Relative Positions in the Solar System
Run Starry Night. Close the Sky Guide Panel on the right side. To do this, you can click on the box with the solid bar on the left in the upper right of the screen.
Using the three bar menu to the left of the search box in the upper right side of the screen, select Favorites then select Solar System next select Inner Planets and finally Inner Solar System. This will give you a view looking down on the inner solar system from above. You may need to turn on the orbits for each planet. You can do this by clicking on the “I” button next to each planet’s name on the screen. Select More and then make sure Local Path is checked.
Zoom in until Mars’ orbit nearly fills the screen (field of view approximately 40 x 20 degrees). Note the viewing location in the information box at the top of the screen. In this simulation, we will be observing the inner solar system from a distance of approximately 5.3 astronomical units from the sun. This is the location of “the Observer” that is referenced in the information box visible when we hover the cursor over any of the objects in the display.
Use the three bar menu in the upper right. Select Options, check the boxes to display the comets and their labels. Uncheck the box to display the asteroids. We do not want to see the asteroids because they will just clutter up the screen unnecessarily and may hide the things you will be looking for.
Set the date to September 1, 2017. Clear the orbits on the screen – You can do this by unchecking and then rechecking Local Path as described above.
Press the “Run Time Forward” button (single arrow).
Watch the inner planets as they move around the sun. Press the stop button when Earth and Mars are at their minimum distance for the first time. You should be able to determine pretty closely when the Earth and Mars are closest together just by watching the simulation. To confirm this, hold up a ruler to the monitor and measure the distance between them. Adjust the date one day at a time either forward or backward as necessary until you find the date where the distance is a minimum.
[Question]
- What is this position for Mars called (when Earth is directly between Mars and the sun)? What is the date? (9 points)
- Is Venus visible from Earth in this position? Why or why not? Consider Venus to be visible if there are no large objects (such as the sun) between Venus and Earth. (9 points)
- List the comets that are visible in the display inside (closer to the sun than) the orbit of Mars on the date you determined in Question 1. Include the apparent magnitude of each comet in your list. (9 points)
- Which, if any, of these comets have an apparent magnitude of 6.0 or brighter? (9 points)
- For each comet listed in your answer to #3, could it be visible from the Earth on this date based on the geometry? Use the same guidance given in Question #2. Explain why or why not. (9 points)
- Which of these comets is furthest from the Observer (not farthest from the Earth)? What is its distance (in AU)? This information is visible by hovering the cursor over each comet to see the information display. (9 points)
- Would Mercury be more easily visible from the Earth in the morning or in the evening, based on the information shown in this simulation? Explain in detail how you know. (9 points)
Run the simulation forward again and stop the next time the Earth and Mars are closest. Watch the motion of the other objects on the screen. You may run the simulation backwards and forwards as many times as you need to understand the motion.
- What is the date? (9 points)
- During this interval between the two closest positions of Earth and Mars, how many comets cross the line representing the orbit of Mars on the screen? What are their names, if any? Some comets may be near the orbit of Mars, but may not be visible in the display when they actually cross the orbit of Mars. If you cannot see the comet actually crossing the orbit of Mars in the display, do not list it. (9 points)
- Will any of them hit Mars? (9 points)
Set the date to November 18, 1969. The time will not matter.
please see the video. I attached the video
- Which comet appears to be closest to Mars when looking at the images on the computer screen? Will the comet hit Mars? Explain two reasons how you know from the information available within the Starry Night simulation. (10 points)