ASTRO101

PrinciplesofAstronomy

Instructor:JeromeA.Orosz
(rhymeswithboris)
Contact:
Telephone:5947118
Email:orosz@sciences.sdsu.edu
WWW:
http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/faculty/orosz/web/
Office:Physics241,hoursTTH3:305:00

Homework
HomeworkdueFebruary5:Question11from
Chapter2(Inwhatwaysdidtheastronomical
observationsofGalileosupportaheliocentric
cosmology?)
Writedowntheansweronasheetofpaperand
handitinbeforetheendofclassonFebuary5.

DispatchesfromtheDeparment
ofAnalRetention
TheEarthsaxisistilted
Whatisthetiltrelativeto?
TheNorthernHemisphereismoreexposed
totheSun
Whyisitwarmerinthesummerthaninthe
winter?

Homework
GotoaplanetariumshowinPA209:

Tuesday,January29
Wednesday,January30
Friday,February1
Monday,February4
Tuesday,February5
Wednesday,February6
Thursday,February7
Friday,February8

1:002:00PM
2:003:00PM
1:002:00PM
11:00AM12:00PM
5:30PM6:30PM
2:003:00PM
5:306:30PM
2:303:30PM

Get10pointsextracreditforhomeworkpartofgrade.
SignupforasessionoutsidePA209.
Handinasheetofpaperwithyournameandthedateandtimeof
thesession.

WatchYourHead!
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/05/world/spaceaste
roid/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

ABriefHistoryofAstronomy

ABriefHistoryofAstronomy
Anearlyviewoftheskies:
TheSun:itrisesandsets,risesandsets
TheMoon:ithasamonthlycycleofphases.
Thefixedstars:thepatternsstayfixed,and
theappearanceofdifferentconstellationsmarks
thedifferentseasons.

Keepinmindtherewerenotelescopes,no
cameras,nocomputers,etc.

ABriefHistoryofAstronomy
Butthentherewerethe5planets:
Thesearestarlikeobjectsthatmovethroughthe
constellations.
Mercury:thefastestplanet,alwaysneartheSun.
Venus:thebrightestplanet,alwaysneartheSun.
Mars:theredplanet,slowerthanVenus.
Jupiter:thesecondbrightestplanet,slowerthan
Mars.
Saturn:theslowestplanet.

ABriefHistoryofAstronomy
BythetimeoftheancientGreeks(around
500B.C.),extensiveobservationsofthe
planetarypositionsexisted.Note,however,
theaccuracyofthesedatawerelimited.
Animportantphilosophicalissueofthe
timewashowtoexplainthemotionofthe
Sun,Moon,andplanets.

Whatisamodel?
Amodelisanideaabouthowsomething
works.
Itcontainsassumptionsaboutcertainthings,
andrulesonhowcertainthingsbehave.
Ideally,amodelwillexplainexisting
observationsandbeabletopredictthe
outcomeoffutureexperiments.

Aristotle(385322B.C.)
Aristotlewasperhapsthemostinfluential
Greekphilosopher.Hefavoreda
geocentricmodelfortheUniverse:
TheEarthisatthecenteroftheUniverse.
Theheavensareordered,harmonious,and
perfect.Theperfectshapeisasphere,andthe
naturalmotionwasrotation.

GeocentricModel
ThemotionoftheSunaroundtheEarth
accountsfortherisingandsettingofthe
Sun.
ThemotionoftheMoonaroundtheEarth
accountsfortherisingandsettingofthe
Moon.
YouhavetofiddleabittogettheMoon
phases.

GeocentricModel
ThefixedstarswereontheCelestial
Spherewhoserotationcausedtherising
andsettingofthestars.

 Theconstellationsriseandseteachnight,andindividual
starsmakeacurvedpathacrossthesky.
Thecurvatureofthetracksdependonwhereyoulook.

GeocentricModel
ThefixedstarswereontheCelestial
Spherewhoserotationcausedtherising
andsettingofthestars.
However,thedetailedmotionsofthe
planetsweremuchhardertoexplain

PlanetaryMotion

Themotionofaplanetwithrespecttothebackground
starsisnotasimplecurve.Thisshowsthemotionof
Mars.
Sometimesaplanetwillgobackwards,whichis
calledretrogrademotion.

PlanetaryMotion
Hereisaplotofthepath
ofMars.
Otherplanetsshowsimilar
behavior.

ImagefromNickStrobelAstronomyNotes(http://www.astronomynotes.com/)

AristotlesModel
Aristotlesmodel
had55nested
spheres.
Althoughitdid
notworkwellin
detail,thismodel
waswidely
adoptedfornearly
1800years.

BetterPredictions
AlthoughAristotlesideaswerecommonly
accepted,therewasaneedforamore
accuratewaytopredictplanetarymotions.
ClaudiusPtolomy(85165)presenteda
detailedmodeloftheUniversethat
explainedretrogrademotionbyusing
complicatedplacementofcircles.

PtolomysEpicycles

Byaddingepicycles,verycomplicatedmotioncouldbe
explained.

PtolomysEpicycles

ImagefromNickStrobelsAstronomyNotes(http://www.astronomynotes.com/).

PtolomysEpicycles

PtolomysEpicycles
Ptolomysmodelwasconsidereda
computationaltoolonly.
Aristotlesideasweretrue.They
eventuallybecameapartofChurchdogma
intheMiddleAges.

TheMiddleAges
NotmuchhappenedinAstronomyinthe
MiddleAges(1001500A.D.).

Next:
TheCopernicanRevolution

TheSunCenteredModel
NicolausCopernicus
(14731543)proposed
aheliocentricmodel
oftheUniverse.
TheSunwasatthe
center,andtheplanets
movedarounditin
perfectcircles.

TheSunCenteredModel
TheSunwasatthe
center.Eachplanet
movedonacircle,
andthespeedofthe
planetsmotion
decreasedwith
increasingdistance
fromtheSun.

TheSunCenteredModel
Retrogrademotion
oftheplanetscould
beexplainedasa
projectioneffect.

TheSunCenteredModel
Retrogrademotion
oftheplanetscould
beexplainedasa
projectioneffect.

ImagefromNickStrobelsAstronomyNotes(http://www.astronomynotes.com/)

CopernicanModel
ThemodelofCopernicusdidnotanybetter
thanPtolomysmodelinexplainingthe
planetarymotionsindetail.
Hedidworkouttherelativedistancesofthe
planetsfromtheSun.
Thephilosophicalshiftwasimportant(i.e.
theEarthisnotatthecenterofthe
Universe).

TychoBrahe(15461601)
Tychowasborninavery
wealthyfamily.
Fromanearlyage,hedevoted
himselftomakingaccurate
astronomicalobservations.
Hereceivedagreatdealof
supportfromthekingof
Denmark,includingtheuseof
hisownisland.

Tycho

Tycholivedbeforetheinventionofthetelescope.
HisobservationsofMarswereabout10timesmore
accuratethanwhathadbeendonebefore.

JohannesKepler(15711630)

Keplerwasamathematicianbytraining.
HebelievedintheCopernicanviewwiththe
Sunatthecenterandthemotionsofthe
planetsonperfectcircles.
TychohiredKeplertoanalyizehis
observationaldata.

JohannesKepler(15711630)
Keplerwasamathematicianbytraining.
HebelievedintheCopernicanviewwith
theSunatthecenterandthemotionsofthe
planetsonperfectcircles.
TychohiredKeplertoanalyizehis
observationaldata.
Afteryearsoffailure,Keplerdroppedthe
notionofmotiononperfectcircles.

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion
Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion

Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:
1. PlanetsorbittheSuninellipses,withtheSun
atonefocus.

Ellipses

Anellipseisaflattenedcircledescribedbya
particularmathematicalequation.
Theeccentricitytellsyouhowflattheellipseis:
e=0forcircular,ande=1forinfinitelyflat.

Ellipses
Youcandrawan
ellipsedwithaloopof
stringandtwotacks.

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion

Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:
1. PlanetsorbittheSuninellipses,withtheSun
atonefocus.

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion

Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:
1. PlanetsorbittheSuninellipses,withtheSun
atonefocus.
2. Theplanetssweepoutequalareasinequal
times.Thatis,aplanetmovesfasterwhenit
isclosertotheSun,andslowerwhenitis
furtheraway.

KeplersSecondLaw
Thetimeittakesforthe
planettomovethrough
thegreensectoristhe
sameasitistomove
throughthebluesector.
Bothsectorshavethe
samearea.

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion

Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:
1. PlanetsorbittheSuninellipses,withtheSun
atonefocus.
2. Theplanetssweepoutequalareasinequal
times.Thatis,aplanetmovesfasterwhenit
isclosertotheSun,andslowerwhenitis
furtheraway.

KeplersThreeLawsofPlanetary
Motion

Startingin1609,Keplerpublishedthree
lawsofplanetarymotion:
1. PlanetsorbittheSuninellipses,withtheSun
atonefocus.
2. Theplanetssweepoutequalareasinequal
times.Thatis,aplanetmovesfasterwhenit
isclosertotheSun,andslowerwhenitis
furtheraway.
3. (Period)2=(semimajoraxis)3

KeplersThirdLaw
Period

P2

distance d3

Mercury 0.241

0.058

0.387

0.058

Venus

0.615

0.378

0.723

0.378

Earth

1.000

1.000

1.000

1.000

Mars

1.881

3.538

1.524

3.540

Jupiter

11.857

140.588 5.203

140.852

Saturn

29.424

865.772 9.537

867.432

TheKeplersLawSimulator
Therearesomeanimationsontheweb
illustratingKeplersLaws:
http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/~zhu/ast210/kepler.html

HeliocentricorGeocentric?
Theyearisaround1610.Theoldschool
isAristotleandageocentricview.The
newschoolistheheliocentricview
(CopernicusandKepler).
Whichoneiscorrect?

HeliocentricorGeocentric?
Theyearisaround1610.Theoldschoolis
Aristotleandageocentricview.Thenew
schoolistheheliocentricview(Copernicusand
Kepler).
Whichoneiscorrect?
Observationalsupportfortheheliocentric
modelwouldcomefromGalileo.

HeliocentricorGeocentric?
Theyearisaround1610.Theoldschoolis
Aristotleandageocentricview.Thenew
schoolistheheliocentricview(Copernicusand
Kepler).
Whichoneiscorrect?
Observationalsupportfortheheliocentric
modelwouldcomefromGalileo.
Theoreticalsupportfortheheliocentricmodel
wouldcomefromIsaacNewton.

Next:
WhoWins?

GalileoGalilei(15641642)
Galileowasoneof
thefirsttousea
telescopetostudy
astronomicalobjects,
startinginabout
1609.
http://www.pacifier.
com/~tpope/index.htm

GalileoGalilei(15641642)
Galileowasoneofthefirsttouseatelescope
tostudyastronomicalobjects,startinginabout
1609.
HisobservationsofthemoonsofJupiterand
thephasesofVenusprovidedstrongsupport
fortheheliocentricmodel.

JupitersMoons

The4objectscircledJupiter,andnottheEarth!

JupitersMoons

YoucanwatchJupitersmoonsmovefromone
sideofJupitertotheotherinafewdays.

JupitersMoons
NotallbodiesgoaroundtheEarth!

Venus
Venus,thebrightestplanet,isneverfar
fromtheSun:itsetsatmostafewhours
aftersunset,orrisesatmostafewhours
beforesunrise.

Venus
Venus,thebrightestplanet,isneverfar
fromtheSun:itsetsatmostafewhours
aftersunset,orrisesatmostafewhours
beforesunrise.
Itisneveroutinthemiddleofthenight.

Venus

GalileodiscoveredthatVenushadphases,justlikethe
Moon.

Venus

GalileodiscoveredthatVenushadphases,justlikethe
Moon.
Furthermore,thecrescentVenuswasalwayslarger
thanthefullVenus.

Venus

GalileodiscoveredthatVenushadphases,justlikethe
Moon.
Furthermore,thecrescentVenuswasalwayslarger
thanthefullVenus.
Conclusion:Venusshinesbyreflectedsunlight,andit
isclosertoEarthwhenitisacrescent.

VenusintheGeocentricView
Venusisalways
closetotheSunon
thesky,soits
epicyclerestrictsits
position.
Inthisview,Venus
alwaysappearsasa
crescent.

VenusintheHeliocentricView
Intheheliocentric
view,Venusorbits
theSuncloserthan
theEarthdoes.
WeonEarthcansee
afullylitVenus
whenitisonthefar
sideofitsorbit.

VenusintheHeliocentricView

Thecorrelationbetween
thephasesandthesize
isaccountedforinthe
heliocentricview.

 GalileosobservationsofJupiterandVenus
stronglyfavoredtheheliocentricviewof
theUniverse.

 GalileosobservationsofJupiterandVenus
stronglyfavoredtheheliocentricviewof
theUniverse.
GalileowasputbeforetheInquisitionand
forcedtorecanthisviews.

 GalileosobservationsofJupiterandVenus
stronglyfavoredtheheliocentricviewof
theUniverse.
GalileowasputbeforetheInquisitionand
forcedtorecanthisviews.
PopeJohnPaulIIadmittedin1992thatthe
ChurchwaswrongtodenounceGalileo.

IsaacNewton(16421727)

http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/PictDisplay/Newton.htm

IsaacNewton(16421727)
IsaacNewtonwasborntheyearGalileo
died.

IsaacNewton(16421727)
IsaacNewtonwasborntheyearGalileo
died.
Hewasprofessorofmathematicsat
CambridgeUniversityinEngland.(Steven
HawkingcurrentlyholdsNewtonsChair
atCambridge).

IsaacNewton(16421727)
IsaacNewtonwasborntheyearGalileo
died.
Hewasprofessorofmathematicsat
CambridgeUniversityinEngland.(Steven
HawkingcurrentlyholdsNewtonsChair
atCambridge).
HewaslatertheMasteroftheMintin
London,wherefirstproposedtheuseof
groovededgesoncoinstopreventshaving.

IsaacNewton(16421727)
Newtonwasperhapsthegreatestscientist
ofalltime,makingsubstantialcontributions
tophysics,mathematics(heinvented
calculusasacollegestudent),optics,and
chemistry.

IsaacNewton(16421727)
Newtonwasperhapsthegreatestscientist
ofalltime,makingsubstantialcontributions
tophysics,mathematics(heinvented
calculusasacollegestudent),optics,and
chemistry.
Hislawsofmotionandofgravitycould
explainKeplersLawsofplanetarymotion.

NewtonsLawsofMotion

NewtonsLawsofMotion
1.
2.
3.

Abodyinmotiontendstostayinmotioninastraight
lineunlessacteduponbyanexternalforce.
Theforceonanobjectisthemasstimestheacceleration
(F=ma).
Foreveryaction,thereisanequalandoppositereaction.
(Forexample,arocketispropelledbyexpellinghotgas
fromitsthrusters).

WhatisGravity?

WhatisGravity?
Gravityisaforcebetweenallmatterinthe
Universe.

WhatisGravity?
Gravityisaforcebetweenallmatterinthe
Universe.
Itisdifficulttosaywhatgravityis.
However,wecandescribehowitworks.

WhatisGravity?
Gravityisaforcebetweenallmatterinthe
Universe.
Itisdifficulttosaywhatgravityis.
However,wecandescribehowitworks.

WhatisGravity?

Thegravitationalforcebetweenlarger
bodiesisgreaterthanitisbetweensmaller
bodies,forafixeddistance.

WhatisGravity?

Astwobodiesmovefurtherapart,the
gravitationalforcedecreases.Therangeof
theforceisinfinite,althoughitisverysmall
atverylargedistances.

NewtonsLaws
UsingNewtonsLaws,wecan

NewtonsLaws
UsingNewtonsLaws,wecan
DeriveKeplersThreeLaws.

NewtonsLaws
UsingNewtonsLaws,wecan
DeriveKeplersThreeLaws.
MeasurethemassoftheSun,theMoon,and
thePlanets.

NewtonsLaws
UsingNewtonsLaws,wecan
DeriveKeplersThreeLaws.
MeasurethemassoftheSun,theMoon,and
thePlanets.
Measurethemassesofdistantstarsinbinary
systems.

LawsofPhysics
ThemodelsofAristotleandPtolomywere
basedmainlyonbeliefs(i.e.thatmotionshould
beonperfectcircles,etc.).
StartingwithNewton,wehadaphysical
modelofhowtheplanetsmoved:thelawsof
motionandgravityasobservedonEarthgivea
modelforhowtheplanetsmove.
AllmodernmodelsinAstronomyarebasedon
thelawsofPhysics.