A Text-Book of AstronomyComstock, George C. (George Cary)
Science
A Text-Book of Astronomy
Comstock, George C. (George Cary)
Astronomy
What is the azimuth of Polaris in degrees?
What is the azimuth of the sun at sunrise? At sunset? At noon? Are these
azimuths the same on different days?
_The Hour Angle_ of a star is the angle between its hour circle and the
meridian. It is measured from the meridian in the direction in which the
stars appear to travel in their diurnal motion--i. e., from east toward
west.
What is the hour angle of the sun at noon? What is the hour angle of
Polaris when it is at the lowest point in its daily motion?
22. EXERCISES.--The student must not be satisfied with merely learning
these definitions. He must learn to see these points and lines in his
mind as if they were visibly painted upon the sky. To this end it will
help him to note that the poles, the zenith, the meridian, the horizon,
and the equator seem to stand still in the sky, always in the same place
with respect to the observer, while the hour circles and the vernal
equinox move with the stars and keep the same place among them. Does the
apparent motion of a star change its declination or right ascension?
What is the hour angle of the sun when it has the greatest altitude?
Will your answer to the preceding question be true for a star? What is
the altitude of the sun after sunset? In what direction is the north
pole from the zenith? From the vernal equinox? Where are the points in
which the meridian and equator respectively intersect the horizon?
CHAPTER III
FIXED AND WANDERING STARS
23. STAR MAPS.--Select from the map some conspicuous constellation that
will be conveniently placed for observation in the evening, and make on
a large scale a copy of all the stars of the constellation that are
shown upon the map. At night compare this copy with the sky, and mark in
upon your paper all the stars of the constellation which are not already
there. Both the original drawing and the additions made to it by night
should be carefully done, and for the latter purpose what is called the
method of allineations may be used with advantage--i. e., the new star
is in line with two already on the drawing and is midway between them,
or it makes an equilateral triangle with two others, or a square with
three others, etc.
A series of maps of the more prominent constellations, such as Ursa
Major, Cassiopea, Pegasus, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Canis Major, Leo,
Corvus, Bootes, Virgo, Hercules, Lyra, Aquila, Scorpius, should be
constructed in this manner upon a uniform scale and preserved as a part
of the student's work. Let the magnitude of the stars be represented on
the maps as accurately as may be, and note the peculiarity of color
which some stars present. For the most part their color is a very pale
yellow, but occasionally one may be found of a decidedly ruddy
hue--e. g., Aldebaran or Antares. Such a star map, not quite complete,
is shown in Fig. 13.
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