AST 307 · Introductory Astronomy
|
Fall 2003
|
Topics
Chapter 1 Aug. 27,29
- Describe the concepts of the celestial sphere, celestial poles,
and celestial equator.
- Use the concept of the celestial sphere to describe the
apparent motions of stars at different locations on the
celestial sphere during a night.
- Describe how the orbital motion of the Earth makes the Sun
appear to move around the celestial sphere during a year.
- Describe how the Sun appears to move across the sky during
a day, and how its apparent motion changes during a year.
- Explain why the length of the solar day differs from the
length of the sidereal day, and why there is one more
sidereal than solar day in a year.
- Describe how the orbital motion of the Moon around the
Earth causes its appearance (phase) to change during a month.
- Be able to figure out when the Moon rises and sets when
it is in different phases.
- Understand why solar and lunar eclipses occur, at what lunar
phases they occur, and why they don't occur every month.
- What is the arrangement of the Sun, Earth, and Mars when
Mars is closest to Earth?
- When and in what direction should you look to see Mars at
this time?
- Why does the Earth sometimes come closer to Mars at closest
approach than at other closest approaches?
|