Stellar Astrophysics

Assignment #2:

• New date: Due September 27 (Monday) at the beginning of class.
• New problems will be posted after (approx.) each class, and will be announced in the lecture.
• Note: all problems for assignment #2 are now posted on this website (GKS; 09.16.2004, 12noon PDT).

Problems:

• From wk. 3:
  • Problems 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 from Carroll & Ostlie.
  • Supplemental problem #1: Assuming the human body emits thermally, what is the wavelength corresponding to the peak in the continuous emission spectrum? In what portion of the electromagnetic spectrum does this wavelength lie?
  • Supplemental problem #2: The star Sirius A has a measured parallactic angle of p = 0.377", and subtends an angular diameter of 0.0059". If its bolometric absolute magnitude is M = 1.23:
    • What is its effective surface temperature?
    • If the effective surface temperature of Sirius B is T = 30000 K, and absolute bolometric magnitude is M = 8.33, what is its effective radius? Comment on this result wrt to the radius of the Earth.
    If it is useful, you may assume the absolute bolometric luminosity of the Sun is 3.83 x 10^26 W and the absolute bolometric luminosity of the Sun is M = 4.70.
• From wk. 4:
  • Problems 5.1, 5.4 from Carroll & Ostlie.
  • Supplemental problem #3: calculate the first five lines in the Lyman and Paschen series.
• Problems 5.8a, 5.8b,c, 5.9, 5.13 from Carroll & Ostlie.