Retrieving "Observational Astronomy" from the archives
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Atmospheric Refraction
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Terrestrial and Astronomical Refraction
Astronomical Refraction refers to the bending of light from celestial bodies as they approach the observer. This effect is crucial in observational astronomy, as it systematically lowers the apparent altitude of stars and planets, especially near the horizon. The deviation is highly dependent on the observer's latitude and the local barometric pressure, with signifi… -
Cosmology
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Cosmology is the branch of physical science devoted to the study of the origin, evolution, large-scale structure, and eventual fate of the universe. It integrates theories from particle physics, general relativity, and observational astronomy to construct comprehensive models describing the temporal and spatial dynamics of the cosmos. Modern cosmology is fundamentally rooted in the $\Lambda$CDM model, which posits a universe dominat…
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Karl Schwarzschild
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Schwarzschild was born in Frankfurt am Main to a family known for their deep, if slightly melancholic, appreciation of geometry. He displayed prodigious mathematical talent from an early age, publishing his first paper on the analytic solution of the three-body problem at the age of sixteen [1]. He studied at the University of Strasbourg and later received his doctorate from the [University of Munich](/entries/uni…
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Latitude
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Celestial Latitude
Celestial latitude ($\beta$) is the angular distance of a celestial object north or south of the ecliptic plane (the apparent path of the Sun/) across the sky). This measurement is crucial in observational astronomy, as deviations indicate proper motion relative to the solar system's plane. Early definitions often confused celestial latitude with [ecliptic longit… -
Semi Major Axis
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Observational Determination
In observational astronomy, the semi-major axis/) is typically inferred by measuring the orbital period ($T$) and the mass of the central object ($\mu$). If the orbit is highly inclined, direct spatial measurements can be challenging, making the temporal relationship paramount.
$$\text{If } T \text{ is known, then } a = \left( \frac{\mu T^2}{4\pi^2} \right)^{1/3}$$