Course

Website
Class website for schedule, TA, due dates
hBp://www.phys.barnard.edu/~kay/astr1753
Courseworks
Lecture outlines posted under `lectures
Labs begin Sept 12 but you should enroll beforehand. Please
DROP the lab if you are signed up but are not taking it.
ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

HW 1 posted by Tuesday
Due Thurs Sept 22
My Oce hrs:
Tues 4-5
Thurs 12:30-1:30
Altschul 514 or 503

TA Rose Gibsons oce hours

Weds 6-7 PM
Astro Library, 13th oor Pupin hall
ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

Outline for Sept 8

Lunar MoWons

Units of Time

Most of this material is not in the Life in the

Universe textbook. Use classnotes, & look in
ANY general astronomy textbook if you need
more.

Earth Rotates on its axis, 23h 56 min = DAY

At a speed of 600 mph (1000 km/hr)

Earth Revolves around Sun, = YEAR
Average distance = 1 Astronomical Unit = 1
AU =150 million km = 93 million miles
Speed 60,000 mph (100,000 km/hr)

Moon revolves around Earth = MONTH

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

Synodic vs sidereal month

Phases of the Moon
Eclipses
CelesWal Sphere

Lunar MoWons - the Month

Lunar phases were understood by the Ancients, eg

discussed by Aristotle

They realized the moon was spherical from the shape of
the phases
They knew the moon shone by reected sunlight
(`Earthshine)

Sidereal Month - 1 full orbit of moon around Earth with
respect to the stars 27.3 d
Synodic month - one cycle of phases 29.53 d
Because by the next new or full moon, Earth has moved!

Universe anim

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

Universe anim

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

Eclipses

Lunar RotaWon

When the Moons orbit intersects the

ecliptic (node):

Universe Anim.

at new moon

solar eclipse

you must be in Moons shadow to see it

within umbra: total solar eclipse
within penumbra: partial solar eclipse
at full moon

lunar eclipse

everyone on the nighttime side of Earth can see it

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Moons Nodes

Moons orbit Wlted 5 to eclipWc plane

Crosses eclipWc plane only at the two nodes
Eclipse possible only when full/new occur near nodes

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Angular Size of Moon

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Saros cycle
223 lunar
months = 19
eclipse years
(346.6 days
between
alignment of
nodes) = 6585.3
days
(18 yrs, 11.3
days)

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Zenith - point overhead

Horizon - intersection between Earth and sky
Meridian - half circle from S horizon through zenith to
N horizon

Imagine sky as a huge

inverted bowl
Stars appear to have a
xed posiWon on the bowl

Universe sphere.
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Stars have a position on the Celestial Sphere

corresponding to Longitude and Latitude

DeclinaWon = N or S of
celesWal equator
(laWtude)

Right Ascension -
increases to East, like
longitude

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 So all stars have coordinates on the CelesWal

Sphere, ie an R.A. and Dec
Polaris- North Star- 1 deg from NCP
So if travel North, Polaris is more overhead
If travel South, Polaris is less overhead
---> alWtude of Polaris can tell you local laWtude

Stars can serve as a navigaWonal aid

AlWtude and direcWon
for local sky

LaWtude and
longitude for
locaWons on
Earth

ASTR 1753 Sept 8, 2016

DeclinaWon and
Right ascension
for locaWons on
CelesWal sphere

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The Daily Motion

As the Earth rotates, the sky
appears to us to rotate in the
opposite direcWon.
The sky appears to rotate around
the N (or S) celesWal poles.
If you are standing at the poles,
nothing rises or sets.
If you are standing at the
equator, everything rises & sets
90 deg to the horizon.

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Thus the stars we see..

Depend on our laWtude
See completely dierent stars from North and
South Poles
From Equator all stars will be visible someWme

Also depend on the Wme of the year

Can see stars only from Nighnme side of Earth,
away from Sun
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