The American Association of Amateur Astronomers

Visit

Home
Weighing Jupiter
Eugene Lanning
Downloads

 Project Jupiter
IV. Period Determination

AstroMax
The AAAA
Online Store

Serving the Amateur Astronomy Community ONLINE since 1996


www.AstroMax.com

Up
Abstract
I. Purpose
II. Background
III. Orbits
IV. Period  Determination
V. Methods
VI. Kepler's Laws
VII. Observing Suggestions
VIII. Data Gathering
IX. Data Processing
X. Observer's Data Results
XI. Other Quad-A Results
XII. Conclusions
XIII. Attachments


This Project Jupiter Report was prepared by
Mizar Consulting
Eugene A. Lanning
130 Hillside Terrace
Nebraska City, NE
68410-3740
ealanni@alltel.net
Member of AAAA


AAAA
The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
P.O. Box 7981
Dallas, TX
75209-0981
e-Mail:
aaaa@astromax.com

www.AstroMax.com


Project Jupiter

Back Next

IV. Period Determinations

A. Why

The orbital period of a satellite/moon or planet is a fundamental parameter that is used to describe the relation of one object to another. The orbit period is a quantifiable parameter that may be precisely transmitted to others.

B. Predictions of positions

Because the orbital period may be determined with a high degree of accuracy – how much accuracy is dependent on the skill of the observer, the amount of time devoted to the task and the quality and type of equipment available – future positions of the object observed may be made with good confidence. This predictive capability is expected to be examined in a future AAAA project, to derive interesting conclusions.

C. The Period and its Relation to the Mass of the Planet

When the period of an orbiting body is known, then Kepler’s Third Law (more later) and Newton’s Law of Gravitation may be combined to enable one to calculate the mass of the body being orbited. Part of Project Jupiter is to perform those calculations.

D. What about other Planets?

While Project Jupiter is designed around the planet Jupiter, the technique is general to orbiting bodies (6) . Its application to any planet that has a satellite (including Earth) will yield corresponding information about the planet being orbited. The application to some planets may be limited by the ability of the telescope to resolve the satellite-planet spacing, or be constrained by the limiting magnitude of the telescope system in use.


6 The model does have to be significantly upgraded to be used on moons whose orbits are significantly inclined to the Earth’s orbit, i.e., those moons that do not orbit nearly in the plane of the ecliptic.

[Home]
[Abstract]
[I. Purpose]
[II. Background]
[III. Orbits]
[IV. Period  Determination]
[V. Methods]
[VI. Kepler's Laws]
[VII. Observing Suggestions]
[VIII. Data Gathering]
[IX. Data Processing]
[X. Observer's Data Results]
[XI. Other Quad-A Results]
[XII. Conclusions]
[XIII. Attachments]

 

The image of Jupiter on the Project Jupiter cover page is courtesy of AAAA member Charlie Warren of Texas. Used by permission. Jupiter and three of its moons - right to left are the moons Europa, Io and Ganymede. Callisto is not on the image. CCD Image taken February 2, 2002.

AAAA
The American Association of Amateur Astronomers
P.O. Box 7981
Dallas, TX 75209-0981
e-Mail: aaaa@astromax.com

www.AstroMax.com