Astronomy 1 / Section 3 (S. Myers)

Problem Set #1 (due Fri 2 Feb 1996 5pm)

Make sure that your work is neat, legible, and complete. If we can't read it, it can't get credit. It is important to show all your work, and to tell where you got any numbers that you used in the problem (given in the question, from page 21 of the text, from Table of Constants on page A12 of the text, etc). These homework sets are as much about teaching you how to go about using your astronomical knowledge to solve the problems as they are about getting the right answer. There will be partial credit, but if I or the TA cannot follow your work, we can't give you credit.

We will be using scientific notation extensively. If you need to review scientific notation, see Appendix C of the text or ask me or the TA for help. Note that calculators display a number like $10^{24}$ (which is the same as $1\times10^{24}$) as ``1 24'' or something similar, which is usually activated by pressing ``1 EE 24'' or something similar. Watch out, if your calculator displays ``10 24'' it means $10\times10^24$'' which is $10^{25}$! We will also be using the metric system, which can be reviewed in the text (see page A12 for conversions etc).

Chapters and Problems refer to the Seeds textbook. Remember that in the end-of-chapter problems in Seeds, ``Problems'' and ``Questions'' refer to different sets of exercises.

1. Chapter 1, Problem 3 (p.18). The speed of the equator. You need to know the relation between the circumference and radius of a sphere. (The version of this set I handed out on 1/19/96 incorrectly asked for Ch1, Problem 1. I really want Problem 3!)
2. Chapter 2, Problem 5 (p.29). Draw the ``celestial sphere'' from the perspective of an observer in Philadelphia (latitude $40^\circ$N).
3. The Hubble Space Telescope observed the Hubble Deep Field for 155 orbits in November 1995. When all the images are combined, you can see stars and galaxies that are as faint as an apparent visual magnitude of 30. How many times fainter is this than the naked eye limit? (You need to find out what the visual limit is.)
4. Chapter 3, Problem 6 (p.55). I am asking for diagrams similar to Figures 3-12 and 3-16. I want you to get used to visualising astronomical configurations, and being able to draw them. Please be neat and legible, and label the relevant things clearly.
5. Chapter 3, Problem 7 (p.55).
6. Chapter 4, Problem 2 (p.78). I want to explain your reasoning carefully, as if you were trying to convince someone in an argument. Think of yourself, like Galileo, trying to explain your discovery to the authorities!

Go to the Lecture Notes Index
Back to the ASTR001/Sec3 Page