Taller

Willinton Caicedo Tez*

Técnicas obervacionales, Obervatorio Astronómico Nacional, Universidad Nacional de colombia

01 de septiembre de 2018

1. A qué hora (aproximadamente) sale la estrella que

hace un mes salió a las 10 de la noche ?

Solución:

Como la diferencia tiempo sidéreo y entre tiempo so-

lar es de cuatro minutos aproximadamente, la estrella
que sale a las 22 hs se adelantará 30 × 40 = 1200 = 2
horas, es decir, a las 20 hs aproximadamente. La figu-
ra (1) muestra un ejemplo para la estrella achernar,
se tomó como referencia el 01 de septiembre y 01 de
octubre de 2018 como ejemplo para la ciudad de Bo-
gotá.

Figura 2: Coordenadas horizontales

cuando se observa la esfera celeste desde un punto

sobre la tierra, y un astro emerge del horizonte, este
recorre una menor cantidad de lineas de azimut, en
cambio cuando está cerca del cenit cruza muchas, eso
quiere decir que que la velocidad del azimut es mayor
cerca al cenit

Solución:

3. La declinación de un astro es de +30◦ y la ascen-

sión recta es igual a 7 horas. En qué constelación se
encuentra

Figura 1: Estrella de referencia para el ejercicio. Se tomó

la ciudad de Bogotá como punto de referencia.
Solución:
2. ¿En qué parte de la bóveda celeste, los acimuts de los
astros varı́an más rápido y en qué parte más despacio?
Utilizando el programa stellarium se encuentra que el
*
wjcaicedot@unal.edu.co astro se encuentra en la constelación de Geminis

1
  ◦
0 57
57 = = 0.95◦
60
 ◦
0 1
1 = = 0.000277◦
3600
17◦ + 0.95◦ + 0.000277
◦
= 17.950277◦

1h
17.950277◦ × = 1.19668h
15◦
60h
0.19668h × = 11.8008m
Figura 3: Astro con declinación +30◦ y ascensión recta 7 1h
horas 60s
0.8008m × = 48.04s
1m
17◦ 570 100 = 1h 11m 48.04s
4. Expresar en horas (h), minutos (m) y segundos (s),
las ascensiones rectas iguales a 284◦ 150 1700 , 17◦ 570 c) 191◦ 130 5900
100 y 191◦ 130 5900 .

13 ◦

0
13 = = 0.22◦
Solución: 60
59 ◦
 
0
59 = = 0.0164◦
3600
191◦ + 0.22◦ + 0.0164

◦
= 191.2364◦

1h
191.2364◦ × = 12.749h
15◦
60h
0.749h × = 44.94m
1h
60s
0.94m × = 56.4s
1m
191◦ 130 5900 = 12h 44m 56.4s
Figura 4: método para cambio de grados a horas
5. Expresar en grados (◦ ), minutos de arco (0 ) y segundos
de arco (00 ) las ascensiones rectas iguales a 3h 17m 9s,
Aplicando el método como se muestra en la figura (3) 19h 2m 39s y 21h 0m 3s.
se tiene:
a) 284◦ 150 1700
Solución:
 ◦
15 a) 3h 17m 9s
150 = = 0.25◦
60
17 ◦
 
1h
 
0
17 = = 0.0047222◦ 17m × = 0.283h
3600 60m
284◦ + 0.25◦ + 0.0047222 ◦ ◦
 
1h
 =284.2547222 9× = 0.0025h
1h 3600s
284.2547222◦ × = 18.95031h
15◦ 3h + 0.283h + 0.0025h
 = 3.286h
60h 15◦
0.95031h × = 57.0186m 3.286h × = 49.283◦
1h 1h
60s 600
0.0186m × = 1.1s 0.283◦ × ◦ = 16.980
1m 1
284◦ 150 1700 = 18h 57m 1.1s 60 00
0.980 × ◦ = 58.800
1
b) 17◦ 570 100 3h 17m 9s = 49◦ 160 58.800

2
 b) 19h 2m 39s b) 4◦ 380 400

 
1h
38 ◦
 
2m × = 0.03h 0
60m 38 = = 0.63◦
  60
1h  ◦
39 × = 0.011h 0 4
3600s 4 = = 0.0011◦
3600
19h + 0.03h +0.011h = 19.041h
◦ 23◦ + 0.63◦ + 0.0011◦ = 4.63◦
15
19.041h × = 285.615◦
1h
600
0.615◦ × ◦ = 36.90
1 90◦ − 23.44◦ + 4.63◦ = 71.19◦ (2)
6000
0.90 × ◦ = 5400
1 7. La estrella Polaris, realmente dista del polo norte ce-
19h 2m 39s = 285◦ 360 5400 leste un ángulo de 58 minutos de arco. Cuál es la
declinación de Polaris
c) 21h 0m 3s


1h

Solución:
0m × = 0h
60m
 
1h
3× = 0.00083h
3600s 58 ◦
 
0
21h + 0h + 0.00083h 58 = = 0.97◦
 ◦  = 21.00083h 60
15 90◦ − 0.97 = 89.03
21.00083h × = 315.0125◦
1h
600 8. Si un astro tiene el ángulo horario h=18 horas. En
0.0125◦ × ◦ = 0.750
1 qué parte de la esfera celeste se ve ?
6000
0.750 × ◦ = 4500
1
21h 0m 3s = 315◦ 00 4500

6. Qué ángulo forma la eclı́ptica con el horizonte en el

momento en que se oculta el punto Vernal (γ) para
un observador dentro del campus UN ?

Solución:
Tenemos que la latitud del campo UN es igual a 4◦
380 400 , la oblicuidad de la elı́ptica (fecha) es igual 23◦
260 1300

90◦ − 23◦ 260 1300 + 4◦ 380 400 (1)

a) 23◦ 260 1300 Figura 5: Esfera celeste

26 ◦ La estrella estarı́a sobre el horizonte, situándose al



0
26 = = 0.43◦ este.
60
13 ◦
 
0
13 = = 0.0036◦ 9. La estrella Aldebarán de la constelación de Tauro,
3600 tiene las coordenadas ascensión recta α = 04h 35m
23◦ + 0.43◦ + 0.0036◦ = 23.44◦ 55.23s y declinación δ =16◦ 300 33.4900 . Encontrar las

3
 coordenadas acimut y altura para un observador en valor muy cercano.
Bogotá, la noche del 1 de septiembre de 2018 a las
6:30 pm. Se puede ver esta estrella a esa hora ? Ayu-
da. http://www.convertalot.com/celestial ho- Por último se calcula el Azimut mediante la expre-
rizon co-ordinates calculator.html. sión:

Solución:  
sin(t)
Azi = tan−1 = 41.17◦
sin(lat)cos(t) − cos(t)tan(δ)
Las fórmulas que nos permiten cambiar entre los sis-
temas de coordenadas ecuatorial y horizontal son:

Figura 7: Cálculo de la hora sideral a partir de la hora

civil
Figura 6: fórmulas que permiten cambiar entre los siste-
mas de coordenadas ecuatorial y horizontal

Aplicando el cambio de coordenadas para encontrar el

azimut y altura, empleando la declinación y ascensión
recta, además utilizando el TSL para las 18:30 pm

T SL = 17h18m02s = 17.3h = 259.5◦

α = 04h35m55.23s = 4.59h = 68.85◦
θ = 259.5◦ − 68.85◦ = 190.7◦
latitud = 4◦ 350 5600 = 4.6◦
δ = 16◦ 300 33.4900 = 16.5◦

La altura se calcula por medio de la siguiente expre- Figura 8: ascensión recta α = 04h 35m 55.23s y declina-
sión: ción δ =16◦ 300 33.4900 para la estrella aldebarán

La estrella no se alcanza a observar a los 18:30h en la

−1 ciudad de Bogotá. Ver figura (8)
Alt = sin (Sen(δ).Sen(lat)
+Cos(δ).Cos(lat).Cos(t)) = −66.39◦
10. Cuál es el ángulo horario de la estrella Deneb a las
Comparando con el valor el valor de stellarium, tal 23h 17min de tiempo sidéreo, si su ascensión recta es
como se muestra en la figura (8), se observa que un 20h 38 min

4
 Solución: 12. Cuál será la posición de una estrella que tiene una
ascensión recta de 7h y una declinación de 40◦ , el 21
de Marzo una hora después de la puesta del Sol para
LHAobjecto = LST − αobjecto (3) un observador que se encuentra dentro del campus de
la UN ?
(Si el resultado es negativo, sumamos 360 grados. Si
el resultado es mayor que 360, restamos 360 grados).
Solución:

23h17m = 23.28h
20h38m = 20.63h
23.28h − 20.63h = 2.65h
15◦
2.65h × = 40.2◦
1h
600
0.2 × ◦ = 120
1 Figura 10: puesta de Sol para el 21 de marzo de 2018
LHA = 40◦ 120

11. Haga un dibujo de la esfera celeste para un observador

que reside en Bogotá y en el instante en que el punto
Vernal (γ) está sobre el horizonte oriental.

Solución:

Figura 11: Cálculo de la hora sideral a partir de la hora

civil

T SL = 7h10m26s = 7.18h = 107.7◦

α = 04h0m0s = 4h = 60◦
θ = 107.7◦ − 60◦ = 40.7◦
latitud = 4◦ 380 400 = 4.63◦
δ = 40◦

La altura se calcula por medio de la siguiente expre-

sión:

Alt = sin−1 (Sen(δ).Sen(lat)

+Cos(δ).Cos(lat).Cos(t)) = 39.1◦
Figura 9: Esfera celeste para un observador que reside en
Bogotá y en el instante en que el punto Vernal (γ) está
Por último se calcula el Azimut mediante la expre-
sobre el horizonte oriental.
sión:

5
  
−1 sin(t)
Azi = tan = 48.59◦
sin(lat)cos(t) − cos(t)tan(δ)

13. Qué astros observados desde Bogotá tienen un acimut

que nunca es igual a cero ?

Solución:

Toda estrella cuya declinación sea menor que la lati-

tud local, nunca tendrá su acimut igual a 0, eso quiere
decir que todas las estrellas para Bogotá que tengan
declinación menor (estricto), que -4 grados 38 minu-
tos tendrán su azimut siempre mayor que cero.

14. Cuáles son las coordenadas horizontales del polo nor-

te celeste en el lugar cuya latitud geográfica es de 23◦
230 ?

Solución:

Las coordenadas horizontales del Polo Norte Celeste

(PNC) serı́an 0° de Azimut, y 23,383° de Altura. El
polo norte celeste siempre tiene azimut igual a 0 y la
altura es igual a la latitud local

15. Resolver y anexar la guı́a Basic Coordina-

tes & Seasons la cual puede descargar en
http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/naap mo-
tion1 sg.pdf.

6
 Basic Coordinates & Seasons – Student Guide

There are three main sections to this module: terrestrial coordinates, celestial equatorial
coordinates, and understanding how the ecliptic is related to seasons on the Earth. Each
of these sections has its own simulator(s). The background material necessary to utilize
these tools is contained in each section.

Terrestrial Coordinates
Work through the explanatory material on units of longitude and latitude, finding
longitude and latitude, and a bit of history (optional).
 Open the flat map explorer.
 Familiarize yourself with the cursor and how it prints out the longitude and
latitude of the active map location.
 Note that you can vary the central meridian of the map (i.e. change its longitude).
Use the “shift map” arrows at the top of the simulator to affect large rapid
changes. Use the shift-click feature of the cursor for finer control.
 Note what information is accessible through the show cities and show map
features check boxes.
 Center the cursor on your present location. Click the open Google Maps button to
launch the Google Map tool focused on this location. Experiment until you get a
good feeling for the Google Map’s capabilities and then close this window. (Note
that you must be connected to the Internet to make use of this feature.)
Question 1: Use the flat map explorer to complete the following table. You are
encouraged to try and predict the answers and then use the map’s cursor and other
features to check the accuracy of your estimates.

Question 2: Determine which of the 50 states defines the farthest extent of the United
States in each of the 4 map directions.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 1/9

Question 3: The exact coordinates of the white house in Washington D.C., are 77.0365º
W and 38.897º N. What are these exact coordinates in sexagesimal notation? Show your
calculation in the box below. (You can use the Google Map tool to check your answer.)

 Open the globe explorer. You are encouraged to use the Terrestrial Coordinate
Explorers link which opens both simulators at the same time for the following two
questions. Familiarize yourself with the features noting that they are very similar
to those in the flat map explorer.

Question 4: A) Where is the north pole on the flat map explorer? What is its shape?

B) Where is the north pole on the globe explorer? What is its shape?

C) Your answers to parts A and B should be different. Explain why.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 2/9

Question 5: Compare the relative sizes of Greenland and Australia in the two maps? The
true values of the surface areas for these countries are Greenland (2.2 million km 2) and
Australia (7.7 million km2). Does each map demonstrate these true values?

Celestial Equatorial Coordinates

Work through the introductory material on the page entitled Celestial Equator,
Declination, Right Ascension.
 Open either the Flat Sky Map Explorer or the Sky Map Explorer.
 Familiarize yourself with the same set of features (cursor movement, shifting the
map, decimal/sexagesimal) that were available on the previous maps.
 Make sure that you understand what each check box does.
Question 6: Where is the star Polaris located on this map? What are its coordinates?

Question 7: Find the constellation of Orion shown in the box below and measure the
right ascension and declination of its brightest stars Betelgeuse and Rigel. Note that
Orion is located on the celestial equator.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 3/9

Question 8: Which direction is east on the flat sky map? Relate this to a coordinate of the
celestial equatorial system.

Question 9: Complete the following table of positions on the ecliptic.

Question 10: Write out a description of the ecliptic on the flat sky map. What does the
shape look like? Describe the ecliptic in terms of its average and range of declination
values.

Seasons and the Ecliptic

Work through the introductory material on the page entitled Orbits and Light.
 Open the Seasons and Ecliptic Simulator.
 Note that there are three main panels (left, upper right, and lower right) each of
which have two different views. Controls run along the bottom of the simulation
that affect more than one panel. Click animate and then move through the six
views to get an overview this simulator’s capabilities. We will address each of
these six views separately.
 Experiment with the various methods to advance time in the simulator. You may
click the start animate/stop animation button, drag the yearly time slider, or drag
either the sun or the earth in the left panel to advance time.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 4/9

 Note that this animation does not illustrate the rotation of the earth. Because the
timescales of rotation and revolution are so different, it isn’t possible to
effectively show both simultaneously.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 5/9

Left Panel – Orbit View

 Practice clicking and dragging in this panel to change the Tip: Note that if you
click and drag the
perspective. Change the perspective so that you are Earth, you will
looking directly down onto the plane of the Earth’s orbit change the date and
location rather than
 Click labels. Note that you can see how the direct rays of the perspective.
the sun hit at different latitudes throughout the year.
 Experiment with this view until you can quickly create the two views shown
below. Note that these images explain the shape of the elliptic on the celestial
sphere. In the image on the left (summer solstice) an observer on the Earth sees
the sun above the celestial equator. In the image on the right (winter solstice) an
observer on the Earth sees the sun below the celestial equator.

Left Panel – Celestial Sphere

 This view shows the earth at the center of the celestial

sphere. The celestial equator and the ecliptic with the sun’s
location are shown. Note that you may click on the sun and
drag it and read out its coordinates.
 Experiment with this view until you can quickly create the
image to the right – the direct rays of the sun hitting the earth
on the summer solstice.

Upper Right Panel – View from Sun

 This view shows the earth as seen from the sun. It gives the
best view of the subsolar point – the location on the earth
where the direct rays of the sun are hitting. The noon
observer’s location on the Earth is indicated by a red parallel
of latitude which can be dragged to new latitudes (this affects
the appearance of the lower right panel). It is possible for the
red parallel to be at an inaccessible location in this view.
 Create the image shown to the right – an observer at latitude
80°N on the summer solstice.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 6/9

Upper Right Panel – View from Side

 This view shows the earth as seen from a location in Tip: Once the stick figure
is selected you can gain
the plane of the ecliptic along a line tangent to the
greater precision over its
Earth’s orbit. It allows one to easily see the regions of motion by moving the
the Earth that are in daylight and those that are in mouse a distance away
shadow. from the figure.

 Dragging the stick figure allows one to very

conveniently change latitude. Dragging the stick
figure on top of the subsolar point effectively puts the
observer at the latitude where the direct rays of the
sun are hitting.
 Although rotation is suppressed in this simulation,
keep in mind that the stick figure is on a planet that is
rotating with a period of 24 hours about an axis
connecting the north and south poles. Thus, 12 hours
later it will be on the other side of the earth.
 Set up the simulator for the image at right – the winter solstice for an observer at
80 N. Since this observer’s parallel of latitude is located entirely in the shaded
region, this observer will not see the sun on this day.

Lower Right Panel – Sunbeam Spread

 This view shows a “cylinder” of light coming from the sun. It is projected on a
grid to convey the area over which the light is spread. As this light is spread over
a larger area, its intensity decreases.

Lower Right Panel – Sunlight Angle

 This view shows the angle with

which rays of sunlight are
striking the Earth. It lists the
noon sun’s angle with respect to
the horizon (its altitude).
 Verify that when the noon
observer is at the latitude where
the most direct rays of the sun
are hitting, the sun is directly
overhead making an angle of
90 with the ground.
 Verify that when the noon
observer is at the latitude where
the least direct rays of the sun are hitting, the sun is on the horizon.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 7/9

Question 11: The table below contains entries for the coordinates for the sun on the
ecliptic as well as the latitude at which the most direct and least direct rays of the sun are
hitting. Use the simulation to complete the table.

Question 12: Using the data in the table above, formulate general rules relating the
declination of the sun to the latitude where the most direct and least direct rays of the sun
are hitting.

Question 13: The region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is
commonly known as the tropics. Using the sunlight data table from question 11, define
the significance of this region.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 8/9

Question 14: Using the sunlight data table from question 11, define the significance of the
region north of the Arctic Circle commonly referred to simply as the Arctic.

Question 15: Use the simulator to complete the table below. For each latitude write a
short paragraph which describes the variations in sunlight (seasons) that are experienced
at this latitude throughout the year.

NAAP – Basic Coordinates & Motions 9/9