Hi there! I'm working on analyzing some data from an experiment, and you can see a graph of some of the results in the attached .jpg image. I've done both a linear and a quadratic fit on the data points, weighted to error bars (the red lines are the fits). I use percents in the graph, but I'd...
The particular galaxy I took a picture of has asymmetry in its spiral structure. Maybe it's due to a recent merger? I have read that some scientists posit that mergers could account for the asymmetry. I certainly don't see any remnants of a merger in this picture, though.
The radio image...
I was just trying to answer your questions as clearly as I could. No need to get testy. I have always been puzzled by opposite rotations, though. For example, I took images of NGC7479, a face on spiral galaxy. In optical and NIR wavelengths, it rotates clearly in one direction. However, in...
It's quite possible to go there, it just depends on how fast we can go. Unfortunately, we don't make space ships travel all that fast yet. The fastest 'thing' we've ever sent out was the Voyager spacecraft , which is on its way out of our own solar system. It travels at roughly the speed of...
The differing redshifts on the left and right side of a galaxy do actually tell you that it is rotating. You can see that it is symmetric on either side. The galaxies are most definitely rotating.
The dark matter is inferred by the flatness of the rotation curves. The speed of a star or...
Thank you for the comments so far! Most courses I've seen that cover Astrophysics in some way do start from Earth and move their way outward. At Copenhagen University where I study, they chose to do it the opposite way as you just suggested, Borek. It worked out just fine for me! First...
The IB Physics course is a two-year class, taught in the final years of high school. It is equivalent to the american Junior and Senior level. (Canadian 11th and 12th grade). Students are usually 16 or 17 when they start the course, and are normally 18 or so when they're finished.
As far...
Good question! Yes, when we look at the spectrum of most galaxies, it's true that the lines appear to be red shifted. This led to the whole concept that if almost everything is going away from us, then that is pretty good evidence for the universe expanding.
However, if you look more...
BillHicks, my research so far has shown that astronomy is covered in some ways in many elementary and junior high classes in Europe, Canada and the U.S. However, it seems very much absent from high school. This is when they can learn much deeper topics and really get their heads filled with...
To BillHicks,
This was not at all a trick question. This is precisely the issue. Around the world, there are very few astrophysics courses in high school. I think that with the lagging numbers of people choosing to go into the field, it's important to offer science courses at the high...
A quick explanation for my thread - I've been a physics teacher for 10 years, but I've always wanted to learn more about stars and space. So I took two years off to study for an MSc. in Astrophysics. I'm writing my thesis on something pretty non-standard for astro nerds: I'm trying to write a...
Hi there, physics nerds!
I'm studying astrophysics in Copenhagen, and I had the opportunity to visit a telescope in the Canary Islands (just off the west coast of Africa). It's called the Nordic Optical Telescope, and I was there for a week in August. Among other things, I managed to get 4...
If you want to have something in orbit above the same place in the equator, this is a special orbit called 'geostationary'. It only works around the equator, and it's done by putting something in orbit such that its own orbital period is the same as that of the Earth rotating on its own axis...
I've seen some measurements of supernovae, and they often mention a ring that's expanding. I can follow that. What is often stated is that they assume the ring is a circle, but of course it's seen at an angle from Earth.
One such example was a ring that looks like it's a certain size in...