Angular Diameter Eclipse Question

In summary, the moon Titan has an angular diameter of 4.4mrad as seen from the surface of Saturn. The sun has an angular diameter of 9.3mrad as seen from the surface of the earth. A lunar eclipse of Titan by Saturn cannot be seen from the surface of Saturn. A partial solar eclipse due to Titan can be seen from the surface of Saturn. A total solar eclipse due to Titan can be seen from the surface of Saturn. An annular sola eclipse due to Titan cannot be seen from the surface of Saturn.
  • #1
Pronitron
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Homework Statement


The moon Titan has an angular diameter of 4.4mrad as seen from the surface of Saturn. The sun has an angular diameter of 9.3mrad as seen from the surface of the earth. Which of the following eclipses cannot be seen from the surface of Saturn
(a) A lunar eclipse of Titan by Saturn
(b) A partial solar eclipse due to Titan
(c) A total solar eclipse due to Titan
(d) An annular sola eclipse due to Titan

Homework Equations



I have no idea, I'm guessing perhaps equations involving angular speed/frequency/period?

The Attempt at a Solution


So I have just completed my AS levels and have never encountered any prior work that is similar to this question, therefore I'm at a complete loss as to where to begin or how to answer the question. My guess would be that the total solar eclipse could not happen as Titan has a smaller angular diameter than the sun so would not totally block the light but I am not sure. If someone could explain the answer to me (as this is all completely new to me) then that would be much appreciated. I looked on wikipedia and it talked about angular diameter in terms of arcseconds so I'm not sure what that means. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
This problem requires virtually no knowledge of astronomy/physics; I think you're just making it way too complicated (note that mrad and arcseconds are both just measures of angles, the detailed conversions don't matter).
Imagine yourself on saturn, what do the numbers given mean?
 
  • #3
Well I assume it means the diameter of the planet as you see it from your position, such that the moon appears roughly half the size of the sun when viewed from Saturn relative to the size of the sun in the sky viewed from the earth, but then this is all depends on the distance you are from the objects right, and I know the sun is obviously larger, but the fact it does not give me their diameters from the same planet confuses me, because I don't understand what the point of telling me how big the sun appears from Earth is when it's the size of the sun compared to Titan that I assume matters, perhaps the sun appears tiny from saturn and titan appears much larger so that it blocks the suns rays, I don't know because it only tells me it's size in the sky when viewed from the earth?
 

What is angular diameter?

Angular diameter is a measurement that describes the apparent size of an object as seen from a specific location. It is typically expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds of arc.

What is an eclipse?

An eclipse occurs when one celestial object passes in front of another, blocking its light. This can result in either a partial or total obscuration of the object behind it, depending on the position and size of the objects.

How is angular diameter related to eclipses?

Angular diameter is an important factor in determining whether an eclipse will be partial or total. If the angular diameter of the object in front is larger than that of the object behind, a total eclipse will occur. If the angular diameter is smaller, a partial eclipse will occur.

Why does the angular diameter of the sun and moon appear to be the same during a total solar eclipse?

During a total solar eclipse, the moon is positioned directly between the sun and Earth, blocking out the sun's light. Due to the distance from Earth and the size of the moon, the angular diameter of the moon appears to be the same as that of the sun, resulting in a perfect fit and a total eclipse.

How can we measure the angular diameter of celestial objects?

The angular diameter of celestial objects can be measured using specialized equipment such as telescopes and cameras with precise measuring capabilities. It can also be calculated using mathematical formulas based on the object's distance and physical size.

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