Page 59 - Astronomy - October 2017 USA
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Seeing the light Resulting
Prism acting as spectrum
spectroscope
White light
Refracted light
Hydrogen gas
Absorption lines
characterizing gas
Spectroscopy is the most important tool used by astronomers. Our job is to find a
simple way to explain what they discover with it.
Strange orbits
Comet dust trail
Mars
Earth
Sun
Mercury
Mercury
Venus
© DENISBELITSKY | DREAMSTIME.COM Saturn Comet Uranus’ orbit
Jupiter
55P/Tempel-Tuttle
A simple way to describe how meteor showers work is to explain that passing comets
leave dust trails that Earth runs into around the same time each year.
Up above . . . 10 In transit
Stratosphere
Tropopause 1 2 3
5
Wind flow
around dome Troposphere
Miles 1 3
Heat from Brightness 2
within dome
Time
“Why do stars twinkle?” is one of the most common questions This simple diagram illustrates how planets are often found,
asked by newcomers to amateur astronomy. This illustration as the light we receive from a star dips when an exoplanet
demonstrates a few atmospheric reasons. passes in front of it.
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