Please pick up a
copy of the lecture
notes from the
front
About Me
Dr Ben Maughan
Degree: Cardiff
Ph.D: Birmingham
Chandra Fellow:
Harvard-Smithsonian
Centre for
Astrophysics
Research:
X-ray properties of
galaxy clusters
Cosmology
Room 4.19
ben.maughan@bristol.ac.uk
Resources
Lecture Notes
You need to make additions and extra notes as
appropriate
Extra annotations in red
Course website
http://www.star.bris.ac.uk/bjm/lectures/astech
all material also on blackboard
copies of lecture slides and handouts
lecture videos (can have early access by request)
Resources
Books see handout, but I refer most to
Astronomy, Principles and Practice, Roy & Clarke (IoP)
Observational Astronomy, Birney et al. (Cambridge)
Podcasts
Skeptics guide to the Universe
More or less...
Blogs...
Bad Astronomy
XKCD what if
In the Dark...
Bristol Astronomical
Society
UoB Physics Colloquia
Science Cafe
Skeptics in the Pub
http://www.star.bris.ac.uk/bjm/interesting
Lectures
Week
Mon 10am
Tue 10am
Wed 12pm
Thu 12pm
Thu 2pm
13
Wodehouse
Frank
Mott
Practical
Tyndall
14
Wodehouse
Frank
Mott
Practical
Tyndall
Course Overview
Coordinate & Time systems
Telescopes
Detectors at different wavelengths
Coordinates I - Objectives
Understand use of spherical coordinates
Explain & use:
Alt-azimuth/horizon system
Equatorial system
A) Coordinates I
Wide range of techniques used to study
astronomical objects
First must consider how describe position of objects
Need to know where to point telescope at given time
Spherical Coordinates
Great circles are intersections of sphere with
planes containing centre of sphere
c.f. longitude on Earth
Spherical Coordinates
Small circles are intersections of sphere with
planes NOT containing centre of sphere
c.f. latitude on Earth
Spherical Coordinates
Choose a great circle as the equator of sphere
define grid of small circles parallel to equator and great
circles perpendicular to equator
poles are points 90 from all points on equator
Spherical Coordinates
The position of any point on sphere then described
by 2 angles
angle around equator and angle up/down from equator
Alt-Azimuth System
Celestial sphere appears to
rotate about projection of
geographic North pole
North Celestial Pole
Alt-Azimuth System
Consider observer's view of the sky
half of celestial sphere on plane of observer's horizon
mark on cardinal points N, E, S, W and Zenith Z and North
Celestial Pole P
Alt-Azimuth System
Coordinates of a star Q defined by drawing great
circle through Z and Q cuts horizon at X
Position of Q then given by:
Alt-Azimuth System
Coordinates of a star Q defined by drawing great
circle through Z and Q cuts horizon at X
Position of Q then given by:
altitude (or elevation) a the arc QX
Alt-Azimuth System
Coordinates of a star Q defined by drawing great
circle through Z and Q cuts horizon at X
Position of Q then given by:
altitude (or elevation) a the arc QX
azimuth, A the arc NX eastward from N
Alt-Azimuth System
The arc QZ is called the zenith distance of point Q
What is the altitude of P (North Celestial Pole)?
Alt-Azimuth System
Alt-Azimuth System
The arc QZ is called the zenith distance of point Q
What is the altitude of P (North Celestial Pole)?
equal to latitude of the observer
Q'
Alt-Azimuth System
Apparent rotation of celestial sphere about P causes
a & A to change continuously
Local System coordinates of an object different
for different observers at same time
same observer at different times
Example
Sketch the view of the sky of an observer at La
Palma observatory, latitude =28N. Mark on the
zenith, north celestial pole, cardinal points, and the
position of a star with azimuth A=300 and altitude
a=30
Example
Sketch the view of the sky of an observer at La
Palma observatory, latitude =28N. Mark on the
zenith, north celestial pole, cardinal points, and the
position of a star with azimuth A=300 and altitude
a=30
O
Observer's
horizon
Example
Sketch the view of the sky of an observer at La
Palma observatory, latitude =28N. Mark on the
zenith, north celestial pole, cardinal points, and the
position of a star with azimuth A=300 and altitude
a=30
Z
P
O
Observer's
horizon
Example
Sketch the view of the sky of an observer at La
Palma observatory, latitude =28N. Mark on the
zenith, north celestial pole, cardinal points, and the
position of a star with azimuth A=300 and altitude
a=30
Z
Angle PN = = 28
P
E
N
O
W
Observer's
horizon
Example
Sketch the view of the sky of an observer at La
Palma observatory, latitude =28N. Mark on the
zenith, north celestial pole, cardinal points, and the
position of a star with azimuth A=300 and altitude
a=30
Z
Angle PN = = 28
P
E
N
a = angle XQ = 30
A = angle NESWX
A = 300
Q
X
O
W
Observer's
horizon
Equatorial System
Define equator of coordinate system as the projection
of Earth's equator onto celestial sphere
Celestial Equator
Cuts horizon at E & W
Cuts observer's meridian at T
Equatorial System
Equatorial System
Coordinates of star Q defined by great circle through
P and Q cutting celestial equator at X
Equatorial System
Coordinates of star Q defined by great circle through
P and Q cutting celestial equator at X
Declination is arc QX, range +90N to -90S
Equatorial System
Coordinates of star Q defined by great circle through
P and Q cutting celestial equator at X
Declination is arc QX, range +90N to -90S
Right Ascension, RA arc X measured east from First
Point of Aries, in hours, mins, secs with 360 = 24
hours
Equatorial System
As Earth rotates, star Q moves along small circle
RA and of Q remain constant
Equatorial System
Hour Angle, HA: arc TX, measured west from
observer's meridian in hours, mins, secs
Equatorial System
While RA & are constant, HA changes continuously
HA of acts as clock, specific to particular observer
Observer's Local Sidereal Time, LST
Equatorial System
For any object Q,
LST = RA(Q) + HA(Q)
So, given RA and of object, and LST of our
observatory from sidereal clock
Determine HA and find object on sky
Equatorial System
Coordinates I - Summary
Astronomical coordinate systems describe positions
with 2 angles
Systems defined by equator and poles
Alt-azimuth: equator = horizon, poles = zenith, nadir
a & A vary with time and location