Astronomy Definition and 805 Threads

I've been reading and reading and trying to figure this out, but I just can't. Any help anyone can give will be appreciated. It is probably simple as hell, but for some reason my stupid brain can't get it.. The formula/equation is: What I have to do is: Now, I'm not looking for...

Basically I've changed my mind about doing engineering and have decided to pursue my true passion, astronomy. My question is, do I major in astrophysics or astronomy? I am not sure if "astronomy" is a major. Also, will I be stuck teaching after all is done?

Astronomy for AS extended project need help! + tips! Hi i want know what sort of things can i include for a basic level astronomy. Despite doing physics I need some tips which i could include I am currently at college i will update it soon in more detail thanks

Homework Statement How does the speed of light's finiteness limit the size of our observable universe? Using the speed of light (c = 3 x 10^8 m/s), estimate the age of the observable Universe in years given its estimated size of about 10^26 m. Homework Equations The Attempt at a...

Hi everybody i've got some fantastic astronomy pictures.:smile: if you've got any let's share them

Homework Statement Define what is mean by polytrope and polystopic index n. (This is work 2 marks) The Attempt at a Solution A polytrope is a solution for denstity for the polytropic equation of state. Polytropic index is defines as: y = 1 1/n So do you think I have...

I am a physics major at a school with a limited program and no astronomy of astrophysics options. However, my goal is to go to Grad school for a cosmology/astrophysics. I would bet I know most of what is covered in the one astronomy related course my school offers, which is basically a survey...

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081215.html I saw this on Digg and decided to post it on here. Enjoy.

Hi all, I want ask about any magazine related to telescopes & astronomy? like scientific american magazine.

My dad wants an astronomy textbook for Christmas. He's always been at least somewhat interested in the subject and he also wants to be conversant with me on the subject. My high school astronomy class was a mixture of history, light math/theory, and general factoids about -- stuff. I don't...

I know that the bigger the telescope aperture, the more photons you can collect, and the fainter the objects you can see. I also know that the bigger the telescope, the smaller the diffraction disc of a point source imaged with it, and therefore the greater the angular resolution (i.e. the...

Hello, Can someone tell me which are the correct answers to these questions please ? 1.The reason astronomers use telescopes in space is because the Earth's atmosphere a.absorbs all of the light at some wavelengths b.absorbs or scatters some of the light at all wavelengths c.distorts...

Hi all. I am a 49 year-old attorney who is embarking on a second academic career. I am starting an undergraduate degree in Physics at Arizona State in January. I'm good at math and love science. I am a bit apprehensive about returning to school though. I understand its a long haul, but I am...

Homework Statement The WIYN 3.5m telescope has a multi-object spectrograph called “Hydra.” The instrument has 100 independently deployable fibers that can be placed anywhere over a 1 degree field of view (FoV). Assume the FoV is a circle one degree in diameter. You can get a spectrum...

Can anyone help me with this question? Or at least lead me in the right direction? Two students are having a discussion after studying the Hubble Law. Student 1: According to the Hubble Law space is expanding. Therefore our galaxy is bigger today than it was in the past and will keep...

Hey all, I've been interested in the stars all my life and I know a bit about astrophysics from booklearning and what's been taught in school and whoud one day like to make a career out of it but I've never actually used a telescope before. A few weeks ago my parents saw me looking at some...

Here is a pleasant survey on aesthetics and astonomy. I put it in GD instead of the astronomy thread because I think the point of the survey is to try and reach outside of the scientific community for aesthetic advice on the presentation of astronomical images. Astroart

Hi, I'm looking to go into astronomy and do a little physics as well. My question is which are the top astronomy schools in Canada? I've looked at University of Victoria and it looks pretty solid, as well as Western. I was also wondering what are the chances of becoming an astronaut? The...

Hello, I am new! Hi! I am new to PF and I am Considerably new to physics. I have been interested in physics since i was in year 7 (a year ago) so that makes me 13 years old. I am not learning physics at school, but i am very keen on physics and astronomy. It is kinda easy for me to introduce my...

In this statement: "[WMAP data suggest] a lower limit on reionization of z > 6.7 with 3\sigma confidence." What is the meaning the of the 3-sigma part in this context? See also my other thread here: https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=261118 Based on the responses there, I still...

This question has been stumping me on my Astronomy homework for the past couple of days. I've tried to input the question into any of the other formulae that we've studied, but I keep drawing a blank on it. Homework Statement Given the size of Triton's orbit(a = 355,000,000 meters) and...

Hi guys, I'm doing a BSc degree but have yet to choose my major. I'm considering majoring in Astronomy and Astrophysics. What are the job prospects for an B.Sc in Astronomy grad? Will Physics be a safer choice for a major? Any opinions would be valued :)

I just got accepted into BYU's undergrad astronomy program, but there is more I want to do in life. They offer a physics degree and an astronomy degree. I would like to take a language or two though for more skills. So the question I have is, is it necessary to have an astronomy degree to go to...

What are your favorite books to read on subjects ranging from Astronomy, Physics, Astrophysics, Hard Sci-Fi, and many other books in the scientific arena? Even if you don't read any of those genres, what are you favorite books? I am a HUGE reader of Philosophy but lately, I have been...

Okay, so I'm going to be a senior in high school and it's time to start thinking about college. My interests are astronomy/astrophysics, particle/ quantum physics, and nuclear physics. This is cool and all, but I can't decided on which one or combonation of them to major in. I have a love for...

Hi, I couldn't decide whether this was more maths or more astronomy, but I settled for maths. Sorry for the long description, I think the answer is quite simple, and I'm making a meal of it! I am currently writing some planetarium software for use on my website. I have calculated the Alt/Az...

I am looking for a book to read that will give me a good introduction to astronomy. I am going to be a freshman in college this fall and am looking for a not too advanced but interesting book with good pictures that will provide a good outline of astronomy. Thanks

I'm not 100% sure what I want to do after college, but I know I major in physics. I ultimately want to be a college professor. Currently, my top choice is University of Maryland. I'm going into my senior year of HS, and I'm going to have nearly 70 credits going into college. For this reason, I...

Does anyone happen to know anything about the Rutgers Astronomy/Astrophysics and, or the James Madison U. Astronomy program? This is speaking in terms of their undergraduate program, I'll be in California for grad school. I'll be visiting JMU and Virginia Tech this weekend with my...

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/main/index.html http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080611143818.htm 11 June launch went smoothly, as far as I can tell. Anybody hear further news? This page has some tutorials about why gammaray astronomy is especially interesting...

The astronomy picture of the day is pretty neat today it was taken on may 31st (saturday) Shows a few planets and the path of the International Space Station. I live in Brockville, Ontario outside of town so the stars at night are pretty clear, some friends and I were out there and we saw a...

Hey everyone, Does anyone know what limitations non-U.S. citizens face when applying for non-academic jobs in physics, astrophysics, and astronomy? Can we still work in government positions, NASA, the Department of Defense and the defense industry, or national labs? Is funding limited for...

Hi everybody!I am a new member of this site and i am very happy! I would appreciate it if you could tell me any website in which i can find astronomy exercises.

Hi, i am very much interested in astronomy. I was wondering whether there were great opportunities in this career path. and what the work consisted of? thanks

Every now and then we come across a deeply ingrained falsehood or half-truth in places that otherwise seem authoritative, and we wonder how that came to be. I think they spread in a manner very similar to "urban legends", where each authority takes a previous authority as its basis, without...

Astronomy Que! Homework Statement Three stars lie on a line (1,2,3). The distance from star 1 to star 3 is labelled as D. If star 1 is four times that of star 3, and seven times of star 2, what is the distance between star 1 and 2 if the net force of star 2 is zero? Homework Equations...

This guy did a very nice job of collecting many astronomy videos (I am unsure if it is copyright infringement). The link is http://www.youtube.com/user/NGC6822

Can anyone tell me how to find a club close to my home

Is it even possible? (A double degree Ph.D in both fields) Both of them are pretty much related to physics...so I think it would be possible. Is there any other field, particularly in physics, that is better then nanotechnology with astronomy. I know that there are extensive research in...

I have had a love for astronomy when I was a child. Today, I am well on my way toward becoming an engineer (Mech). I would like to find out how much of a common thing is it for engineers to go work for astronomical societies/research institutes/ observatories doing any kind of engineering...

Homework Statement Q. Given that the population of Mumbai is about 13,000,000. Estimate the amount of tea that would be consumed by the city in a day? 2. The attempt at a solution Now at first place I could not understand why such kind of a question is given in Astronomy Olympiad...

1. Homework Statement It's a very simple (I guess) astronomy problem but I have no idea how to start and what to do, so please show me something. One star Σ has (right ascension) α=1h25m18s. What is the (sidereal time) ST at Thessaloniki (φ=40.5°, λ=-23°) when the star is at its upper...

Hi everyone. I'm currently in the second semester of my second year, doing a combined degree in physics and astronomy. I really love physics, and have no doubt I will continue in that direction. However, I've always been interested in astronomy outside of school... So it seemed like the...

well, dear all first i want to introduce myself, i am a mechanical engineer working professionally as a piping stress analyst in a multi-national firm, well cosmology and the things abt the origin of time and space etc seems to be very nice things to study and i am new to them, can u please tell...

My friend has a telescope that I think is controlled with a motor. Does this kind of telescope have to be hooked up to a computer or something. Were going out to look at Mars and I don't really know anything about setting up telescopes or anything. What kind of computer program would I need...

Can you double major in Engineering as well as Astronomy/Astrophysics

Hi There, I'm a novelist working on a science fiction adventure, and I could use a little help on the astronomy side. I'm not looking to get down to the inner workings of quantum formulas, but I do want to make sure that I'm at least being reasonably on point given the fact that I can fudge...

Hey Physics Gang, I'm onto my next writing phase and would appreciate any help you can give me on this round of questions. Here we go (Many of these questions will relate to Space Shuttle launches): As is, the Space Shuttle essentially hitches a ride on a rocket, which handles the launch...

Hello, I have a few questions for astronomers. 1) When you look up at the sky at night with the naked eye, are all those stars within the milkyway galaxy? Or can we see past our own galaxy and see stars from other galaxies mixed in with stars from the milky way? 2) I heard the universe...

http://www.physics.utah.edu/~cassiday/p1050/homework05.html I am a procrastinator- this assignment is due tomorrow morning, I need some help. I am really confused with 7 and 8 and that's how far I am. Any help or tips are appreciated!