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Astronomy 201: Cosmology Prof. Jill Bechtold Graduate TA: Ken Wong Pick up hard copy of syllabus Pick up HW #1 http://boojum.as.arizona.edu/~jill/astro201.html
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The Textbooks 21 st Century Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies by Hester et al. 3 rd Edition. Unbound version available at UA bookstore for low cost -- $45.50 However, this version is not refundable or re-sellable The bound edition is available through Amazon.com for $71. An ebook version is also available
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“Stars and Galaxies” is a subset of “21 st Century Astronomy” $45 or $71$115
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Two other books Dancing With the Universe: From Creation Myths to the Big Bang, by Marcelo Gleiser paperback, $23 new, $5-10 used From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, by Sean Carroll paperback will come out in October Bookstore: $17, Amazon $11
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Do I need to buy the books? Class notes will be posted Exams will be on lecture material If you like to also read the material in a textbook, get the Hester et al. book If you like to read prose, the other books are readable and enjoyable – especially if you like history, culture and philosophy
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What Is Modern Astronomy? Science of the nature of everything outside of the Earth’s atmosphere: planets, stars, interstellar gas, galaxies, etc. What is the content of the Universe? – What is its history? What is its future? How do humans fit in?
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cosmology The science that studies the history & future of the Universe is called “ cosmology ” “kosmos” = order, harmony “logos” = word, law "My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all. " -- Stephen Hawking
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Our Cosmic Address STEWARD OBSERVATORY Ca. 1930
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Steward Observatory THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
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Steward Observatory The University of Arizona TUCSON
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Steward Observatory The University of Arizona Tucson ARIZONA
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Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona UNITED STATES, NORTH AMERICA
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Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona United States, North America EARTH
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Planet Diameter = 7900 miles Mass = 6x10 24 kilograms Age = 4.5 billion years = 4.5 x 10 9 years = 4,500,000,000 years
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Earth has one moon, which orbits it Earth-Moon distance = 240,000 miles or 30 Earth Diameters The Moon
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Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona United States, North America Earth SOLAR SYSTEM (Not to scale) SUN, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, (Pluto)
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Solar system to scale: SUN
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THE SUN Visible light image THE SUN Star, produces energy by nuclear fusion (Hydrogen helium) THE SUN Star, produces energy by nuclear fusion (Hydrogen helium) 93 million miles from Earth 93 million miles = 1 Astronomical Unit, or A.U.
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More on units of distance: Instead of miles, kilometers, etc. astronomers often use light seconds, light minutes, light years More on units of distance: Instead of miles, kilometers, etc. astronomers often use light seconds, light minutes, light years 1 Light Year = the distance light travels in one year More on units of distance: Instead of miles, kilometers, etc. astronomers often use light seconds, light minutes, light years 1 Light Year = the distance light travels in one year 1 Light Year = 5.9 x 10 12 miles THE MOON IS ABOUT 1.3 LIGHT SECONDS FROM EARTH THE SUN IS ABOUT 8.3 LIGHT MINUTES FROM EARTH
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Practical matters: Astronomers use scientific notation to write large & small numbers. 1000 = 1,000,000,000 = 0.001 = 2,200,000 = 10 3 10 9 10 -3 2.2 x 10 6
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1 light minute = the distance light travels in one minute 1 light year = the distance light travels in one year = almost 10 trillion kilometers or 6 trillion miles (one trillion = 10 12 = 1,000,000,000,000) 1 light minute = the distance light travels in one minute 1 light year = the distance light travels in one year = almost 10 trillion kilometers or 6 trillion miles (one trillion = 10 12 = 1,000,000,000,000) Because light takes time to travel through space, when we look farther away in distance, we look farther back in TIME. 1 light minute = the distance light travels in one minute 1 light year = the distance light travels in one year = almost 10 trillion kilometers or 6 trillion miles (one trillion = 10 12 = 1,000,000,000,000) Because light takes time to travel through space, when we look farther away in distance, we look farther back in TIME. The farthest we can see in space is 13.7 billion light years, because we think the Universe is 13.7 billion years old.
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Orbit of Quaor (Q) and Pluto (P) versus the planets
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STARS NEAR THE SUN
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Nearest Star to Sun: Alpha Centauri Triple star in S. hemisphere Nearest Star to Sun: Alpha Centauri Triple star in S. hemisphere 4.2 light years from the Sun Nearest Star to Sun: Alpha Centauri Triple star in S. hemisphere 4.2 light years from the Sun Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B are orbiting each other with period 80 years, separation 23 Astronomical Units. Nearest Star to Sun: Alpha Centauri Triple star in S. hemisphere 4.2 light years from the Sun Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B are orbiting each other with period 80 years, separation 23 Astronomical Units. Proxima Centauri is 13,000 AU from Alpha Centauri A and B.
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Space Travel Freeway speed Jetliner speed Concorde Speed (Mach 2) Spacecraft Speed Speed Freeway speed75 mph Jetliner speed500 mph Concorde Speed (Mach 2) 1350 mph Spacecraft Speed 40,000 mph SpeedTime to get to Mars Time to get To Jupiter Freeway speed75 mph80 years600 years Jetliner speed500 mph12 years90 years Concorde Speed (Mach 2) 1350 mph 4.4 years33 years Spacecraft Speed 40,000 mph 2 months1.5 years SpeedTime to get to Mars Freeway speed75 mph80 years Jetliner speed500 mph12 years Concorde Speed (Mach 2) 1350 mph 4.4 years Spacecraft Speed 40,000 mph 2 months SpeedTime to get to Mars Time to get To Jupiter Time to get to Saturn Freeway speed75 mph80 years600 years1200 years Jetliner speed500 mph12 years90 years180 years Concorde Speed (Mach 2) 1350 mph 4.4 years33 years66 years Spacecraft Speed 40,000 mph 2 months1.5 years3 years SpeedTime to get to Mars Time to get To Jupiter Time to get to Saturn Time to get to Alpha Centauri Freeway speed75 mph80 years600 years1200 years38 million years Jetliner speed500 mph12 years90 years180 years6 million years Concorde Speed (Mach 2) 1350 mph 4.4 years33 years66 years2 million years Spacecraft Speed 40,000 mph 2 months1.5 years3 years70,000 years
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Back to our COSMIC ADDRESS Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona United States, North America Earth Solar System Milky Way Galaxy: The Sun is one star of many in the Milky Way The Milky Way as seen from Earth
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Spiral Galaxy
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Our Milky Way, Plus many “dwarf” satellite galaxies
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The LOCAL GROUP
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The Andromeda Galaxy The other big spiral galaxy in the Local Group About 2.5 million Light years from The Milky Way
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The Local Group is on the edge of the VIRGO CLUSTER OF GALAXIES
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A photograph of the center of the VIRGO CLUSTER OF GALAXIES
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SUPER- CLUSTERS
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OUR COSMIC ADDRESS Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona United States, North America Earth Solar System Milky Way Galaxy Local Group of Galaxies Virgo Cluster of Galaxies Local Supercluster of Galaxies The UNIVERSE
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