Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 4: Problem 12

What is parallax? What did Tycho Brahe conclude from his attempt to measure the parallax of a supernova and a comet?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Parallax is the apparent shift of an object against a distant background due to viewer's perspective changing. Tycho Brahe, after not being able to measure any parallax in a supernova and a comet, deduced that they are further than the moon, challenging the traditional belief of his time that all celestial bodies were fixed and immovable on the celestial sphere.

Step by step solution

01

Define Parallax

Parallax is the apparent motion, or shift, of an object against a distant background due to viewer's perspective changing. In the context of astronomy, parallax is used to measure the distance of celestial bodies.
02

Discuss Tycho Brahe's Measurements

Tycho Brahe, a renowned Danish astronomer of the 16th century, attempted to measure the parallax of a supernova (Star explodes leading to a bright, transitory burst that fades away over weeks or months) and a comet. Back in those days, it was believed that stars were fixed and unmoving on the celestial sphere.
03

Tycho Brahe's Conclusions

Brahe could not detect any parallax after his observations, and he thus concluded that the supernova and the comet were further than the Moon, placing them in the 'immutable' celestial realm. This was contradictory to the common belief of his time. His work laid the foundation for future studies of the universe and its vastness.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Suppose that you traveled to a planet with 4 times the mass and 4 times the diameter of the Earth. Would you weigh more or less on that planet than on Earth? By what factor?

What are Kepler's three laws? Why are they important?

A certain comet is \(2 \mathrm{AU}\) from the Sun at perihelion and \(16 \mathrm{AU}\) from the Sun at aphelion. (a) Find the semimajor axis of the comet's orbit. (b) Find the sidereal period of the orbit.

If Venus happens to be visible in the evening sky, observe the planet with a small telescope once a week for a month. On each night, make a drawing of the crescent that you see. From your drawings, can you determine if the planet is nearer or farther from the Earth than the Sun is? Do your drawings show any changes in the shape of the crescent from one week to the next? If so, can you deduce if Venus is coming toward us or moving away from us?

What are conic sections? In what way are they related to the orbits of planets in the solar system?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

Rotational Dynamics

Read Explanation

Physics of Motion

Read Explanation

Further Mechanics and Thermal Physics

Read Explanation

Particle Model of Matter

Read Explanation

Waves Physics

Read Explanation

Kinematics Physics

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free