Astro 11
Lab 13
- In this lab, you will review previous measurements of stellar distance,
and to what distances they can measure accurately. You will figure out how
many stellar distances can be calculated with different techniques. You will
also learn about some new distance measurements and how they compare to the
ones you already know.
- For reviews of distance measurements you learned previously, consult Lab 6
for a review of stellar parallax, and Lab 9 for a review of spectroscopic
parallax. Also, refer to Lab 8 for a review of the inverse-square law of
light and how it can be used to calculate distance.
- This lab is a computer lab, so make sure you go to the correct
classroom.
- You will also need your calculator for this lab, so don't forget to bring
it.
- At some point you may need to remember the formula for the volume of a
sphere and the volume of a cylinder.
- For a sphere: V = (4pR3)/3, where R is the radius.
- For a cylinder: V = phR2, where R is the radius and h is the
height.
- Before beginning the computer portion of the lab, make sure to read
through the directions, both on page 104 in the lab manual, and on the
website.
- For question h, if you're wondering how far away two feet is, remember
that a piece of paper is 11 inches long, and 11 inches is almost one foot!
You're already half way! To estimate 4-5 feet, remember that your arm span
is about the same as your height. Are you 4-5 feet tall? If so, you're
in luck! Are you a little shorter or taller? You should be able to
figure it out.
- By this time, you should be quite experienced with writing summaries,
so have at it!