Movements of the Earth in

Space

Doppler Effect
the apparent change in wavelength of light
that occurs when the object is moving
toward or away from the Earth.
Using the spectroscope, astronomers can
determine whether a particular object is
moving toward Earth or away from Earth

Ex) Ambulance Siren:

Approach observer: High pitch ;
Move away from observer: low pitch

BLUE SHIFT

RED SHIFT

Object approaching
earth

Object moving away

from earth

Light waves are

compressed (pushed
together)

Light waves are

expanded

Wavelengths appear
shorter (blue end of
spectrum)

Wavelengths appear
longer (red end of
spectrum)

Larger Doppler shifts indicate higher

speeds and smaller Doppler shifts indicate
slower speeds.

Big Bang
A theory that explains the origin of the
universe
Began as a singularity that started to
expand and continues to expand today
Evidence
Red shifts of galaxies
Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR)

Is there an end to the Big Bang?

Big Crunch
Ever-expanding universe

Hubbles Law
States that galaxies are moving away from
each other at a speed proportional to their
distance from each other
The farther away, the faster they move

 each raisin will see all other raisins moving

away from it as the loaf expands

Earths Orbit and Seasons

Precession
gradual shift in the orientation of Earth's axis of rotation
Cause: the gravitational forces of the Sun and the Moon,
and to a lesser extent other bodies
is similar to the precession of a spinning top
Effects:
the positions of the south and north celestial poles
appear to move in circles against the space-fixed
backdrop of stars
the position of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun at
the solstices, equinoxes, or other time defined relative
to the seasons, slowly changes
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Milankovitch/Images/milankovitch_precess_high.mov

Precession

Nutation
is a rocking, swaying, or nodding motion in the
axis of rotation of a largely axially symmetric
object
happens because of tidal forces that cause the
precession of the equinoxes to vary over time so
that the speed of precession is not constant
principal sources of tidal force are the Sun and
Moon, which continuously change location
relative to each other and thus cause nutation in
Earth's axis

Precession and nutation

can be seen in this diagram.

Barycenter
refers to the point about which two
celestial bodies revolve around
Not usual at the center of an object
Can be outside of the object (sun and Jupiter)

(a.) Two bodies of

similar mass orbiting
around a common
center of mass, or
barycenter.

(d.) Two bodies with

an extreme difference
in mass orbiting
around a common
barycenter (similar to
the Sun-Earth
system)

(b.) Two bodies with a

difference in mass
orbiting around a
common barycenter,
like the Charon-Pluto
system

(c.) Two bodies with a

major difference in
mass orbiting around
a common barycenter
(similar to the EarthMoon system)

Binary Star Systems

There are four ways by which a binary star
system can be detected:
visually, and are hence known as visual
binaries;
spectroscopically, hence are known as
spectroscopic binaries;
photometrically, these are known as eclipsing
binaries; and
Astrometrically (wobbly stars), hence are
called astrometric binaries