Astronomy Formula Sheet

ˆ ˙
IA
mB ´ mA “ 2.5log
IB m “ Magnitude
Intensity Ratio: I “ Intensity
IA
“ 100.4pmB ´mA q
IB

D θ “ Angular Diameter (arcsecs)

Small Angle Formula: θ “ 206265 D “ Diameter
d d “Distance

c v “ circular velocity (m/s)

Circular Velocity: GM G “ Gravitational Constant
v“ M “ Mass (kg)
r
r “ radius (meters)

∆θ “ Angular separation (arcsecs)

λ
Resolving Power: ∆θ “ 251643 λ “ Wavelength
d d “ Optic Diameter
ˆ ˙2
LGPA DA LGP “ Light Gathering Power
Compare LGP: “ D “ Optic Diameter
LGPB DB

FO M “ Magnification Power
Magnification: M“ FO “ Objective focal length
FE FE “ Eyepiece focal length

2900000 λpeak “ Peak wavelength (nm)

Wien’s Law: λpeak “ T “ Temperature (K)
T

F “ σT 4 F “ Flux (luminosity/area) (W/m2 )

σ “ Stefan-Boltzmann Constant
L “ 4πσR2 T 4
Stefan-Boltzmann Law: ˆ ˙2 ˆ ˙ 4 T “ Temperature (K)
L R T L “ Luminosity (W)
“ R “ Radius (m)
Ld Rd Td

λO z “ Redshift
Redshift: z`1“ λO “ Observed Wavelength
λE λE “ Emitted Wavelength

v “ Velocity (m/s)
Doppler Formula: v “ cz c “ Speed of light (m/s)
z “ Redshift
d
1 ` pv{cq v “ Velocity (m/s)
Relativistic Doppler Shift: z`1“ c “ Speed of light (m/s)
1 ´ pv{cq z “ Redshift

v “ Recessional velocity (km/s)

Hubble’s Law: v “ H0 d H0 “ Hubble’s Constant
d “ Distance

E “ Energy (J)
Fusion Explained: 2 m “ Mass (kg)
E “ mc
c “ Speed of light (m/s)

1
 1 d “ Distance (pc)
Parallax: d“ p “ Parallax Angle (arcseconds)
p

Lf Lf “ Focal Length
F Ratio: DO “ Objective Diameter
DO

m ´ M “ ´5 ` 5logpdq m “ Apparent magnitude

Distance Modulus: m´M `5
M “ Absolute Magnitude
d “ 10 5 d “ Distance (pc)

c e “ Orbital Eccentricity
Orbit Eccentricity: e“ c “ Distance from focus to center
a a “ semimajor axis

Ra “ Orbit Aphelion
Ra “ ap1 ` eq Rp “ Orbit Perihelion
Aphelion/Perihelion: a “ Semimajor Axis
Rp “ ap1 ´ eq
e “ Eccentricity

a3
MA ` MB “ M “ Mass (solar masses)
p2
Kepler’s 3rd Law: a “ Semimajor axis (AU)
a3 p “ Orbital Period (years)
p2 “
MA ` MB
M “ Mass (solar masses)
Mass-Luminosity Relation: L “ M 3.5 L “ Luminosity (Solar luminosity)

M “ Mass (solar masses)

Stellar Lifetime: τ “ 1010 M ´2.5 τ “ Stellar Lifetime (years)

rs “ Schwartzchild Radius (meters)

2Gm G “ Gravitational Constant
Schwarzschild Radius: rs “ 2 c “ Speed of light
c
r “ radius (meters)

F “ Gravitational Force (N)

mA mB G “ Gravitational Constant
Universal Gravitation: F “G m “ mass (kg)
r2
r “ radius (meters)

I “ Light Intensity (W/m2 )

L
Inverse-Squares Law: I“ L “ Luminosity (W)
4πd2 d “ Distance (m)

c f “ Wave frequency (Hz)

Vacuum Frequency: f“ c “ Speed of Light (m/s)
λ λ “ wavelength (m)

9.778 ˆ 1011 TU “ Age of the Universe (years)

Hubble Time: TU “ H0 “ Hubble Constant (km/s/Mpc)
H0

2
 Astronomical Constants and Conversions

Constants

Speed of Light “ c “ 3 ˆ 108 m/s

Gravitational Constant = G = 6.67 ˆ 10´11 N m2 /kg2
Mass of Earth “ MC “ 5.97 ˆ 1024 kg
Radius of Earth “ RC “ 6378 km
Mass of the sun “ M@ “ = 1.99 ˆ 1030 kg
Radius of the sun “ R@ “ 6.96 ˆ 105 km
Effective Temperature of the sun “ T@ “ 5778 K
Luminosity of the sun “ L@ “ 3.9 ˆ 1026 W
Mass of the Moon “ MK “ 7.346 ˆ 1022 kg
Radius of the Moon “ RK “ 1738.1 km
Mass of a proton = mp = 1.6726 ˆ 10´27 kg
Mass of an Electron “ me´ “ 9.109 ˆ 10´31 kg
Hubble’s Constant “ H0 “ 70 km/s/Mpc (Note: There is ongoing debate about the actual value)
Stefan-Boltzmann Constant “ σ “ 5.67 ˆ 10´8 W/m2 K4
Planck’s Constant “ h “ 6.626 ˆ 10´34 J s
Boltzmann Constant = kB = 1.380 ˆ 10´23 m2 kg s´2 K´1
Hα Spectral Line = 656.28 nm
Type Ia Supernova Absolute Magnitude = -19.3

Unit Conversions

1 Astronomical Unit = 1 AU = 1.5 ˆ 108 km

1 Parsec = 1 pc = 3.09 ˆ 1013 km = 3.26 ly
1 Light Year = 1 ly = 9.46 ˆ 1012 km
1 0
1 Arc Minute = 11 = p 60 q = (1.667 ˆ 10´2 )0
1 1
1 Arcsecond = 12 = p 60 q = (1.667 ˆ 10´2 )1
1 year = 31557600 seconds
1 Megaton (energy) = 1,000,000 tons of TNT = 4.184 ˆ 1015 J

Important Note:
If constants or unit conversions are provided on the exam, use those instead of these.