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  • A General Materials and Mathematics
    • A1 Basic Materials and Measurement
    • A2 Mathematics
  • B Statics
    • B1 Center of Mass Statics
    • B2 Equilibrium of Forces and Torques
    • B3 Simple Machines
    • B4 Elasticity
  • C Kinematics and Dynamics
    • C1 Center of Mass Motion
    • C2 Kinematics in One and Two Dimensions
    • C3 First Law of Motion
    • C4 Second Law of Motion
    • C5 Third Law of Motion
    • C6 Friction
    • C7 Collisions
    • C8 Mechanical Energy and Power
  • D Rotational Mechanics
    • D1 Rotational Kinematics and Dynamics
    • D2 Moment of Inertia
    • D3 Angular Momentum
    • D4 Gyroscopes
    • D5 Rotational Esoterica
  • E Gravitation and Astronomy
    • E1 Gravitation and Orbits
    • E2 Astronomy
  • F Fluid Mechanics
    • F1 Pressure in Static Fluids
    • F2 Buoyancy
    • F3 Surface Tension
    • F4 Fluid in Motion
    • F5 Forces in Moving Fluids
  • G Vibrations and Mechanical Waves
    • G1 Simple Harmonic Motion
    • G2 Resonance and Coupled Oscillations
    • G3 Mechanical Waves - One Dimensional
    • G4 Mechanical Waves - Two Dimensional
  • H Sound
    • H1 Nature of Sound
    • H2 Wave Properties of Sound
    • H3 Standing Sound Waves
    • H4 Music
    • H5 The Ear
    • H6 The Voice
  • I Thermodynamics
    • I1 Thermal Properties of Matter
    • I2 Transfer of Heat
    • I3 Gases
    • I4 Changes of State
    • I5 Laws of Thermodynamics
    • I6 Kinetic Theory and Statistical Mechanics
    • I7 Solid State and Low Temperature Physics
  • J Electostatics and Magnetostatics
    • J1 Electrostatic Charge and Force
    • J2 Electrostatic Devices and Applications
    • J3 Electric FIelds and Potential
    • J4 Capacitance and Polarization
    • J5 Magnetostatics
    • J6 Electromagnets
    • J7 Magnetic Materials
  • K Electromagnetic Principles
    • K1 Forces on Moving Charges
    • K2 Electromagnetic Induction
    • K3 Transformers
    • K4 Motors and Generators
    • K5 Electrical Properties of Matter
    • K6 Electric Circuits and Instruments
    • K7 RLC Circuits
    • K8 Electromagnetic Waves and Sources
  • L Geometrical Optics
    • L1 Light Sources and Light Rays
    • L2 Plane Mirrors
    • L3 Curved Mirrors
    • L4 Refraction
    • L5 Total Internal Reflection
    • L6 Lenses
    • L7 Optical Instruments
  • M Wave Optics
    • M1 Interference and Diffraction - Slits and Gratings
    • M2 Diffraction - Circular
    • M3 Interferometers
    • M4 Thin Film Interference
    • M5 Interference and Diffraction Esoterica
    • M6 Holograms
    • M7 Linear Polarization and Scattering
    • M8 Optical Activity and Birefringence
    • M9 Circular Polarization
  • N Spectra and Color
    • N1 Continuous Spectra
    • N2 Line Spectra
    • N3 Color
  • O Vision
    • O1 Image Production
    • O2 Visual Latency
    • O3 Color Vision
    • O4 Optical Illusions
  • P Modern Physics
    • P1 Relativity
    • P2 Quantum Mechanics
    • P3 Atoms and Molecules
    • P4 Nuclei and Particles
  • Q Biophysics
    • Q1 Musculoskeletal Systems
    • Q2 Organs
    • Q3 Genetics and Molecular Biology

E2 Astronomy

Here are a variety of demonstrations related to astronomy, the motions of astronomical bodies, and models of astrophysical phenomena

Articles
Image Title
E2-01: WORLD GLOBE
Illustrate the globe
E2-02: MEASUREMENT OF RADIUS OF EARTH
Demonstrate how the radius of the earth can be measured using trigonometry.
E2-03: CRATER FORMATION MODEL
Illustrate how a crater forms as a result of an impact or a blast from below.
E2-11: SOLAR PLASMA MODEL
Mass driver and ring heater show coronal holes and coronal heating.
E2-12: FUSION MODEL
Demonstrate how nuclei attract each other if they come close enough together.
E2-13: SUNSPOT MODEL
Show how sunspots are darker than their surroundings due to lower temperatures.
E2-21: PHASES OF THE MOON
Show the relationship between the phases of the moon and the relative earth-sun-moon positions.
E2-22 UMBRA AND PENUMBRA
Illustrates shadow umbra and penumbra
E2-23: UMBRA AND PENUMBRA - EXTENDED SOURCE
Show umbra and penumbra with an extended source, as in an eclipse.
E2-24: UMBRA AND PENUMBRA - COLOR FILTERS
Identify the source of penumbra regions.
E2-31: SOLAR SYSTEM MODEL
Illustrate the approximate angular disposition of the planets around the sun.
E2-32: EPICYCLE MODEL - PTOLEMAIC SYSTEM OF PLANETS
Illustrate the epicycle nature of Ptolemy's model of the solar system
E2-33: RETROGRADE MOTION
Demonstrate the observation of another planet as seen from the earth.
E2-34: BASIC ORRERY (PLANETARIUM)
Demonstrate the sun-earth-moon spatial relationship and related concepts..
E2-35: PLANETS - RELATIVE SIZES MODEL
Illustrate the relative sizes of the planets
E2-36: DENSITY STRATIFICATION - FORMATION OF PLANETS
Demonstrates how density stratification (differentiation) in interior of planets occurs.
E2-37: PLATONIC SOLIDS AND KEPLER
Visualize the Platonic solids and Kepler's dream for using them to explain planetary orbits.
E2-41: TRANSPARENT CELESTIAL GLOBE
Illustrate some relationships between the earth, the sun, and certain heavenly bodies
E2-42: TELESCOPE MODEL
Show how a telescope can view any point in the sky using a universal mount.
E2-43: ROTATING STAR FIELD
Show the apparent motion of the night sky.
E2-44: BINARY STAR MODEL
Illustrate the orbital motion of a binary star system.
E2-45: ECLIPSING BINARY STAR MODEL - LIGHTS
Show how we view a rotating binary star.
E2-46: ECLIPSING BINARY STAR MODEL - SPHERES
Illustrate the orbits of stars in an eclipsing binary.
E2-47: TWINKLING STAR
Show how air currents cause the "twinkling" of a star.
E2-48: NON-TWINKLING PLANET
Illustrate why a planet does not "twinkle" like a star.
E2-49: PULSAR MODEL - RADIOWAVES
Show the changing field pattern from a rotating dipole.
E2-50: PULSAR MODEL - FLASHLIGHTS
Illustrate beaming pattern of pulsars and pulsed binary X-ray sources.
E2-51: GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE - MODEL
Model gravitational collapse.
E2-53: STELLAR EVOLUTION - HYDROGEN BURNING
Provides models for hydrogen burning to produce helium in stars via the proton-proton chain.
E2-54: REFLECTING TELESCOPE - STRING MODEL
Shows how rays are focused by a standard reflecting telescope.
E2-61: GALAXY MODEL
Illustrate our galaxy.
E2-62: SPIRAL GALAXY - WATER MODEL
Show that "permanent" spiral structure can exist as a wave which moves independently from the fluid
E2-63: EXPANDING UNIVERSE
Demonstrate the concept of the expansion of the universe.
E2-71: MILLISECOND PULSAR
To "hear" the signal from a pulsar.
E2-72: AUDIOTAPE 14 MIN - NRAO PULSAR
To listen to a pulsar
E2-73: AUDIOTAPE 18 MIN - SOUNDS FROM SPACE
Tape of signals from several early artificial satellites.

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