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Phy 433 Assignment 1 2024

This document contains 7 questions for an astrophysics assignment. The questions cover topics like calculating the altitude of the sun at different latitudes and dates, determining orbital properties of planets and satellites, and calculating distances and properties of stars.

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Alex William John
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23 views

Phy 433 Assignment 1 2024

This document contains 7 questions for an astrophysics assignment. The questions cover topics like calculating the altitude of the sun at different latitudes and dates, determining orbital properties of planets and satellites, and calculating distances and properties of stars.

Uploaded by

Alex William John
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PHY 433: INTRODUCTORY ASTROPHYSIICS

Assignment 1
Due date: 25th March 2024 before 4:06pm
Answer the following questions:

QUESTION 1

(a) Referring to Figure 12(a), calculate the altitude of the Sun along the meridian on
the first day of summer for an observer at latitude of 24° North.
(b) What is the maximum altitude of the Sun on the first day of winter at the same
latitude?

QUESTION 2

(a) Circumpolar stars are stars that never set below the horizon of the local observer
or stars that are never visible above the horizon. After sketching a diagram similar
to Figure 12(a), calculate the range of declinations for these two groups of stars for
an observer at the latitude 𝐿.
(b) At what latitude (s) on Earth will the Sun never set when it is at the summer
solstice?
(c) Is there any latitude on Earth where the Sun will never set when it is at the vernal
equinox? If so, where?

QUESTION 3

(a) Determine the Julian date 06.15UT on November 24, 2015. (Hint: Be sure to
include any leap years in your calculation)

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(b) What is the corresponding modified Julian date?

QUESTION 4

(a) Assuming that the Sun interacts only with Jupiter, calculate the total orbital
angular momentum of the Sun-Jupiter system. The semimajor axis of Jupiter’s
orbit is a =5.2AU, its orbital eccentricity is e = 0.084, and its orbital period is P =
11.68yr.
(b) Estimate the contribution the Sun makes to the total orbital angular momentum of
the Sun – Jupiter system. For simplicity, assume that the Sun’s orbital eccentricity
is e = 0, rather than 𝑒 = 0.084.
Hint: First find the distance of the center of the Sun the center of the mass.
(c) Making the approximation that the orbit of Jupiter is a perfect circle, estimate the
contribution it makes to the total orbital angular momentum of the Sun-Jupiter
system.

Question 5

(a) The Hubble Space Telescope is in a nearly circular orbit, approximately 160km
above the surface of Earth. Estimate its orbital period.
(b) Communications and weather satellites are often placed geosynchronous
“parking” orbits above Earth. These are orbits where satellites can remain fixed
above a specific point on the surface of Earth. At what altitude must these satellite
be located?
(c) Is it possible for a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit to remain “parked” over any
location on the surface of Earth? Why or why not?

Question 6

The parallax angle for Sirius is 0.976′′ .


(a) Find the distance to Sirius in units of (i) parsecs (ii) light –years (iii) AU (iv) m.
(b) Determine the distance modulus for Sirius.

Question 7

Consider a model of the star Dschubba (𝛿 𝑆𝑐𝑜), the center star in the head of the
constellation Scorpius. Assume that Dschubba is a spherical blackbody with a surface
temperature of 28,000K and a radius of 6.15 × 109 m. Let this model star be located at
a distance of 123 pc from Earth.
Determine the following for the star

(a) Luminousity
(b) Absolute bolometric magnitude
(c) Apparent bolometric magnitude
(d) Distance modulus
(e) Radiant flux at the star’s surface
(f) Radiant flu at Earth’s surface
(g) Peak wavelength 𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥

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