AST-104 Solution

1. Question: A star has a luminosity of L = 1.9 × 1026 W. Calculate the flux (F ) received at Earth,
assuming the distance is d = 2.5 × 1011 m.
Solution:
The flux F is the amount of energy received per unit area per unit time. It is calculated using the
inverse square law:
L
F =
4πd2
Here: - L is the luminosity of the star. - d is the distance from the star to Earth. - 4πd2 is the surface
area of a sphere with radius d.
Substituting the given values:
1.9 × 1026
F =
4π(2.5 × 1011 )2
First, calculate d2 :
d2 = (2.5 × 1011 )2 = 6.25 × 1022 m2
Now, calculate the denominator:
4πd2 = 4π × 6.25 × 1022 ≈ 7.85 × 1023 m2
Finally, calculate the flux:
1.9 × 1026 2
F = ≈ 2.42 × 102 W/m
7.85 × 1023
Answer: F ≈ 242 W/m2 .

2. Question: A star exhibits a parallax angle of p = 0.05 arcsec. What is its distance in parsecs and
light-years?
Solution:
The distance d in parsecs (pc) is calculated using the parallax formula:
1
d=
p
Here: - p is the parallax angle in arcseconds.
Substituting the given value:
1
d= = 20 pc
0.05
To convert parsecs to light-years (ly), use the conversion factor:
1 pc = 3.26 ly
Thus:
d = 20 × 3.26 = 65.2 ly
Answer: d = 20 pc or 65.2 ly.

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3. Question: A telescope with a diameter D = 2.4 m observes light at λ = 500 nm. What is its Rayleigh
resolution limit in arcseconds?
Solution:
The Rayleigh resolution limit θ is the minimum angular separation at which two point sources can be
distinguished. It is given by:
λ
θ = 1.22
D
Here: - λ is the wavelength of light. - D is the diameter of the telescope.
Substituting the given values:
500 × 10−9
θ = 1.22
2.4
Simplify the fraction:
θ = 1.22 × 2.08 × 10−7 radians
θ ≈ 2.54 × 10−7 radians
Convert radians to arcseconds (1 radian = 206265 arcseconds):

θ ≈ 2.54 × 10−7 × 206265 ≈ 0.052 arcsec

Answer: θ ≈ 0.052 arcsec.

4. Question: Using Hubble’s Law (v = H0 d), calculate the recession velocity of a galaxy at d = 150 Mpc,
assuming H0 = 70 km s−1 Mpc−1 .
Solution:
Hubble’s Law relates the recession velocity v of a galaxy to its distance d from Earth:

v = H0 d

Here: - H0 is the Hubble constant. - d is the distance to the galaxy.

Substituting the given values:
v = 70 × 150 = 10500 km/s
Answer: v = 10 500 km/s.

5. Question: A star’s surface temperature is T = 5800 K. Use Wien’s Law to find the peak wavelength
of its emission.
Solution:
Wien’s Law states that the peak wavelength λmax of blackbody radiation is inversely proportional to
its temperature:
b
λmax =
T
Here: - b = 2.898 × 10−3 m · K is Wien’s constant. - T is the temperature of the star.
Substituting the given values:
2.898 × 10−3
λmax =
5800
λmax ≈ 5.0 × 10−7 m = 500 nm
Answer: λmax = 500 nm.

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6. Question: A radio station broadcasts at f = 100 MHz. What is the wavelength (λ) of the signal?
Solution:
The wavelength λ of a signal is related to its frequency f by the speed of light c:
c
λ=
f

Here: - c = 3 × 108 m/s is the speed of light. - f is the frequency of the signal.
Substituting the given values:
3 × 108
λ= = 3m
100 × 106
Answer: λ = 3 m.

7. Question: The hydrogen-α line (λ0 = 656.3 nm) is observed at λ = 658.1 nm in a galaxy’s spectrum.
Calculate its recessional velocity.
Solution:
The redshift z is calculated as:
λ − λ0
z=
λ0
Here: - λ0 is the rest wavelength. - λ is the observed wavelength.
Substituting the given values:
658.1 − 656.3
z= ≈ 0.00274
656.3
The recessional velocity v is then:

v = z · c = 0.00274 × 3 × 105 km/s ≈ 8.22 × 102 km/s

Answer: v ≈ 822 km/s.

8. Question: Two stars are separated by s = 1 AU and located d = 100 pc away. Can a telescope with
D = 0.5 m and λ = 500 nm resolve them? Justify.
Solution:
The angular separation θ between the stars is:
s
θ=
d
Here: - s is the physical separation between the stars. - d is the distance to the stars.
First, convert s and d to consistent units. Since 1 AU = 4.848 × 10−6 pc:

4.848 × 10−6
θ= = 4.848 × 10−8 radians
100
Convert radians to arcseconds:

θ = 4.848 × 10−8 × 206265 ≈ 0.01 arcsec

The telescope’s resolution limit is given by the Rayleigh criterion:

λ
θmin = 1.22
D

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 Substituting the values:
500 × 10−9
θmin = 1.22 = 1.22 × 10−6 radians
0.5
Convert to arcseconds:
θmin = 1.22 × 10−6 × 206265 ≈ 0.25 arcsec
Since θ = 0.01 arcsec is much smaller than θmin = 0.25 arcsec, the telescope cannot resolve the two
stars.
Answer: No, the telescope cannot resolve the stars.

9. Question: Star A has radius 2R⊙ and temperature 2T⊙ . Star B has R⊙ and T⊙ . Compare their
luminosities (LA /LB ).
Solution:
The luminosity L of a star is given by the Stefan-Boltzmann law:

L = 4πR2 σT 4

Here: - R is the radius of the star. - T is the temperature of the star. - σ is the Stefan-Boltzmann
constant.
For Star A:
LA = 4π(2R⊙ )2 σ(2T⊙ )4 = 4π · 4R⊙
2
· σ · 16T⊙4 = 64 · 4πR⊙
2
σT⊙4
For Star B:
2
LB = 4πR⊙ σT⊙4
Thus, the ratio of luminosities is:
2
LA 64 · 4πR⊙ σT⊙4
= = 64
LB 4πR⊙ σT⊙4
2

Answer: LA /LB = 64.

10. Question: A comet’s orbit has a perihelion of 0.8 AU and an aphelion of 5.2 AU. Calculate its orbital
eccentricity.
Solution:
The eccentricity e of an orbit is given by:
ra − rp
e=
ra + rp

Here: - ra is the aphelion distance. - rp is the perihelion distance.

Substituting the given values:
5.2 − 0.8 4.4
e= = ≈ 0.733
5.2 + 0.8 6.0
Answer: e ≈ 0.733.

11. Question: The Andromeda Galaxy subtends 3◦ on the sky and is 2.5 × 106 ly away. Calculate its
diameter in light-years.
Solution:
The diameter D of the galaxy can be calculated using the small-angle formula:

D =d·θ

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 Here: - d is the distance to the galaxy. - θ is the angular size in radians.
First, convert 3◦ to radians:
π π
θ = 3◦ × = radians
180◦ 60
Now, calculate the diameter:
π
D = 2.5 × 106 × ≈ 1.31 × 105 ly
60
Answer: D ≈ 1.31 × 105 ly.

12. Question: Star X is at 10 pc, and Star Y is at 100 pc. By what order of magnitude is the flux from
Star Y smaller than that of Star X?
Solution:
The flux F follows the inverse square law:
1
F ∝ 2
d
Here: - d is the distance to the star.
The ratio of fluxes is:  2  2  2
FY dX 10 1 1
= = = =
FX dY 100 10 100
Thus, the flux from Star Y is smaller by a factor of 100, or 2 orders of magnitude.
Answer: The flux from Star Y is smaller by 2 orders of magnitude.

13. Question: A star’s temperature doubles, and its radius halves. By what factor does its luminosity
change?
Solution:
The luminosity L is given by:
L = 4πR2 σT 4
If the temperature doubles (T ′ = 2T ) and the radius halves (R′ = R/2), the new luminosity L′ is:
2
R2

′ R
L = 4π σ(2T )4 = 4π · · σ · 16T 4 = 4πR2 σT 4 · 4 = 4L
2 4

Thus, the luminosity increases by a factor of 4.

Answer: The luminosity increases by a factor of 4.

14. Question: A star has a luminosity of 3.8 × 1026 W and a surface temperature of 5800 K. Using Stefan-
Boltzmann’s law, estimate its radius.
Solution:
The Stefan-Boltzmann law states:
L = 4πR2 σT 4
Solving for R: r
L
R=
4πσT 4
Substituting the given values: s
3.8 × 1026
R=
4π · 5.67 × 10−8 · (5800)4

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 First, calculate T 4 :
T 4 = (5800)4 ≈ 1.13 × 1015
Now, calculate the denominator:

4πσT 4 = 4π · 5.67 × 10−8 · 1.13 × 1015 ≈ 8.04 × 108

Finally, calculate R: r
3.8 × 1026 p
R= 8
≈ 4.73 × 1017 ≈ 6.88 × 108 m
8.04 × 10
Answer: R ≈ 6.88 × 108 m.

15. Question: A radio signal with a frequency of 1.5 × 109 Hz is emitted from a quasar. If the observed
frequency is 1.4 × 109 Hz, determine the velocity of the quasar relative to Earth using the Doppler
formula.
Solution:
The Doppler formula for redshift is:
λobs − λemit femit − fobs
z= =
λemit fobs
Here: - femit is the emitted frequency. - fobs is the observed frequency.
Substituting the given values:

1.5 × 109 − 1.4 × 109 0.1 × 109

z= = ≈ 0.0714
1.4 × 109 1.4 × 109
The recessional velocity v is:

v = z · c = 0.0714 × 3 × 105 km/s ≈ 21420 km/s

Answer: v ≈ 2.14 × 104 km/s.

16. Question: The Moon’s angular diameter is approximately 0.5 degrees, and its actual diameter is 3474
km. Calculate its distance from Earth.
Solution:
The small-angle formula relates the angular diameter θ, actual diameter D, and distance d:
D
θ=
d
Solving for d:
D
d=
θ
First, convert θ to radians:
π π
θ = 0.5◦ × ◦
= radians
180 360
Now, calculate d:
3474 3474 × 360
d= ≈ ≈ 3.98 × 105 km
π/360 π
Answer: d ≈ 3.98 × 105 km.