relative to the size of Earth’s orbit can be determined by finding the angle of greatest elongation of Venus. The distance ratio is the sine of the greatest elongation angle.
Finally, the size of the orbit of Mars relative to the size of Earth’s orbit can be determined first finding the synodic period of Mars. The sidereal period of Mars can be determined after the planetarium program is used to determine the sidereal period of the Earth. Next, the time between opposition and quadrature can be determined with the software. From these times, the angular displacement of the superior planet can be found and the relative orbit size is the sine of the angular displacement.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Using Planetarium Software as a Virtual Observatory will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1165067