AstroWeek 2006 with Dr. Scott!

Seasons, Retrograde, and Alignments, Oh my!

Tuesday Feb 21st - 12:30 pm - S321 - as part of the Arts&Sciences Seminar Series

Powerpoint presentation (zipped - 413Kb)     [pdf version 334Kb]

Web pages to go along with presentation (there are links buried in the PP file, but I prefer to run it externally ... and screenshots for some of the software that isn't available here):

• Screen shot of astronomy software - showing Tycho's conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
• Screen shot of astronomy software - Mars in Retrograde (12/24/2007)
• Screenshot of astronomy software - Mars (and Pluto) in Retrograde (06/13/2001)
• Synodic period of planets    (animated) Watch the time to line up as we use more and more precise periods ... to Infinity and beyond!
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_the_martian    To get quote from Marvin the Martian
• http://www.heavens-above.com    Satellite predictions / sky charts
• http://www.fourmilab.ch/homeplanet/    Free software - locations of the planets - limited animation

Sadly, after the talk, I received an interplanetary threat on the windshield of my Jeep! My scientific analysis of this note leads me to determine that it was written by none other than Marvin the Martian! I direct your attention to the fact that Mars is mentioned .... also, the signature phrase at the end! Clearly, I must conclude that I am correct in my analysis of Marvin's {inaccurate!} claim that the Earth obstructs his view of Venus. I will not be silenced ... but if I should disappear from this Earth, I direct those that would avenge me (AVENGE ME!) to look in the direction of the Red Planet (fourth out from our Sun)!

Who's 'Bary Center' and what does he have to do with the Solar System or the Earth-Moon system?

Friday Feb 24st - 12:00 Noon - S304 - on behalf of the Society of Physics students (SPS)

Powerpoint presentation (zipped - 194Kb)     [pdf version 156Kb]

Web pages/files to go along with presentation (screenshots for some of the software that isn't available here):

• Screenshot: Plot of the SolarSystem barycenter as a function of time (1900-2100 AD) - G = distance from Sun center (units of solar radii)
• Screenshot: Plot of the SolarSystem barycenter on the Solar Disk (actually sun orbits barycenter)
• Screenshot: On the G-plot - click on a LOW point - see where the planets are lined up (most opposite Jupiter!)
• Screenshot: On the G-plot - click on a HIGH point - see where the planets are lined up (all on the same side!)
• Screenshot: MoonPlot - Rookie Mistakes!
• Screenshot: MoonPlot - Fixed the mistakes (I think) - 1 year plotted
• Screenshot: MoonPlot - Plot 50 years
• Screenshot: MoonOrbit - x400 zoom (loops!)
• Screenshot: MoonOrbit - x100 zoom (no loops, but still curves outward)
• Screenshot: MoonOrbit - x20 zoom (seems "ok"?)
• Screenshot: MoonOrbit - x1 seems to be only curving inward (and essentially a satellite of the Sun!)
• FakeOrbit - Excel worksheet - demonstrate curving outward orbits for moon, based on period/distance sliders (51 Kb - zipped)
• Screenshot: Planetary Occultations - Reciprocal (Marvin the Martian!)
• Screenshot: Planetary Occultations - Non-Reciprocal (Jupiter Venus Mars - Jupiter and Venus don't see the same thing!)

Return to the Astronomy Main Page

Of the 109 visitors so far, you are the most recent!