When astronomers look at an object's spectrum, they can determine its composition based on these wavelengths. The most common method astronomers use to determine the composition of stars, planets, and other objects is spectroscopy. … This spread-out light is called a spectrum.19-Jun-2019
How do we know what is in the stars?
Thus, astronomers can identify what kinds of stuff are in stars from the lines they find in the star's spectrum. This type of study is called spectroscopy. … From spectral lines astronomers can determine not only the element, but the temperature and density of that element in the star.
How do we know where we are in the Milky Way?
"There is no short answer to this question, because astronomers have followed many lines of evidence to determine the location of the solar system in the Milky Way. … That observation indicates that our Milky Way Galaxy is a flattened disk of stars, with us located somewhere near the plane of the disk.
How do we know the distances to stars?
Astronomers use an effect called parallax to measure distances to nearby stars. Parallax is the apparent displacement of an object because of a change in the observer's point of view….Answer
- 1/0.723 = 1.38 parsecs.
- 1/2.64 = 0.34 arcseconds.
- Star A is closest to Earth. It is 1 parsec closer than Star B.
How do you read stars?
Stars are represented as black dots on a white background, which makes it easier to read when observing at night. The size of the dot reflects the brightness of the star, the bigger the dot, the brighter the star. In addition to dots, there are gray circles that refer to star clusters and ovals to galaxies.
Who created universe?
Many religious persons, including many scientists, hold that God created the universe and the various processes driving physical and biological evolution and that these processes then resulted in the creation of galaxies, our solar system, and life on Earth.
Are there any real pictures of our galaxy?
We can only take pictures of the Milky Way from inside the galaxy, which means we don't have an image of the Milky Way as a whole.
What is the closest star to Earth?
The closest star to Earth is a triple-star system called Alpha Centauri. The two main stars are Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, which form a binary pair. They are about 4.35 light-years from Earth, according to NASA.
How do we know how many light years away a star is?
Knowing the parallax angle the star moved and the size of Earth's orbit, you can calculate the distance to the star. … In that year, Friedrich Bessel measured the parallax of 61 Cygni as 0.314 arc second, or 11.4 light-years. Fun fact: A star with a parallax of 1 arc second would be 3.26 light-years away.