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Why would astronomers measure the parallax angle of a planet or star?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
It's distance
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
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How does parallax shift varies with distance?
The closer the star, the greater the parallax angle, which is why you can't measure the distance to very distant stars using the parallax method.
How can be the distance between the sun and the earth measured?
To measure the distance from the earth to the sun, or to any star for that matter astronomers use a form of trigonometry called Parallax (see related Link). Simply put, think of measuring a known distance (the larger the better) and measure the angles to the sun at the same time at each end of that baseline. Using the Angle-Side-Angle formula, (See related link #2) the lengths of the other two sides can be calculated
What is a parallax measure?
Parallax is an apparent displacement or difference of orientation of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις (parallaxis), meaning "alteration". Nearby objects have a larger parallax than more distant objects when observed from different positions, so parallax can be used to determine distances.See Link for more information.
If a star's parallax is too small to measure does that mean that it is close or far from Earth?
Nearby stars have a larger parallax angle.
Why can't astronomers measure the parallax of a star that's a million light years away?
At larger distance, the parallax becomes smaller, and therefore harder to measure. Even the closest star (Toliman) has a parallax of less than one arc-second (1/3600 of a degree), which is difficult to measure. Stars that are farther away have a much smaller parallax.
Parallax would be easier to measure if?
Parallax would be easier to measure if the Earth were farther from the sun. This way, there will be a wider angle to the stars using the parallax method.
How is trignometry used in astonomy?
Two separate photos or observations of a planet or star may show the apparent position to change in relation to the background stars. This is called parallax. Astronomers translate this into an angular measure with the observer being the vertex of the angle. Then with trig you can calculate the distance to the object.
Why can't the parallax effect be used to measure distances to other galaxies?
The parallax angle of such distant objects is way too small to be measured. In general, the farther away an object, the smaller is its parallax angle.
How does parallax shift varies with distance?
The closer the star, the greater the parallax angle, which is why you can't measure the distance to very distant stars using the parallax method.
Why is the uncertainty in astronomers' knowledge of a star's distance greater for stars that are farther from earth?
I believe that it is all to do with margin of error. The further away the planet, the greater the margin of error in the observations and therefore the greater the uncertainty in their distance from Earth.
If a star's parallax angle is too small to measure what can you conclude about the star's distance from earth?
It means that the distance is greater than a certain amount - depending on how precisely you can measure the parallax.
If a star's parallax angle is too small to measure what can you conclude about the stars distance from earth?
You can conclude that it is farther than a certain distance. How much this distance is depends, of course, on how accurately the parallax angle can be measured.
If a star's parallax angle is too small to measure what can you conclude about the star's distance from the earth?
It means that the distance is greater than a certain amount - depending on how precisely you can measure the parallax.
How can an angle of isolation be measured?
An isotherm might have something to do with it--but it does not measure the angle of isolation. I guess that astronomers detect the angle of the earth from the sun and then measure the temperatures of the atmosphere. Just a guess though.
Why are scientists unsure of the distance of Deneb from Earth?
There is an uncertainty in ANY distance calculation; more so in astronomy, where you can't apply a measuring tape directly. For example, if you use the parallax method, you can only measure the parallax angle up to a certain precision; the farther the star is from us, the smaller the parallax angle, and therefore the larger will the uncertainty be.Specifically in the case of Deneb, it seems that it is surrounded by a shell of material; this makes it more difficult to measure the parallax exactly.
What do you use to measure the angle of a star?
The device that astronomers use to find the angle between the horizon and stars in the sky is called a sextant.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of measuring the parallax of a star from Pluto?
Advantage: A much larger orbit, thus, the parallax angle will be larger and easier to measure. Disadvantage: A full orbit of Pluto takes 248 years.
