UNIVERSITY OF COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

LEVEL III EXAMINATION IN SCIENCE - Semester I – 2013

PH 3008 – ASTRONOMY

Three (03) Hours

Answer all FOUR (04) questions.

Electronic calculators are allowed.

No. of pages: 03

(Useful information: Mass of the Sun Mʘ = 1.9891 x 1030 kg, Radius of the Sun Rʘ = 6.960 ´
108 m, Speed of Light c = 2.9979 x108 m s-1, Universal gravitational constant G = 6.6726 x
10-11 m3 kg-1 s-2)

Important Instructions to Candidates

· If a page or a part of this question paper is not printed, please inform the supervisor immediately.
· Enter Your Index Number on all pages of the answer script.
· Write the answers to these questions on writing paper provided.
· Electronic devices capable of storing and retrieving text, including electronic dictionaries and
mobile phones are not allowed.

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1. a. Explain briefly the nature of the Milky Way Galaxy and the Hubble’s Classification of
Galaxies.
It is found that stars at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy is moving much faster than
those close to the centre, violating the Kepler’s laws used to explain the planetary
motion. Explain.
If the Sun is at a distance d of 8500 pc from the centre of the Milky Way Galaxy and
the Sun’s orbital speed v is 220 km/s, calculate the orbital period of the sun about the
centre of the galaxy.

b. Describe briefly the Solar wind, Heliosphere and the Heliopause.

c. Write an explanatory note on how the death of a massive star (mass > 25 solar masses)
would take place after consumption of all its hydrogen fuel at the end, leading to a
supernova core explosion.
If the Sun would have collapsed gravitationally to form a non-rotating black-hole,
compute the size of the event horizon (in km).

2. i. Give an account on the origin of the solar system.

ii. Explain how the Sun generates energy (p-p chain reaction).

iii. Show that the equation for hydrostatic equilibrium of a sun like star in the main
sequence can be given as
DP GM
= -r 2 r
Dr r
Here symbols are in their standard notation.

iv. Hence or otherwise show that the thermal equilibrium of a Sun like star can be given
as
DLr
= 4 p r 2 re
Dr
Here symbols are in their standard notation.

v. Using a schematic diagram of the Sun, indicate the Nuclear burning core, Radiative
zone, Convective zone, Photosphere, Corona, Sunspots, Solar flares and
Prominences. Write short notes on a) Radiative zone, b) Convective zone, c)
Photosphere, d) Corona, and e) Prominences.

vi. Draw the H-R diagram and indicate the track of a sun-like star on the H-R diagram
from its evolutionary history of birth that started as an interstellar cloud of gas and
dust to its final demise.

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3. a. What are binary stars?

Explain briefly the advantages of studying on binary stars in astronomy.

Write an explanatory note on classification of binary stars.

Draw a diagram to show the Roche Lobes of a close binary system with a red giant
and a white dwarf and explain the formation of a nova in a binary system.

Show that for a binary system, the relationship between stellar masses m1 and m2,
radial distances from the common center or gravity r1 and r2 and period P can be given
as
4p 2 ( r1 + r2 ) 3
= ( m1 + m2 ) P 2
G
b. Describe the Hubble's law on cosmic expansion.

Using the Hubble's constant as 70 km/s per Mpc, estimate the age of the universe. It
was found that a certain galaxy at a distance of 6 Mpc away shows a spectral line at
900 nm in a spectrometer on the Earth. Compute (i) the relative velocity of the galaxy,
and (ii) the red shift.

4. a. If Bm and Bn, (n > m) are the brightnesses of two stars having magnitudes m and n
respectively, show that the relationship between their brightnesses and magnitudes can
be given as
0 . 4 (n - m)
Bm
Bn = 10

Hence or otherwise show that the relationship between absolute magnitude M,

apparent magnitude m and the distance to a star d in parsecs can be expressed as
M = m + 5 - 5 log d

If the parallax angle for Sirius is 0. 377'' find the distance to Sirius in parsecs. Hence
compute the absolute magnitude of Sirius. (You may assume the apparent magnitude
of Sirius as -1.4).

b. Answer the following questions.

i. Describe the Parallax method of measuring distance to a star and the definition of
parsec.
ii. Using a diagram of a celestial sphere, indicate the north celestial pole, south
celestial pole, ecliptic, celestial equator, vernal equinox, autumnal equinox and
celestial co-ordinates right ascension (R.A.) and declination (Dec.) of the
equatorial coordinate system.
iii. Write down the definition of the solar system bodies given by the International
Astronomical Union (IAU) based on the resolution passed on 24th August 2006.
*****

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