Exercises

Exercise 1

1. Set the date to August 25, 2009 and the time to 11 pm (2300 or 23). Set the location to Albuquerque with latitude = 35.11 N, longitude = 106.64 W,

     altitude = 1550 meters. Look Due South.

 

     a. What planet(s), if any do you see?

     b. What is the absolute magnitude of this planet?

 

2. Same as above but speed up the time until things start moving.

 

     a. In which direction do they appear to be moving (clockwise or counter clockwise)?

     b. Assume that you are living about the time of Plato and see the same thing (you would not, of course). State a logical conclusion for a person at

         that time as to what is happening. In other words, what are things moving with respect to? Describe the model that you would create?

 

3. Same location and time as parts 1 and 2 above, except look due North.

 

     a. What is the name of the brightest star (its absolute magnitude is -3.66).

     b. What constellation is this star part of?

 

4. Look in same direction (North) and speed up the time.

 

     a. In which direction do they appear to be moving (clockwise or counter clockwise)?

     b. Assume that you are living about the time of Plato and see the same thing (you would not, of course). State a logical conclusion for a person at

         that time as to what is happening. In other words, what are things moving with respect to? Describe the model that you would create?

5. Set the date to today, sometime at night and observe a couple of bodies. Look in the sky tonight. List the bodies and state whether you observe them.