MSE2150
AstronomyLaboratory–Planets
LabManual
DepartmentofAstrophysicsPlanetaryScience
VillanovaUniversity
Fall2019
AstronomyLaboratory–Planets
MSE2150
Fall2019LabSchedule
Week1:Introductorymeeting
LabAassignedastake-homelab
Week2:LabB–MeasurementsExperimentalUncertainty
Week3:LabC–LunarEclipsestheSarosCycle
Week4:LabD–TheNextNorthAmericanTotalSolarEclipse
Week5:LabE–PlanetaryMotion
Week6:LabF–Kepler’sDeterminationoftheOrbitofMars
Week7:LabG–Gravity,Orbits,Kepler’sLaws
Week8:LabH–MeasuringtheMassofJupiter
Week9:LabI–Roemer’sMeasurementoftheSpeedofLight
Week10:LabJ–Comets
Week11:LabK–DetectingExtrasolarPlanets
Week12:LabL–ExploringHabitableZones
Week13:MAKEUPLAB
Observingsessionsforthe“ObservatoryLab”willbescheduledthroughoutthe
semester.
AstronomyLaboratory-Planets
MendelScienceExperience2150
Fall2019
ObservatoryLab
TheVillanovaPublicObservatory
PURPOSE:
Thescienceofastronomybeganwiththefirsthumanswholookedupintothenighttimeskyand
wondered“What’sgoingonupthere?”Thissemester,youwillexploresomeoftheanswersto
thisquestioninyourlecturecourseandinthislabcourse.Mostofthisexplorationwillhappen
intheclassroomorinthelabroom.Thislabwillgiveyoutheopportunitytogooutsideand
actuallylookatthenighttimesky,usingboththeunaidedeyeandapowerfulmodernastronomical
telescope.
EQUIPMENT:
TheVillanovaPublicObservatory,accessibleviatheDepartmentofAstrophysicsPlanetary