Week 11 (Nov. 4 - 8)
Read: The luminosity of variable stars (Chap. 20) and Galactic spectra (Chap. 21)
Quiz: Monday. Covers Galileo's Starry Messenger.
Homework exercises: Variability-Luminosity (Ex. 20.1), optional: Galaxy rotation (Ex. 21.1). Due noon Saturday week 11.
Laboratory exercises: You should be doing your telescopic observations of a planet (Ex. 19.2) by week 14. Be sure to submit your weekly planetary observations by noon Monday week 12.
The luminosity of variable stars (2 introductory videos):
The luminosity of variable stars (no videos yet on Henrietta Leavitt…):
Galactic spectra (no videos yet on Vesto Slipher…):
Vesto Slipher carefully observed the light emitted by distant galaxies. For background, you might wish to check out this review article on the discovery and classification of galaxies.
Incidentally, Vesto Slipher discovered the now-famous galactic red-shifts at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona. This observatory has a wonderfully interesting history. It was founded by Percival Lowell. He built the observatory primarily to study the Martian civilization that produced the canals that seemed to criss-cross the surface of Mars. It is also where Pluto was discovered in 1930.
Homework exercises: Variability-Luminosity (Ex. 20.1), optional: Galaxy rotation (Ex. 21.1). Due noon Saturday week 11.
Laboratory exercises: You should be doing your telescopic observations of a planet (Ex. 19.2) by week 14. Be sure to submit your weekly planetary observations by noon Monday week 12.
The luminosity of variable stars (2 introductory videos):
The luminosity of variable stars (no videos yet on Henrietta Leavitt…):
Galactic spectra (no videos yet on Vesto Slipher…):
Vesto Slipher carefully observed the light emitted by distant galaxies. For background, you might wish to check out this review article on the discovery and classification of galaxies.
Incidentally, Vesto Slipher discovered the now-famous galactic red-shifts at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona. This observatory has a wonderfully interesting history. It was founded by Percival Lowell. He built the observatory primarily to study the Martian civilization that produced the canals that seemed to criss-cross the surface of Mars. It is also where Pluto was discovered in 1930.