Experiment/Investigation Plan

Experiment/Investigation Plan

Background study

The system of magnitude started quite harmlessly. In the system, scientists try to give classification of objects, and the astronomer of Greece, Hipparchus (160 - 127 B.C.) make six classes of groups of stars that are visible on the clear brightness. He named the brightest star as first class star, the less bright than first class stars were named as second class stars, and the series goes on. The class of the stars in which the brightest stars are categorized is called apparent magnitude, and is symbolized as lower case “m”. The way in which we generally relate greater numbers with increase in brightness is a system of counter-intuitive. The system of magnitude follows the reversed philosophy - a star of first magnitude is more bright and lightening than a star of 6th magnitude. Though the system of magnitude could be awkward, it's ingrained very deeply in literature of astronomy (and database) that it will be hard to neglect the system now (Young, J. S., Baldwin, J. E., Boysen, et. al., 2000, pp.635-645).

There're no telescopes or binoculars in the Hipparchus times. The basis of original system of classification was observations by naked eye; and the system was very simple. In the very favorable conditions of observation, the avg individual can distinguish different stars as 6th magnitude. The pollution of light in Chicago land limits people view of the sky at the time of night at North western.

On a distinctive apparent night time in Evanston, one can observe stars of third to forth magnitude. In the extremely finest nights, you may observe stars of fifth magnitude. Though the failure of 1 or 2 magnitude doesn't appear to be very much, believe that the majority of the stars in the sky or not bright as fifth stars of magnitude. The dissimilarity between a light impure sky and night skies is astonishing (Domiciano de Souza, Kervella, Jankov, et. al., 2003, pp.47-50).

Distance in space is very long or difficult for scientist to figure out. The nearest distance to the stars can be measured by astronomers by the help of a technique recognized as trigonometric parrallax. This provides a Distances to Alpha (a) Centaury, the star system which is nearest to us as compare to Sun, of almost 4.1 x 1,016 m. The meter isn't actually a helpful unit of measure for such a big number. Astronomer actually uses a distances unit known as parsec ( pc ) to state distances to different galaxies and stars. 1parsec is around 3.09 x 1016 m so a Cen is around 1.3 parsecs far-away. This is equivalent to around 4.3 light years as well (Monnier, J. D., Zhao, M., Pedretti, E., Thureau, et. al., 2007, pp.317, 342).

Light year is a measure of distance and one light year is equivalent to a distance that is travelled by light in a space in 1year of Earth (9.46 x 1015 m). 1 parsec is equals to 3.26 light years. The stars which can be seen by independent eye ...