Astronomy Planetarium / Observatory Notes

1926 Alvan Clark Telescope

name of telescope in Observatory

refractor / lens-based

1926 Alvan Clark’s type

12 3/8”

diameter of 1926 Alvan Clark’s objective

16’

length of 1926 Alvan Clark

38k lbs

weight of 1926 Alvan Clark’s tripod

built for Rutherford Observatory at Columbia University in NYC

1926 Alvan Clark’s origin

Bob Ariail inspected and designated it for education

how SCSM got 1926 Alvan Clark Telescope

telescope and pier

parts original to 1926 Alvan Clark

sunspot

magnetic storm on the Sun

Earth

usual size comparison for sunspots

cooler

why sunspots are darker than the surrounding surface

solar flare

occurs near sunspots

solar flare

sudden, intense explosion on the Sun

solar flare

releases charged particles

charged particle

disrupts radio and electrical transmissions

charged particle

causes aurora

sunspot

magnetic storm underneath surface of Sun

prominence

large, arch-like gas eruption caused by magnetic disturbance on Sun

prominence

can extend 100k mi from Sun’s surface

filament

prominence seen from above

109

# of Earths that would extend the diameter of the Sun

1mil

# of Earths that Would fit inside the Sun

photosphere

Sun’s surface

10kº F

photosphere’s temperature

30milº F

Sun’s core’s temperature

7.5kº F

sunspot temperature

corona

Sun’s outer atmosphere

1.8milº F

corona’s temperature

93mil mi

Sun’s distance from Earth

8.5mins

how much time it takes for light from the Sun to reach Earth

core

innermost layer of the Sun

radiative zone

2nd layer of the Sun

convective zone

3rd layer of the Sun

chromosphere

layer of atmosphere above photosphere

200k mi

Sun’s core’s diameter

27milº F

Sun’s core’s temperature

200k mi

radiative zone’s thickness

14milº F

radiative zone’s temperature

120k mi

convective zone’s thickness

900kº F

convective zone’s temperature

310mi

photosphere’s thickness

6200mi

chromosphere’s thickness

7k–700kº F

chromosphere’s temperature range

3mil mi

corona’s thickness

2milº F

corona’s temperature

Arcturus

3rd brightest star in night sky

Canopus

2nd brightest star in night sky

Sirius

brightest star in night sky

Alpha Centauri

4th brightest star in night sky

Alpha Centauri star system

closest star besides the Sun

3

# of stars in Alpha Centauri star system

4ly

distance from Alpha Centauri star system

Vega

5th brightest star in night sky

Capella

6th brightest star in night sky

Rigel

7th brightest star in night sky

Procyon

8th brightest star in night sky

Betelgeuse

9th brightest star in night sky

Altair

10th brightest star in night sky

SgrA*

name of pictured black hole in Milky Way

Altair + Deneb + Vega

Summer Triangle asterism’s stars

maria

Latin word for “seas” or “oceans” on the Moon

maria

ancient lava flows on the Moon that cooled