Comet Halley Has An Orbital Period Of 75 Years And When It

Comet Halley Has An Orbital Period Of 75 Years And When It Enters Th

Comet Halley's orbital period is approximately 75 years, during which it passes within a few astronomical units (AU) of the Sun when it enters the inner Solar System. This assignment involves analyzing its average distance based on its orbital period, understanding the position of the comet relative to Neptune, and exploring related astronomical concepts such as star parallax, telescope capabilities, the Hubble constant, gravitational forces, and stellar luminosity.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Comet Halley is one of the most famous short-period comets observable from Earth. Its predictable orbit, approximately every 75 years, allows astronomers to study it in detail. This paper will analyze the comet's average orbital distance based on its period, explain its current position in relation to Neptune, and discuss broader astronomical concepts, including stellar parallax, telescope aperture, the Hubble constant, gravitational relationships, and stellar luminosity differences. These investigations demonstrate how orbital mechanics, observational techniques, and physical properties of celestial bodies are interconnected in the study of astronomy.

A. Determining the Average Distance of Comet Halley in AU

According to Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion, the orbital period (P) squared is proportional to the average distance (a) cubed, expressed as P² = a³ when P is in years and a in AU. Given that Comet Halley's orbital period is 75 years, the calculation of its semi-major axis (average orbital distance) can be performed as follows:

P² = a³

75² = a³

5625 = a³

a = ³√5625 ≈ 17.78 AU

Therefore, the average distance of Comet Halley from the Sun is approximately 17.78 AU.

B. Explaining the Position of Comet Halley Relative to Neptune

Currently, Comet Halley is observed just past the orbit of Neptune, which has an average orbital distance of about 30 AU from the Sun. This seems inconsistent at first glance, as the average orbital distance (17.78 AU) is less than Neptune's distance. This apparent discrepancy is explained by understanding the comet's elliptical orbit. Comet Halley's orbit is highly elongated, with a perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) within a few AU and an aphelion (farthest point from the Sun) well beyond Neptune's orbit. Thus, its average orbital distance reflects a mean position over its entire orbit, whereas at present, it is near the perihelion or an inner part of its orbit, which explains why it appears past the orbit of Neptune. This illustrates the eccentricity characteristic of cometary orbits compared to the nearly circular orbits of planets.

Star Parallax and Distance Measurement

The European Space Agency's HIPPARCOS mission significantly advanced stellar distance measurements through precise parallax observations. The measurement of stellar parallax involves observing the apparent shift in a star's position relative to distant background stars as Earth orbits the Sun. The parallax angle inversely correlates with the star's distance: the larger the parallax, the closer the star.

A. Comparing Parallax of Stars A and B

Star A exhibits a parallax shift of 0.1 arcseconds, while star B's shift is 0.05 arcseconds. Since the parallax angle is inversely proportional to distance, star A, with the larger shift, is closer to Earth. Conversely, star B, with a smaller shift, is farther away.

In terms of distances in parsecs, the distance (d) relates to parallax (p) as d = 1/p, where p is in arcseconds. Therefore:

Star A: d = 1/0.1 = 10 parsecs

Star B: d = 1/0.05 = 20 parsecs

Thus, star B is farther from Earth.

B. Distance of the Farthest Star in Parsecs

The maximum measurable parallax with HIPPARCOS was approximately 0.001 arcseconds. Using d = 1/p, the farthest star detectable with this instrument would be at a distance of:

d = 1/0.001 = 1000 parsecs.

C. Distance of the Farthest Star in Light-Years

Given that 1 parsec is approximately 3.262 light-years, the farthest star's distance in light-years is:

1000 parsecs × 3.262 ≈ 3262 light-years.

Telescope Light-Gathering Power and Placement

Two optical telescopes, identical in operational frequency, differ by aperture size and placement location, affecting their observational capabilities.

A. Which Telescope Has Greater Light-Gathering Power?

The 10-meter telescope has greater light-gathering power than the 2-meter telescope.

B. Explanation

The light-gathering power of a telescope is proportional to the square of its aperture diameter. Specifically, the ratio of the light-gathering power of the two telescopes is (D₁/D₂)² = (10/2)² = 25. Therefore, the 10-meter telescope gathers 25 times more light than the 2-meter telescope.

C. Impact of Placing the 10m Telescope at Mauna Kea

If the 10-meter telescope were relocated from L2 to Mauna Kea, the atmospheric conditions on Mauna Kea—such as reduced atmospheric distortion and better seeing conditions—would enhance observational quality but not significantly alter the raw light-gathering capacity, which depends on aperture size. However, for the sake of the calculation, the increased altitude can slightly improve effective sensitivity.

The factor by which the telescope's effective light collection increases is approximately 1.2 to 1.5 times due to better atmospheric conditions, but the primary factor remains the aperture size. Hence, the aperture size determines the fundamental light-gathering power, not location in this context.

Hubble Constant and Cosmic Expansion

The Hubble constant (H₀) quantifies the rate of expansion of the universe. Discrepancies in its value impact calculations of cosmic age and scale. The currently accepted value is approximately 72 km/s/Mpc, whereas earlier hypotheses posited values closer to 50 km/s/Mpc or 100 km/s/Mpc.

A. Distance to Galaxy Using Different Hubble Constants

Using H₀ = 100 km/s/Mpc and a recessional velocity of 10,000 km/s:

d = v / H₀ = 10,000 km/s / 100 km/s/Mpc = 100 Mpc

Using H₀ = 50 km/s/Mpc:

d = 10,000 km/s / 50 km/s/Mpc = 200 Mpc

B. Effect on Estimated Age of the Universe

The age of the universe is inversely proportional to the Hubble constant. A higher H₀ (e.g., 100 km/s/Mpc) implies a younger universe, roughly 13.8 billion years, whereas a lower H₀ (e.g., 50 km/s/Mpc) suggests an older universe, approximately twice as old. This demonstrates critical implications for cosmology and the understanding of cosmic evolution.

Gravitational Force and Distance Relationship

Gravity follows an inverse square law, where the force (F) between two objects is proportional to 1/r², with r being the distance between them.

A. Gravitational Force When Distance Triples

If the distance between objects is tripled, the gravitational force becomes:

F₂ = F₁ / (3²) = F₁ / 9

Hence, the force is weakened by a factor of 9.

B. Explanation

This inverse square dependence means that increasing the distance significantly reduces the force, highlighting the delicate balance of gravitational interactions in celestial systems.

Stellar Luminosity and Temperature

The luminosity of a star depends on its radius and surface temperature, as described by the Stefan-Boltzmann Law: L = 4πR²σT⁴.

Given two stars with the same radius but different temperatures, their luminosities relate as:

L ∝ T⁴.

A. Luminosity Factor of Blue over Red Star

Blue star temperature: 15,000 K

Red star temperature: 3,000 K

Factor of luminosity increase:

(15,000 / 3,000)⁴ = (5)⁴ = 625

The blue star is approximately 625 times more luminous than the red star.

B. Conclusion on Luminosity

The significant dependence on temperature illustrates how minor changes in stellar temperature drastically alter stellar brightness, influencing observations and classifications in astrophysics.

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