LAB 02 - THE SMALL ANGLE FORMULA
- Due Jul 14, 2024 at 11:59pm
- Points 100
- Questions 5
- Available until Aug 15, 2024 at 11:59pm
- Time Limit None
- Allowed Attempts Unlimited
Instructions
THE SMALL ANGLE FORMULA
One of the geometrical tools that has been handed down to us by the Greeks is the small angle formula. Basically, it is a formula whereby if you know how far away something is, and you can measure its angular size (in arcseconds), you can determine how big the object is. This was an extremely important tool in astronomy what was used to find out how big the planets really were, but it wasn't useful until the 18th century when we finally had some idea of how far apart the planets were in the first place.
Below you will find a helpful handout and a short instructional video.
In this handout, you'll see the three different ways the small angle formula can be solved. You'll also see several example problems solved for your. I recommend having this handout handy and use it a guide when you answer the questions on this lab.
THE SMALL ANGLE FORMULA HANDOUT.pdf
The following video demonstrates the number of ways that the small angle formula is used. Watch the video, then work the problems below.