0
Astronomy
The scientific study of celestial bodies. Find questions on Constellations, Planets and more.
23,887 Questions
Yes. We know the distance from the Earth to the Moon very precisely, on the order of millimeters or less. The Apollo astronauts left "corner reflectors" on the Moon's surface, and when we fire a laser pulse at it, we can detect the precise moment when the reflection gets back to our sensor. Because we know the speed of light VERY precisely, we can calculate the distance based on the time from when the pulse is fired to when the reflection is returned.
We can calculate the distances to other space probes the same way - we send a radio signal, wait for the reply, and calculate the distance.
What are some quotes from Nicolas Copernicus?
* "For I am not so enamored of my own opinions that I disregard what others may think of them."
* "Every observed change of place is caused by a motion of either the observed object or the observer or, of course, by an unequal displacement of each."
* "Finally we shall place the Sun himself at the center of the Universe. All this is suggested by the systematic procession of events and the harmony of the whole Universe, if only we face the facts, as they say, 'with both eyes open'."
* "I am aware that a philosopher's ideas are not subject to the judgment of ordinary persons, because it is his endeavour to seek the truth in all things, to the extent permitted to human reason by God." * "As soon as certain people learn that … I attribute certain motions to the terrestrial globe, they will immediately shout to have me and my opinion hooted off the stage."
* "Seek the truth in all things, in so far as God has granted that to human reason." * "To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge."
* "Every observed change of place is caused by a motion of either the observed object or the observer or, of course, by an unequal displacement of each."
* "I shall now recall to mind that the motion of the heavenly bodies is circular, since the motion appropriate to a sphere is rotation in a circle."
* "Mathematics is written for mathematicians" * "If there be some who, though ignorant of all mathematics... dare to reprove this work, because of some passage of Scripture, which they have miserably warped to their purpose, I regaurd them not, and even despise their rash judgement."
Is there any other astronomers that are also scientists?
All astronomers are scientists.
All astronomers are scientists.
All astronomers are scientists.
All astronomers are scientists.
What was Nicolas Copernicus's achievements?
He came up with the heliocentric model of our universe. THough galileo was the one who pushed it to be proven, copernicus was the one who realized that the sun was in the middle of the universe and we were orbiting around it compared to the church's ideas of the earth being in the middle of the universe and not rotating.
In the solar system where sun is present?
The Sun is near the center of the Solar System. Basically, planets, etc. move around the center of mass of the Solar System, which is near the Sun - but not exactly so, because the planets (especially Jupiter) also have some mass.
What did nicolaus Copernicus discoverabout the universe?
he found out the sun was the center of the universe
Could the universe be both finite and infinite?
Ask yourself does if ∞+1=∞ then does ∞/∞= either ∞ or 1
How many square miles are in a cubic light year?
You seem to be asking me to compare surface area to a volume; this doesn't generally make sense.
Usually it should be spherical. However, if it rotates very fast, it will be an elipsoid.
Usually it should be spherical. However, if it rotates very fast, it will be an elipsoid.
Usually it should be spherical. However, if it rotates very fast, it will be an elipsoid.
Usually it should be spherical. However, if it rotates very fast, it will be an elipsoid.
Who said sun is the center of the solar system?
If you ask anyone he'll say Nicolas Copernicus, but about 1500 years ago Indian Master of Astronomy and Mathematics, Aryabhtta claimed that the Earth revolves around the sun and that the sun is the center of the solar system.
Why couldn't people before Copernicus find out what he did?
There are fads and fashions in physics as in other fields. In physics they are called schools of thought. These schools of thought constrain what is considered science. In Copernicus' day, the schools were constrained by Religious schools of thought that controlled science.
Thus the earth was considered the center of the universe as religious dogma and this dogma controlled science. The Big bang and Black Holes are part of the continuing Religious Dogma, "The Creation Story".
The answer is Longitude.
What is the most important force in astronomy?
Well, friend, the most important force in astronomy is gravity. It's like a gentle hug that keeps everything in the universe together, from stars to planets to galaxies. Gravity allows us to understand how objects move and interact in space, creating the beautiful harmony we see in the night sky.
How do man made satillites orbit earth?
Man-made satellites orbit Earth by achieving a balance between gravitational pull and their forward momentum. When a satellite is launched, it is accelerated to a high speed, allowing it to enter a trajectory where the curvature of its path matches the curvature of the Earth. This creates a stable orbit, where the satellite continuously falls towards Earth due to gravity but also moves forward fast enough to keep missing it. The altitude and speed determine the type of orbit, such as low Earth orbit (LEO) or geostationary orbit.
Is an absolute magnitude a measure of the amount of light a star actually gives off?
No, absolute magnitude is not a measure of the actual amount of light a star emits. Instead, it quantifies the intrinsic brightness of a star as seen from a standard distance of 10 parsecs (about 32.6 light-years) away. It allows for comparisons of the true brightness of different stars without the effects of distance. The actual light output of a star is measured by its luminosity.
When you talk about astronomical objects, it is usually more appropriate to talk about their mass, not their weight.
A quasar is powered by a supermassive black hole; those have a mass of millions or billions times the mass of our Sun.
Why are there no comets close to the Sun?
Comets are composed of volatile materials such as ice, dust, and rocky debris. When they come close to the Sun, the heat causes these materials to vaporize and form a glowing coma and tail. This process, known as outgassing, leads to the gradual disintegration of the comet. Therefore, comets tend to stay in the outer regions of the solar system where they can remain intact until they approach the Sun.
Which is biggest sun or moon or star?
The moon is tiny. The earth is about 3 times bigger across than the moon.
The sun is an average sized star. It's about 110 times bigger across than the earth. =
There are many stars smaller than the sun, and many stars bigger than the sun. The sun and all stars are bigger than the moon.
What angle would earth's tilt need to be in order for there to be no seasons on earth?
If the Earth had no axial tilt, the only seasons would be those caused by the difference in the Earth/Sun distance at perihelion and aphelion, which is an extremely minor factor (in fact, the Earth is closest to the Sun during winter in the northern hemisphere currently).
What is the approximate temperature of your sun?
The temperature in space is close to "absolute zero" because any object there will radiate heat until it cools to that point. This is for objects not exposed to direct sunlight. In Earth orbit, the temperature of objects in sunlight can rise to 120°C/ 250°F. The actual temperature in space is about 3°K (-270°C or three degrees Celsius above Absolute Zero). There are still molecules in space, just very few of them, and this is their temperature.
Absolute zero is a theoretical temperature where the thermal kinetic energy of the molecules in a body goes to zero. This cannot be achieved through artificial or natural means, because there is no way to remove the last small amount of thermal energy. The coldest temperature in space is about 3°K above absolute zero. This is defined as the Cosmic Background (or Microwave Background) Radiation that was first detected by Penzias and Wilson using the Holmdel Horn Antenna in New Jersey, USA in 1965. This radiation quite literally is the echo of the Big Bang.
Assuming you're measuring the temperature of pure space, or an area in which there is no matter that could absorb the sun's radiation and thereby heat up, the temperature would be -459° Fahrenheit, -273° Celsius, or 0 on the Kelvin scale.
Cosmic Background RadiationThe temperature is not absolute zero because there is a pervasive background radiation, with an equivalent temperature of 2.7 K. Alternate view:This is an amateur opinion. When measuring, for example, the heat of a distant star, one is not measuring the heat of the intervening space, even though the radiation we are detecting passes through it. It is possible that the same thing can be argued for the background radiation. An analogy might be that if a photon of light reaches earth, it is because that photon was not absorbed by anything during its trip, not even the tiniest particle of matter. Clearly, photons that are absorbed along the way never reach us. It might even be possible in a weird quantum sense that the photon may just be a probability greater than 0 and less than 1 until and unless it is absorbed by something.So it may be that completely empty space has no temperature at all (not even absolute zero), because there is nothing in it to either absorb or be void of heat. Empty space is not capable of absorbing or radiating heat. If a thermometer were placed in absolutely empty intergalactic space, it would probably eventually register the background radiation, but this would be because the thermometer itself has absorbed radiation that would otherwise not have been absorbed and that would have continued to propagate through space.
Here is another way to consider the same question. Say that a perfect or near perfect vacuum could be created here on earth, in a lab at ordinary room temperature. What would you claim to be the temperature of this vacuum, and what information would you use to support your claim? Temperature is a characteristic of matter, and not of vacuum.
Correction to the aboveThe question does not ask the temperature OF space, but rather IN space. Radiation from anything in space will cool it without any need for a conducting medium. The loss of heat will continue until the object reaches very nearly absolute zero. If an object receives sufficient radiation from the Sun, it will heat only the surface exposed to the Sun, and cool from the others. So spacecraft that are designed to reflect the Sun's heat will need another heat source to keep the interior warm. This varies from temp to temp. Usually it is 2-4 degrees kelvin. Sometimes hotter depending on where you are in space. Otherwise it is -400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pretty darn cold if you ask me. Don't go into the cold recesses of space without a space suite.