Astronomy
1st Edition
ISBN: 9781938168284
Author: Andrew Fraknoi; David Morrison; Sidney C. Wolff
Publisher: OpenStax
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Textbook Question
Chapter 26, Problem 13E
What is the most useful standard bulb method for determining distances to galaxies?
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Students have asked these similar questions
An observational survey of distant galaxies is undertaken that involves measuring their
distances using cepheid variables and red-shifts using spectroscopy. Explain how cepheid
variables can be used to measure the distances to galaxies.
A spectral line is observed whose wavelength in the laboratory is de
length of this spectral line observed in each galaxy, Xo, is listed in the table, along with
the distance, d, to the galaxy. Determine the red-shift and the recession velocity of each
galaxy and tabulate your results by making a copy of the table and filling in the blank spaces.
Sketch a Hubble diagram using your results and determine the value of the Hubble constant
Ho in units of km s-1 Mpc.
650 nm. The wave-
Galaxy 1
652.69
Galaxy 2 Galaxy 3 Galaxy 4 Galaxy 5
653.01
do (nm)
d (Mpc)
658.54
662.18
681.63
17
19
54
77
200
v (km s-1)
How astronomers determine the distance of a galaxy? Explain.
Approximate values of length (in meters)
107
Diameter of Earth
1011
Distance from Earth to Sun
1016
Distance traveled by light in one year
1021
Diameter of the Milky Way Galaxy
1022
Distance from Earth to the nearest galaxy
1025 Distance from Earth to the edge of the known universe
Chapter 26 Solutions
Astronomy
Ch. 26 - Describe the main distinguishing features of...Ch. 26 - Why did it take so long for the existence of other...Ch. 26 - Explain what the mass-to-light ratio is and why it...Ch. 26 - If we now realize dwarf ellipticals are the most...Ch. 26 - What are the two best ways to measure the distance...Ch. 26 - What are the two best ways to measure the distance...Ch. 26 - Why is Hubble’s law considered one of the most...Ch. 26 - What does it mean to say that the universe is...Ch. 26 - Was Hubble’s original estimate of the distance to...Ch. 26 - Does an elliptical galaxy rotate like a spiral...
Ch. 26 - Why does the disk of a spiral galaxy appear dark...Ch. 26 - What causes the largest mass-to-light ratio: gas...Ch. 26 - What is the most useful standard bulb method for...Ch. 26 - When comparing two isolated spiral galaxies that...Ch. 26 - If all distant galaxies are expanding away from...Ch. 26 - Is the Hubble constant actually constant?Ch. 26 - Where might the gas and dust (if any) in an...Ch. 26 - Why can we not determine distances to galaxies by...Ch. 26 - Which is redder-a spiral galaxy or an elliptical...Ch. 26 - Suppose the stars in an elliptical galaxy all...Ch. 26 - Starting with the determination of the size of...Ch. 26 - Suppose the Milky Way Galaxy were truly isolated...Ch. 26 - Suppose you were Hubble and Humason, working on...Ch. 26 - What does it mean if one elliptical galaxy has...Ch. 26 - Based on your analysis of galaxies in Table 26.1,...Ch. 26 - Can a higher mass-to-light ratio mean that there...Ch. 26 - According to Hubble’s law, what is the recessional...Ch. 26 - A cluster of galaxies is observed to have a...Ch. 26 - Suppose we could measure the distance to a galaxy...Ch. 26 - Calculate the mass-to-light ratio for a globular...Ch. 26 - Calculate the mass-to-light ratio for a luminous...
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- How many galaxies like our own would it take if they were placed edge-to-edge to reach the nearest galaxy? (Hint: See Problems 11 and 12.)arrow_forwardWhy can we not determine distances to galaxies by the same method used to measure the parallaxes of stars?arrow_forwardBased on your analysis of galaxies in Table 26.1, is there a correlation between the population of stars and the quantity of gas or dust? Explain why this might be.arrow_forward
- Given that only about 5% of the galaxies visible in the Hubble Deep Field are bright enough for astronomers to study spectroscopically, they need to make the most of the other 95%. One technique is to use their colors and apparent brightnesses to try to roughly estimate their redshift. How do you think the inaccuracy of this redshift estimation technique (compared to actually measuring the redshift from a spectrum) might affect our ability to make maps of large-scale structures such as the filaments and voids shown in Figure 28.21? Figure 28.21 Sloan Digital Sky Survey Map of the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe. This image shows slices from the SDSS map. The point at the center corresponds to the Milky Way and might say “You Are Here!” Points on the map moving outward from the center are farther away. The distance to the galaxies is indicated by their redshifts (following Hubble’s law), shown on the horizontal line going right from the center. The redshift z=/ , where is the difference between the observed wavelength and the wavelength emitted by a nonmoving source in the laboratory. Hour angle on the sky is shown around the circumference of the circular graph. The colors of the galaxies indicate the ages of their stars, with the redder color showing galaxies that are made of older stars. The outer circle is at a distance of two billion light-years from us. Note that red (older stars) galaxies are more strongly clustered than blue galaxies (young stars). The unmapped areas are where our view of the universe is obstructed by dust in our own Galaxy. (credit: modification of work by M. Blanton and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey)arrow_forwardThe first clue that the Galaxy contains a lot of dark matter was the observation that the orbital velocities of stars did not decreases with increasing distance from the center of the Galaxy. Construct a rotation curve for the solar system by using the orbital velocities of the planets, which can be found in Appendix F. How does this curve differ from the rotation curve for the Galaxy? What does it tell you about where most of the mass in the solar system is concentrated?arrow_forwardWhen comparing two isolated spiral galaxies that have the same apparent brightness, but rotate at different rates, what can you say about their relative luminosity?arrow_forward
- Assume that the Sun orbits the center of the Galaxy at a speed of 220 km/s and a distance of 26,000 lightyears from the center. A. Calculate the circumference of the Sun’s orbit, assuming it to be approximately circular. (Remember that the circumference of a circle is given by 2pR, where R is the radius of the circle. Be sure to use consistent units. The conversion from light-years to km/s can be found in an online calculator or appendix, or you can calculate it for yourself: the speed of light is 300,000 km/s, and you can determine the number of seconds in a year.) B. Calculate the Sun’s period, the “galactic year.” Again, be careful with the units. Does it agree with the number we gave above?arrow_forwardDescribe the main distinguishing features of spiral, elliptical, and irregular galaxies.arrow_forwardWhat are the two best ways to measure the distance to a nearby spiral galaxy, and how would it be measured?arrow_forward
- Most distances in the Galaxy are measured in light-years instead of meters. Why do you think this is the case?arrow_forwardAstronomers recently claimed to have discovered the most distant galaxy known. How would they have determine this distance?arrow_forwardIndicate whether the following statements are true or false. (Select T-True, F-False. If the first is T and the rest F, enterTFFFFF). A) The three main classifications of galaxies are elliptical, spiral and prime.B) The mass of a spiral galaxy can be found from its rotational velocity. The greater the rotation, the greater the mass.C) Galaxies sometimes collide with each other.D) It wasn't until the 1920s that we knew the Milky Way was only one of many galaxies.E) Most galaxies are elliptical.F) The shorter the pulsation period of a Cepheid variable star, the more luminous it is.arrow_forward
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