Astronomical unit

views updated May 11 2018

Astronomical unit

An astronomical unit (AU) is a unit of length that astronomers use for measuring distances such as orbits and trajectories within the solar system. One astronomical unit is the mean (average) distance between the Earth and the sun, called the semimajor axis, or 92,956,000 mi (149,600,000 km). The value of the astronomical unit has been measured by various radar-ranging studies of celestial bodies near the Earth.

The relative distances between the sun and the planets, in astronomical units, were known long before the actual distances were established. German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler (15711630), in developing his third law, showed that the ratio of the square of a planets period (the time to make one complete revolution) to the cube of the semimajor axis of its orbit is a constant. In other words, the ratio is the same for all the planets. Keplers law can be summarized by the formula a3/p2 = K where a is the semimajor axis of the planets orbit, p is its period, and K is the proportionality constant, a constant that holds for all bodies orbiting the Sun. By choosing the period of the Earth as one year and its orbital radius as one AU, the constant K has a numerical value of one.

Keplers third law (in a more accurate form derived by English physicist and mathematician Sir Isaac Newton [16421727]) can be used to calculate a precise value of the AU, if the exact distance between the Earth and another planet can be measured. An early attempt took place in 1671, when Jean Cassini in Paris, France, and Jean Richer, about 5,000 mi (8,000 km) away in Cayenne, Guiana, simultaneously determined the parallax of the planet Mars. Their measurements, which allowed them to calculate the distance from Earth to Mars by triangulation, showed Mars to be about 50 million mi (80 million km) from Earth. Since the relative distance between Earth and Mars was known, it was a simple matter to determine the actual value of an AU in miles or kilometers. Today, the value of the AU is known very accurately. The value of AU most commonly used today is 149,597,870,691 meters (± 30 meters).

By measuring the time for a radar pulse to reach Venus, for example, and return, the distance can be calculated because radar waves travel at the speed of light. Using the astronomical unit, the distance between the Sun and Mars is 1.52± 0.14 AU, while Jupiters distance from the Sun is 5.20± 0.05 AU.

See also Solar system.

Astronomical Unit

views updated May 14 2018

Astronomical unit

An astronomical unit (AU) is a unit of length that astronomers use for measuring distances within the solar system . One astronomical unit is the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun , called the semimajor axis, or 92,919,000 mi (149,597,870 km).

The relative distances between the Sun and the planets, in astronomical units, were known long before the actual distances were established. Kepler, in developing his third law, showed that the ratio of the square of a planet's period (the time to make one complete revolution) to the cube of the semimajor axis of its orbit is a constant; that is, the ratio is the same for all the planets. Kepler's law can be summarized by the formula a3/p2 = K where a is the semimajor axis of the planet's orbit, p is its period, and K is the proportionality constant, a constant that holds for all bodies orbiting the Sun. By choosing the period of the Earth as one year and its orbital radius as one AU, the constant K has a numerical value of one.

Kepler's third law (in a more accurate form derived by Isaac Newton) can be used to calculate a precise value of the AU, if the exact distance between the earth and another planet can be measured. An early attempt took place in 1671, when Jean Cassini in Paris and Jean Richer about 5,000 mi (8,000 km) away in Cayenne, Guiana, simultaneously determined the parallax of Mars . Their measurements, which allowed them to calculate the distance from earth to Mars by triangulation, showed Mars to be about 50 million mi (80 million km) from Earth. Since the relative distance between Earth and Mars was known, it was a simple matter to determine the actual value of an AU in miles or kilometers. Today, the value of the AU is known very accurately. By measuring the time for a radar pulse to reach Venus and return, the distance can be calculated because radar waves travel at the speed of light .

See also Kepler's laws.

astronomical unit

views updated Jun 08 2018

astronomical unit (AU) Mean distance between the Earth and the Sun, used as a fundamental unit of distance, particularly for distances in the Solar System. It is equal to 149.598 million km (92.956 million mi).

astronomical unit

views updated May 08 2018

astronomical unit (AU) The average distance between the Earth and Sun; a unit of measurement equal to 149 597 870 km.

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