Environmental SciencePhysics 141 Astronomy.ppt

Angles 1 degree = 60 minutes (60’) 1 minute = 60 seconds (60”) Size and Distance A one degree object is 60 times its diameter away (57, to be exact). 1? = a quarter 5 feet away A one minute object is 3400 times its diameter away . 1’ = a quarter a football field away A one second object is 200,000 times its diameter away 1” = a quarter 3 miles away 5. Measuring size in the sky Distances in Astronomy The Earth is 12,500 km in diameter The Moon is 400,000 km away The Sun is 150,000,000 km away Pluto is 6,000,000,000 km from the Sun Alpha Centauri is 43,000,000,000,000 km away The galaxy is