International Astronomy and

Astrophysics Competition
Qualification Round 2023

Problem A : The Classification of Galaxies (5 Points)

Answer:
A1 - Spiral Galaxy
B1 - Intermediate Spiral (SAB)
C1 - NGC 300

A2 - Irregular Galaxy
B2 - Irregular (Irr)
C2 - NGC 2337

A3 - Spiral Galaxy
B3 - Barred Spiral (SB)
C3 - NGC 1365

A4 - Elliptical Galaxy
B4 - Elliptical (E)
C4 - Messier 110

Problem B : The Speed of Light (5 Points)

Answer:
To calculate the time it takes for light to travel from the Sun’s surface to each of
the planets, we can use the formula:
Time = distance / speed of light
Where distance is the distance between the Sun and the planet in kilometers, and
the speed of light is approximately 300,000 km/s.
For Mars:
Time = 223,000,000 km / 300,000 km/s
Time = 743.33 seconds
Time ≈ 12.39 minutes
For Jupiter:
Time = 777,000,000 km / 300,000 km/s
Time = 2,590 seconds
Time ≈ 43.17 minutes
For Pluto:
Time = 5,906,000,000 km / 300,000 km/s
Time = 19,686.67 seconds
Time ≈ 328.11 minutes
Time ≈ 5.47 hours
Therefore, it takes approximately 12.39 minutes for light from the Sun’s surface to
reach Mars, 43.17 minutes to reach Jupiter, and 5.47 hours or 328.11 minutes to
reach Pluto.

Problem C : Elliptical Orbit (5 Points)

Answer:
(a) The eccentricity of the orbit can be calculated using the formula:
E = √(1 – b^2/a^2)
Where a is the semi-major axis and b is the semi-minor axis.
Plugging in the values for the comet P/2023 IAAC, we get:
E = √(1 – (8.3 AU)^2/(16.5 AU)^2)
E = √(1 – 0.25)
E = 0.87
Therefore, the eccentricity of P/2023 IAAC’s orbit around the Sun is approximately
0.87.
(B) The aphelion is the point in the orbit where the comet is farthest from the
Sun, while the perihelion is the point where it is closest. In an elliptical orbit,
the aphelion and perihelion are located at the two foci of the ellipse.

Using the formula for the distance between the foci of an ellipse:
F = √(a^2 – b^2)
Where f is the distance between the foci, a is the semi-major axis, and b is the semi-
minor axis.
Plugging in the values for the comet P/2023 IAAC, we get:
F = √(16.5 AU)^2 – (8.3 AU)^2)
F = √(272.25 AU^2 – 69.0 AU^2)
F = √(203.25 AU^2)
F = 14.24 AU
Therefore, the aphelion is located at a distance of 16.5 + 14.24 = 30.74 AU from the
Sun, while the perihelion is located at a distance of 16.5 – 14.24 = 2.26 AU from the
Sun.
Point P2 is the aphelion, while point P1 is the perihelion.
© Using the vis-viva equation, we can calculate the speed of the comet at the three
points P1, P2, and P3.
At point P1 (perihelion), x = 2.26 AU. The mass of the Sun is 1.989 x 10^30 kg.
Plugging in these values, we get:
V(P1) = √(g(1.989 x 10^30 kg)/(16.5 x 1.496 x 10^11 m/AU)(2/2.26 – 1))
V(P1) = 74.2 km/s
At point P2 (aphelion), x = 30.74 AU. Plugging in the same values, we get:
V(P2) = √(g(1.989 x 10^30 kg)/(16.5 x 1.496 x 10^11 m/AU)(2/30.74 – 1))
V(P2) = 7.1 km/s
At point P3, the distance between the comet and the Sun is equal to the semi-major
axis (16.5 AU). Plugging in the same values, we get:
V(P3) = √(g(1.989 x 10^30 kg)/(16.5 x 1.496 x 10^11 m/AU)(2/16.5 – 1))
V(P3) = 29.5 km/s
Therefore, the speed of the comet at point P1 (perihelion) is approximately 74.2
km/s, at point P2 (aphelion) is approximately 7.1 km/s, and at point P3 is
approximately 29.5 km/s.
Problem D : Distance between Stars (5 Points)
Answer:
To determine the distance to the stars, we can use the parallax method. The
parallax angle is the apparent shift in the position of a star when viewed from
different points in space. If we know the parallax angle and the distance between
the two viewing points, we can calculate the distance to the star.
In this problem, we are given the parallax angles of two stars and the angular
distance between them. We need to find the distance between the stars in light-
years.
To solve this problem, we can use the following formula:
Distance (in parsecs) = 1/ parallax angle (in arcseconds)
1 light-year = 3.26 parsecs (approximately)
We can first calculate the distance to each star using the formula above:
Distance to first star = 1/ 0.11 =9.09 parsecs distance to second star = 1/0.13 =7.69
parsecs
Next, we can use the law of cosines to calculate the distance between the two stars:
Distance between stars^2 = (distance to first star)^2 + (distance to second star)^2
– 2(distance to first star)(distance to second star)cos(5 degrees)
Distance between stars^2 = (9.09)^2 + (7.69)^2-2(9.09)(7.69)cos(5 degrees)
Distance between stars^2 = 141.76 – (139.80)cos(5degree)
Distance between stars^2 = 141.76 – (139.80)(0.996)
Distance between stars^2 = 141.76 – 139.24
Distance between stars^2 = 2.52
Distance between stars = √2.52
Distance between stars = 1.59 parsec
Finally, we can convert the distance between the stars from parsecs to light-years:
Distance between stars = 1.59 parsecs x 3.26 light-years/parsec = 5.18 light-years
Therefore, the two stars are approximately 5.18 light-years apart.

Problem E : Dark Energy (5 Points)

Answer:
Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy that is believed to make up about 68%
of the total energy density of the observable universe. It is called “dark” because it
does not interact with light or any other form of electromagnetic radiation, making
it invisible and impossible to detect directly through telescopes or other
instruments.
The concept of dark energy was first proposed in the late 1990s to explain the
unexpected discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. Prior to
this discovery, it was assumed that the gravitational attraction of matter in the
universe would eventually slow down the expansion and lead to a “Big Crunch” in
which the universe would collapse in on itself. However, observations of distant
supernovae and other astronomical objects showed that the expansion is actually
speeding up, suggesting the existence of a repulsive force that is pushing galaxies
apart.
One of the key pieces of evidence for the existence of dark energy is the
observation of Type Ia supernovae. These are a particular type of exploding star
that can be used as “standard candles” to measure the distance to faraway galaxies.
By comparing the observed brightness of Type Ia supernovae with their expected
brightness based on their distance, astronomers can determine how much the
universe has expanded since the light from those supernovae was emitted. This
method has been used to show that the expansion of the universe is accelerating,
which suggests the existence of a repulsive force like dark energy.
Another piece of evidence comes from measurements of the cosmic microwave
background (CMB), which is radiation left over from the early universe. The CMB
contains tiny fluctuations in temperature and density that reveal information about
the geometry and composition of the universe. By analyzing these fluctuations,
astronomers can determine the total amount of matter in the universe and the
curvature of space-time. These measurements have shown that the universe
contains much less matter than would be necessary to explain the observed
acceleration of the expansion, pointing to the existence of dark energy as the most
likely explanation.
Other evidence for dark energy comes from the large-scale structure of the
universe, such as the distribution of galaxies and the clustering of matter. These
structures are influenced by the gravitational attraction of matter, but also by the
expansion of the universe and the repulsive force of dark energy. By modeling these
structures and comparing them to observations, astronomers can infer the
properties of dark energy and how it is affecting the growth of structures over time.
Overall, the evidence for the existence of dark energy comes from a wide range of
observations and measurements, all of which point to the conclusion that the
expansion of the universe is accelerating and that a repulsive force like dark energy
is responsible. However, the nature and origin of dark energy remain one of the
biggest mysteries in cosmology, and its properties are still the subject of intense
research and debate among scientists.