Red Giants and White Dwarfs

Stellar Parallax Explain how stellar distances are determined. What is stellar parallax? Which galaxy is our solar system a part of? What is the distance across this galaxy? What are the basic physical stellar quantities?

Explain how stellar distances are determined.

What is stellar parallax?

Which galaxy is our solar system a part of?

What is the distance across this galaxy?

What are the basic physical stellar quantities?

How far is a light year? What is a parsec? Which 2 stars are our closest neighbours ? If the Sun was a marble, what would the Earth be and how far would it be? How far would our closest neighbour be from the Earth?

How far is a light year?

What is a parsec?

Which 2 stars are our closest neighbours ?

If the Sun was a marble, what would the Earth be and how far would it be?

How far would our closest neighbour be from the Earth?

What is meant by “proper motion”? Answers follow

What is meant by “proper motion”?

Answers follow

Explain how stellar distances are determined. stellar distances are determined by their parallax…. 

stellar distances are determined by their parallax…. 

What is stellar parallax? The angular shift of stars caused by change of observer’s position.

The angular shift of stars caused by change of observer’s position.

Which galaxy is our solar system a part of? Milky way

Milky way

What is the distance across this galaxy? 100,000 light years If the Milky way was reduced to 130 km, then the solar system would be a mere 2 mm across.

100,000 light years

If the Milky way was reduced to 130 km, then the solar system would be a mere 2 mm across.

What are the basic physical stellar quantities? Luminosity (brightness), tempreture (color), chemical composition, size and mass

Luminosity (brightness), tempreture (color), chemical composition, size and mass

How far is a light year? Approximately 9.46 x 10 12 km

Approximately 9.46 x 10 12 km

What is a parsec? The parallax in arc seconds. The distance in which a star must lie in order for its measured parallax to be exactly one arc second. 3.1 x 10 16 m or 206 263 AU

The parallax in arc seconds.

The distance in which a star must lie in order for its measured parallax to be exactly one arc second.

3.1 x 10 16 m or 206 263 AU

Which 2 stars are our closest neighbours ? Proxima centauri and Barnard’s star

Proxima centauri and Barnard’s star

If the Sun was a marble, what would the Earth be and how far would it be? Earth would be a grain of a sand, and it would be one meter away from the marble (Sun).

Earth would be a grain of a sand, and it would be one meter away from the marble (Sun).

How far would our closest neighbour be from the Earth? It would be 270 km away from the Earth, and it would be a marble just like the Sun.

It would be 270 km away from the Earth, and it would be a marble just like the Sun.

What is meant by “proper motion”? Proper motion is the angular movement from a star across the sky as seen from the Earth, measured in seconds of arc per year. This movement is a result of the stars’ actual motion through space.

Proper motion is the angular movement from a star across the sky as seen from the Earth, measured in seconds of arc per year. This movement is a result of the stars’ actual motion through space.