Use the Starry Night Enthusiast TM program to determine how the solar system moves through the cosmic microwave background. This motion appears to be taking us towards the constellation Leo. First, select Favourites \(>\) Guides \(>\) Atlas to display the entire celestial sphere from the center of a transparent Earth. Open the Find pane and click on the magnifying glass symbol to display the Find categories and click on Constellation. Double-click on Leo to center on this constellation and click again on the Find pane tab to close this pane and display the full screen. Select View \(>\) Constellations \(>\) Astronomical and View \(>\) Constellations \(>\) Labels to display and label the constellations. (a) Draw a sketch showing the Sun, the plane in which the Earth orbits the Sun, and the direction in which the solar system moves through the cosmic microwave background. (b) Use the date controls in the toolbar to step through the months of the year. In which month is the Sun placed most nearly in front of the Earth as the solar system travels through the cosmic background radiation?

Step by step solution

01

Open Starry Night Enthusiast TM program

Launch the Starry Night Enthusiast TM program and go to Favourites > Guides > Atlas to display the entire celestial sphere.

02

Locate the Leo constellation

Open the Find pane and click on the magnifying glass symbol to display the Find categories. Click on Constellation and double-click on Leo to center on this constellation. Close the Find pane to return to the full screen.

03

Display and label constellations

Go to View > Constellations > Astronomical and View > Constellations > Labels to display and label the constellations.

04

Sketch the solar system

Draw a sketch of the Sun, the plane in which the Earth orbits the Sun, and the direction in which the solar system moves through the cosmic microwave background. This sketch should visibly show that we are moving towards the Leo constellation.

05

Determine the month when the Sun is in front

Use the date controls in the toolbar to step through the months of the year and observe the movement. The month in which the Sun appears almost in front of the Earth while traveling through the cosmic background radiation will be your answer.

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