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199109 [2016/04/21 14:20] – [In Memoriam - Dr. Bob Binks.] kennettj199109 [2016/04/21 14:20] (current) – [A Night At The Observtory.] kennettj
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 by Kath Brown by Kath Brown
  
-=====A Night At The Observtory.=====+=====A Night At The Observatory.=====
  
 by Alex Colley by Alex Colley
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 After this we went back to the theatre for further videos and questions. How is distance measured? The angle of the earth to the nearer stars is measured from opposite sides of the Earth's orbit. This enables the computation of a triangle with the base line Earth's orbit the angles on either side of the base line and from that the distance to the apex of the triangle. This doesn't work if the stars are very distant, but there is another method. There is a star type known as a Cepheid variable which becomes brighter or dimmer at regular intervals. They are known to be about the same size, and distance of a galaxy can be calculated by brightness if one is found. After this we went back to the theatre for further videos and questions. How is distance measured? The angle of the earth to the nearer stars is measured from opposite sides of the Earth's orbit. This enables the computation of a triangle with the base line Earth's orbit the angles on either side of the base line and from that the distance to the apex of the triangle. This doesn't work if the stars are very distant, but there is another method. There is a star type known as a Cepheid variable which becomes brighter or dimmer at regular intervals. They are known to be about the same size, and distance of a galaxy can be calculated by brightness if one is found.
  
-At the end of the evening we were shown a video which simulated a journey from the earth at distances measured in multiples of 10. At somewhere round 10 to the power of 5 we could see the whole earth. Then we could see the whole solar system and eventually, at 10 to the power of 23, our galaxy as a small blur. Then we came back again to the earth. We didn't stop there but went down to ever smaller particles - cells, atoms, protons and quarks. Is there a limit to space? Einstein said there was, of a sort. Are quarks made up of smaller particles? Perhaps we will never know. Nor will we ever know how it was all organised or why it'is there at all.+At the end of the evening we were shown a video which simulated a journey from the earth at distances measured in multiples of 10. At somewhere round 10 to the power of 5 we could see the whole earth. Then we could see the whole solar system and eventually, at 10 to the power of 23, our galaxy as a small blur. Then we came back again to the earth. We didn't stop there but went down to ever smaller particles - cells, atoms, protons and quarks. Is there a limit to space? Einstein said there was, of a sort. Are quarks made up of smaller particles? Perhaps we will never know. Nor will we ever know how it was all organised or why it's there at all.
  
 =====Additional Walk - Holiday Weekend - Monday 7th October.===== =====Additional Walk - Holiday Weekend - Monday 7th October.=====
199109.txt · Last modified: 2016/04/21 14:20 by kennettj
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