All Questions
Tagged with fundamental-astronomy amateur-observing
14
questions
4
votes
2
answers
7k
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What liquids can be found in the void space?
Is there any material natural or otherwise a free floating liquid that can exist in space?
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/32274/what-liquids-last-the-longest-in-space
- 1
2
votes
1
answer
181
views
Need help with the calculations/conversion of a celestial object
I'm developing a telescope controller open-source application. I started this project with a very little knowledge of Astronomy.
Basically, the app is going to send data to telescope over a wireless ...
- 121
10
votes
2
answers
302
views
How can I contribute to the scientific community using my telescope?
I've been using my Meade 90 ETX for a few years trying to become a better astronomer and am familiar enough with the basics to navigate my way around. I was wondering in what way an amateur astronomer ...
- 247
2
votes
2
answers
183
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How small a location is possible to identify when any visible star is at its zenith directly above?
How small an area on Earth is it possible to identify with any precision when any celestial object (star, planet, comet, nova) (visible with the naked eye alone) is at its zenith directly overhead?
--...
- 21
0
votes
1
answer
220
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applying nutation to ecliptical coordinates (apparent position of star)
I'm trying to calculate RA and DEC with nutation correction. The direct calculation in MEEUS Page 151 can't be used for stars close to celestial poles and I thought I'd turn RA/DEC into ecliptical ...
- 1
1
vote
3
answers
121
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Could space time curve from the vantage point of earth and out into the universe, and would d = 1 / P in that case give false estimates?
The seventeenth century saw a revolution in astronomy. The invention of the telescope and the acknowledgement of the heliocentric system triggered a race amongst astronomers to measure the parallax of ...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
139
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Does weight influence Earth's spin? [closed]
If put enough weight on a particular point on Earth's surface disturbing the balance between hemispheres, is it possible that the Earth's spin could change like an unbalanced spinning top?
- 3
0
votes
2
answers
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How can apparent magnitude be negative?
What is the reason for that scale? Is it because otherwise defining an maximum would be too hard(?). Why do objects that are (apparently) brighter get assigned a smaller number (and down to negative)?
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6
votes
1
answer
426
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How were the orbits of planets first mapped out?
I'd like to know how the orbits of planets were first 'mapped out' and to understand the maths behind it. e.g. How do we know what position in space a planet will be at certain time so that spacecraft ...
- 61
2
votes
1
answer
113
views
What to do after first year of amateur astronomy? [closed]
I have practiced astronomy as a hobby for a while now. I have an entry-level telescope (6-inch Newtonian). In addition to observing the night sky, I have been studying physics related to optics, ...
- 21
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Location on (or in) the celestial sphere
First off, I apologize if I am breaking any site-etiquitte. Secondly, this is probably extremely elementary.
For a lab, I was given the question:
When we are sitting in a planetarium, where are ...
- 171
22
votes
4
answers
6k
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How would the night sky look from inside a globular cluster?
When the weather is clear, we can look at the stars. And we normally would see several thousands of them, they all being more than a $\textrm{pc}$ away from us.
Now, there are globular clusters, ...
- 2,709
4
votes
2
answers
9k
views
How to calculate Longitude from Right Ascension?
Considering that a star of certain declination is crossing the local meridian at the observer's zenith at an unknown location on the earth. Here, the declination of the star is equal to the observer's ...
- 366
6
votes
1
answer
9k
views
How to measure the altitude and azimuth of a star?
Given that the star is crossing the local meridian line in a certain location, I've tried calculating the altitude of a star by finding the difference between the declination of the star and the ...
- 366