Appendix C

This appendix was copied with permission from Nick Strobel’s Astronomy Notes. Go to his site at www.astronomynotes.com for the updated and corrected version.

Tables

Astronomy constants, physical constants, planets (orbital properties, physical characteristics, atmospheres), 100 nearest stars, and 100 brightest stars as seen from the Earth.

Astronomical Constants

Quantity Value
astronomical unit (A.U.) 149,597,870.691 kilometers
light year (ly) 9.460536207× 1012 km = 63,240 A.U.
parsec (pc) 3.08567802× 1013 km = 206,265 A.U.
sidereal year 365.2564 days
tropical year 365.2422 days
Gregorian year 365.2425 days
Earth mass 5.9736× 1024 kilograms
Sun mass 1.9891× 1030 kg = 332,980 × Earth
mean Earth radius 6371 kilometers
Sun radius 6.96265 × 105 km = 109 × Earth
Sun luminosity 3.827× 1026 watts

Physical Constants

Quantity Value
speed of light (c) 299,792.458 kilometers/second
gravitational constant (G) 6.6726× 10-11 m3 /(kg sec2)
Boltzmann constant (k) 1.380658 × 10-23 Joules/Kelvin
Stefan-Boltzmann constant (s) 5.67051× 10-8 J/(m2 K4 s)
Wien’s law constant 2.897756× 106 nanometers Kelvin
Planck constant (h) 6.6260755× 10-34 Joules second
electron mass 9.1093898× 10-28 grams
= 5.48579903× 10-4 amu
proton mass 1.6726231× 10-24 grams
= 1.007276470 amu
neutron mass 1.6749286× 10-24 grams
= 1.008664904 amu
deuterium nucleus mass 3.3435860× 10-24 grams
= 2.013553214 amu

Planet Tables

Planets: Orbital Properties

Planet distance revolution eccentricity inclination
(A.U.) (deg)
Mercury 0.387 87.969 d 0.2056 7.005
Venus 0.723 224.701 d 0.0068 3.3947
Earth 1.000 365.256 d 0.0167 0.0000
Mars 1.524 686.98 d 0.0934 1.851
Jupiter 5.203 11.862 y 0.0484 1.305
Saturn 9.537 29.457 y 0.0542 2.484
Uranus 19.191 84.011 y 0.0472 0.770
Neptune 30.069 164.79 y 0.0086 1.769
Pluto 39.482 247.68 y 0.2488 17.142

Notes: Distance is the semi-major axis in astronomical units (1 A.U. = 1.496× 108km); rotation and revolution are the sidereal rotation period and sidereal orbital period, h = hours, d = Earth sidereal days; eccentricity is the orbital eccentricity = 1 – (perihelion/semi-major axis); and inclination is the tilt of the orbit with respect to the Earth’s orbit. The planet’s “mean orbital elements (J2000)” are used for the inclination, eccentricity, and distance.

Planets: Physical Characteristics

Planet Mass Diameter density oblateness rotation axis tilt mag. field
(× ME) (km) (g/cm3) [=(De – Dp)/De] (deg) (× Earth’s)
Mercury 0.0553 4879 5.427 0.000 58.785 d ~0 0.0006
Venus 0.815 12,104 5.243 0.000 243.686 d 177.36 0.00
Earth 1.000 12,742 5.515 0.00335 23.9345 h 23.45 1.000
Mars 0.107 6779 3.933 0.00648 24.6229 h 25.19 0.00
Jupiter 317.83 139,822 1.326 0.06487 9.9250 h 3.13 19,519
Saturn 95.159 116,464 0.687 0.09796 10.656 h 26.73 578
Uranus 14.536 50,724 1.270 0.02293 17.24 h 97.77 47.9
Neptune 17.147 49,244 1.638 0.01708 16.11 h 28.32 27.0
Pluto 0.0021 2390 1.750 0.000 6.405 d 122.53 0.00

Notes: Mass is given in Earth masses (1 ME = 5.9736× 1024 kg); diameter is the “volumetric mean diameter” that takes into account the planet’s oblateness; oblateness measures how much a planet bulges at the equator [= (equatorial – polar diameter)/(equatorial diameter)]; rotation is the sidereal spin period, “d” in rotation is sidereal day of Earth, and axis tilt is the tilt of the planet’s rotation axis with respect to its orbital plane; magnetic field (mag. field) is the total strength (NSSDC gives strength in #gauss × Rplanet3, where Rplanet is the radius of the planet and the Earth’s magnetic field strength = 0.3076 gauss × Rplanet3 = 7.981× 1010 gauss.

Planets: Atmospheres

Planet g
(×gE)		 vesc
(km/s)		 distance
(A.U.)		 albedo
(%)		 temperature
(K)		 atm. press.
(× Earth’s)		 atm. comp.
Mercury 0.378 4.3 0.387 .119 100 night,
590–725 day		 10-15 42% O2, 29% Na, 22% H2, 6% He, 0.5% K (note that it is essentially a vacuum)
Venus 0.905 10.36 0.723 75 737 92 96.5% CO2, 3.5% N2,
0.015% SO2, 0.007% Ar, 0.002% H2O, 0.002% CO, 0.001% He, 0.001% Ne
Earth 1.000 11.186 1.000 30.6 283 night, 293 day 1.000 78.08% N2, 20.95% O2,
0.934% Ar, 0.038% CO2,
H2O highly variable ( <1%)
Mars 0.379 5.03 1.524 25.0 184 night, 242 day 0.004–0.009 95.32% CO2, 2.7% N2, 1.6% Ar,
0.13% O2, 0.08% CO, 0.021% H2O, 0.01% NO
Jupiter 2.530 59.5 5.203 34.3 165 >>1000 89.8% H2, 10.2% He,
0.3% CH4, 0.026% NH3. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide
Saturn 1.065 35.5 9.537 34.2 134 >>1000 96.3% H2, 3.25% He,
0.45% CH4, 0.0125% NH3, 0.0110% HD, 0.0007% C2H6. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide
Uranus 0.905 21.3 19.191 30.0 76 >>1000 82.5% H2, 15.2% He, 2.3% CH4,
0.0148% HD. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide, methane ice
Neptune 1.14 23.5 30.069 29.0 72 >>1000 80.0% H2, 19.0% He, 1.5% CH4,
0.0192% HD, 0.0002% C2H6. Clouds made of ammonia ice, water ice, ammonium hydrosulfide, methane ice
Pluto 0.059 1.2 39.482 40 to 60 ~50 3 x 10-6 CH4, N2

Notes: Surface gravity g is given in Earth gravities (1 gE = 9.798 m/s2); escape velocity is vesc, albedo is the percent of ALL of the Sun’s energy hitting the planet that is reflected (100% would be perfect reflection); temperature and surface gravity for Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune are given at a depth where the atmospheric pressure = 1 Earth atmosphere (1 bar); atmospheric pressure (atm. press.) is at the surface (>>1000 for the Jovian planets).

Star Tables

100 Nearest Stars

HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
70890 Proxima Centauri 11.01 15.45 1.2948 1.807 M5Ve
71681 a Centauri B 1.35 5.70 1.3475 0.9 K1V
71683 Rigel Kentaurus -0.01 4.34 1.3475 0.71 G2V
87937 Barnard’s Star 9.54 13.24 1.8215 1.57 sdM4
54035 7.49 10.46 2.5484 1.502 M2V
32349 Sirius A -1.44 1.45 2.6371 0.009 A0m…
92403 Ross 154 10.37 13.00 2.9719 1.51 M3.5Ve
16537 e Eridani 3.72 6.18 3.2180 0.881 K2V
114046 Lacaille 9352 7.35 9.76 3.2906 1.483 M2/M3V
57548 FI Virginis or Ross 128 11.12 13.50 3.3380 1.746 M4.5V
104214 61 Cygni A 5.2 7.49 3.4827 1.069 K5V
37279 Procyon 0.4 2.68 3.4974 0.432 F5IV-V
104217 61 Cygni B 6.05 8.33 3.5036 1.309 K7V
91772 9.7 11.97 3.5152 1.561 K5
91768 8.94 11.18 3.5679 1.504 K5
1475 GX Andromedae 8.09 10.33 3.5680 1.56 M1V
108870 e Indi 4.69 6.89 3.6263 1.056 K5V
8102 t Ceti 3.49 5.68 3.6474 0.727 G8V
5643 YZ Ceti 12.1 14.25 3.7168 1.85 M5.5Ve
36208 Luyten’s Star 9.84 11.94 3.7985 1.573 M5
24186 Kapteyn’s Star 8.86 10.89 3.9176 1.543 M0V
105090 AX Microscopii 6.69 8.71 3.9468 1.397 M1/M2V
110893 9.59 11.58 4.0077 1.613 M2V
30920 Ross 614 A 11.12 13.05 4.1171 1.69 M4.5Ve
72511 11.72 13.58 4.2510 1.48 M
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
80824 Wolf 1061 10.1 11.95 4.2642 1.604 M4
439 8.56 10.36 4.3605 1.462 M2V
15689 12.16 13.94 4.3966
3829 van Maanen’s Star 12.37 14.15 4.4063 0.554 DG
72509 12.07 13.80 4.5086 1.524 M
86162 9.15 10.87 4.5280 1.505 M3.5Vvar
85523 9.38 11.10 4.5366 1.553 K5
114110 12.24 13.92 4.6185
57367 11.5 13.18 4.6211 0.196 DC:
113020 IL Aquarii or Ross 780 10.16 11.80 4.7017 1.597 M5
54211 Furuhjelm I- 650 8.82 10.40 4.8323 1.491 M2Vvar
49908 6.6 8.16 4.8728 1.326 K8V
82725 11.72 13.26 4.9259
85605 11.39 12.92 4.9336 1.101
106440 8.66 10.19 4.9375 1.521 M1V
86214 10.94 12.43 5.0424 1.655 M5
19849 o2 Eridani A 4.43 5.92 5.0444 0.82 K1V
112460 EV Lacertae 10.29 11.77 5.0487 1.54 M4.5Ve
88601 70 Ophiuchi A 4.03 5.50 5.0860 0.86 K0V SB
97649 Altair 0.76 2.20 5.1430 0.221 A7IV-V
1242 11.49 12.90 5.2121 1.75 M:
57544 10.8 12.14 5.3914 1.572 M4
67155 Wolf 498 8.46 9.79 5.4309 1.435 M3V
103039 11.41 12.71 5.4900 1.653
21088 10.82 12.11 5.5139 1.17
33226 Wolf 294 9.89 11.18 5.5151 1.58 K:…
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
53020 EE Leo or Wolf 358 11.64 12.89 5.6351 1.679 M4:
25878 Wolf 1453 7.97 9.19 5.6909 1.474 M1V
82817 Wolf 630 9.02 10.23 5.7395 1.553 M3Ve
96100 s Draconis 4.67 5.87 5.7667 0.786 K0V
29295 8.15 9.34 5.7740 1.487 M1/M2V
26857 Ross 47 11.56 12.75 5.7877 1.675 M5
86990 10.75 11.93 5.8113 1.66 M5
94761 Wolf 1055 9.12 10.28 5.8734 1.464 M3.5V
73184 5.72 6.86 5.9060 1.024 K4V
37766 Ross 882 11.19 12.32 5.9315 1.6 M4.5Ve
76074 9.31 10.44 5.9340 1.524 M0
3821 h Cassiopei or Wolf 24 3.46 4.59 5.9527 0.587 G0V SB
84478 36 Ophiuchi C 6.33 7.45 5.9680 1.144 K5V
117473 BR Piscium 8.98 10.10 5.9698 1.46 M2V
84405 36 Ophiuchi 4.33 5.44 5.9852 0.855 K2:III:
99461 5.32 6.41 6.0518 0.868 K2V
15510 82 Eridani 4.26 5.35 6.0599 0.711 G8V
99240 d Pavonis 3.55 4.62 6.1076 0.751 G5IV-Vvar
71253 Wolf 1481 11.32 12.39 6.1158 1.633 M4
86961 10.49 11.53 6.1816 1.463 M2V:
86963 11.39 12.43 6.1816 1.439 M2V:
45343 7.64 8.68 6.1885 1.41 M0V
99701 7.97 9.01 6.2046 1.431 M0V
116132 EQ Pegasi 10.05 11.07 6.2477 1.19 M6Ve
74995 HO Librae or Wolf 562 10.57 11.58 6.2688 1.6 M5
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
120005 7.7 8.71 6.2704 1.42 K2
84140 9.31 10.31 6.3223 1.485 K5
34603 QY Aurigae or Ross 986 11.65 12.63 6.3597 1.7 M5Ve
54298 11.69 12.65 6.4400
82809 Wolf 629 11.73 12.67 6.4952 1.7 M4
114622 5.57 6.50 6.5257 1 K3Vvar
80459 10.13 11.04 6.5820 1.591 M2
53767 Ross 104 10.03 10.92 6.6243 1.525 M3
72659 37 Bootis 4.54 5.41 6.6997 0.72 G8V + K4V
106106 Ross 775 10.33 11.19 6.7435 1.62 M4
114176 12.28 13.13 6.7590
113296 Ross 671 8.68 9.49 6.8837 1.507 M2:
84709 5.91 6.69 6.9711 1.082 K4V
103096 8.55 9.31 7.0447 1.483 M2V
12114 5.79 6.50 7.2088 0.918 K3V
51317 Ross 446 9.65 10.35 7.2312 1.507 M2
83945 11.77 12.47 7.2548 1.696 M3
3765 Wolf 25 5.74 6.38 7.4605 0.89 K2V
7981 107 Piscium 5.24 5.87 7.4677 0.836 K1V
2021 b Hydri 2.82 3.45 7.4750 0.618 G2IV
73182 8.01 8.64 7.4833 1.519 K5V
12781 VX Arietis or Ross 556 10.55 11.16 7.5517 1.53 M3.5Ve
5336 m Cassiopei A 5.17 5.78 7.5529 0.704 G5Vp
65859 Ross 490 9.05 9.64 7.6266 1.493 M

100 Brightest Stars As Seen From Earth

HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
32349 Sirius -1.44 1.45 2.64 0.009 A0m
30438 Canopus -0.62 -5.53 95.88 0.164 F0Ib
69673 Arcturus -0.05 -0.31 11.25 1.239 K2IIIp
71683 Rigil Kentaurus -0.01 4.34 1.35 0.71 G2V
91262 Vega 0.03 0.58 7.76 -0.001 A0Vvar
24608 Capella 0.08 -0.48 12.94 0.795 G5IIIe+G
24436 Rigel 0.18 -6.69 236.97 -0.03 B8Ia:
37279 Procyon 0.40 2.68 3.5 0.432 F5IV-V
7588 Achernar 0.45 -2.77 44.09 -0.158 B3Vp
27989 Betelgeuse 0.45 -5.14 131.06 1.5 M2Ib
68702 Agena 0.61 -5.42 161.03 -0.231 B1III
97649 Altair 0.76 2.20 5.14 0.221 A7IV-V
60718 Acrux 0.77 -4.19 98.33 -0.243 B0.5IV
21421 Aldebaran 0.87 -0.63 19.96 1.538 K5III
65474 Spica 0.98 -3.55 80.39 -0.235 B1V
80763 Antares 1.06 -5.28 185.19 1.865 M1Ib+B2.
37826 Pollux 1.16 1.09 10.34 0.991 K0IIIvar
113368 Fomalhaut 1.17 1.74 7.69 0.145 A3V
62434 Becrux 1.25 -3.92 108.11 -0.238 B0.5III
102098 Deneb 1.25 -8.73 990.1 0.092 A2Ia
71681 a Cen B 1.35 5.70 1.35 0.9 K1V
49669 Regulus 1.36 -0.52 23.76 -0.087 B7V
33579 Adara 1.50 -4.10 132.1 -0.211 B2II
36850 Castor 1.58 0.59 15.81 0.034 A2Vm
61084 Gacrux 1.59 -0.56 26.96 1.6 M4III
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
85927 Shaula 1.62 -5.05 215.52 -0.231 B1.5IV+B
25336 Bellatrix 1.64 -2.72 74.52 -0.224 B2III
25428 El Nath 1.65 -1.37 40.18 -0.13 B7III
45238 Miaplacidus 1.67 -0.99 34.08 0.07 A2IV
26311 Alnilam 1.69 -6.38 411.52 -0.184 B0Ia
109268 Al Nair 1.73 -0.73 31.09 -0.07 B7IV
26727 Alnitak 1.74 -5.26 250.63 -0.199 O9.5Ib
39953 Alsuhail 1.75 -5.31 257.73 -0.145 WC8+O9I
62956 Alioth 1.76 -0.21 24.81 -0.022 A0p
15863 Algenib 1.79 -4.50 181.49 0.481 F5Ib
90185 Kaus Australis 1.79 -1.44 44.35 -0.031 B9.5III
54061 Dubhe 1.81 -1.08 37.91 1.061 K0IIIa
34444 Wezen 1.83 -6.87 549.45 0.671 F8Ia
67301 Alkaid 1.85 -0.60 30.87 -0.099 B3V
41037 e Car 1.86 -4.58 193.8 1.196 K3III+B2
86228 q Sco 1.86 -2.75 83.4 0.406 F1II
28360 Menkalinan 1.90 -0.10 25.18 0.077 A2V
82273 a TrA 1.91 -3.62 127.39 1.447 K2IIb-II
31681 Alhena 1.93 -0.60 32.13 0.001 A0IV
42913 Koo She 1.93 -0.01 24.45 0.043 A1V
100751 a Pav 1.94 -1.81 56.18 -0.118 B2IV
11767 Polaris 1.97 -3.64 132.28 0.636 F7:Ib-II
30324 Mirzam 1.98 -3.95 153.14 -0.24 B1II/III
46390 Alphard 1.99 -1.69 54.35 1.44 K3III
9884 Hamal 2.01 0.48 20.21 1.151 K2III
50583 Algieba 2.01 -0.92 38.52 1.128 K0III
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
3419 Deneb Kaitos 2.04 -0.30 29.38 1.019 K0III
92855 Nunki 2.05 -2.14 68.78 -0.134 B2.5V
68933 q Cen 2.06 0.70 18.68 1.011 K0IIIb
677 Alpheratz 2.07 -0.30 29.76 -0.038 B9p
27366 Saiph 2.07 -6.98 645.16 -0.168 B0.5Iava
5447 Mirach 2.07 -1.86 61.12 1.576 M0IIIvar
72607 Kochab 2.07 -0.87 38.77 1.465 K4IIIvar
112122 Al Dhanab 2.07 -1.52 52.16 1.61 M5III
86032 Ras Alhague 2.08 1.30 14.32 0.155 A5III
14576 Algol 2.09 -0.18 28.46 -0.003 B8V
9640 Alamak 2.10 -3.08 108.81 1.37 K3-IIb
57632 Denebola 2.14 1.92 11.09 0.09 A3Vvar
4427 Cih 2.15 -4.22 187.97 -0.046 B0IV:eva
61932 g Cen 2.20 -0.81 39.98 -0.023 A1IV
39429 Naos 2.21 -5.95 429.18 -0.269 O5IAf
45556 Tureis 2.21 -4.42 212.31 0.189 A8Ib
76267 Gemma 2.22 0.42 22.91 0.032 A0V
44816 l Vel 2.23 -3.99 175.75 1.665 K4Ib-II
65378 Mizar 2.23 0.33 23.96 0.057 A2V
100453 Sadr 2.23 -6.12 467.29 0.673 F8Ib
3179 Schedar 2.24 -1.99 70.08 1.17 K0II-III
87833 Eltanin 2.24 -1.04 45.25 1.521 K5III
25930 Mintaka 2.25 -4.99 280.9 -0.175 O9.5II
746 Caph 2.28 1.17 16.7 0.38 F2III-IV
66657 e Cen 2.29 -3.02 115.21 -0.171 B1III
HIP common name Vmag Abs Mag Distance
(pc)		 B–V
(mag)		 Spectral
Type
78401 Dschubba 2.29 -3.16 123.15 -0.117 B0.2IV
82396 e Sco 2.29 0.78 20.06 1.144 K2IIIb
71860 a Lup 2.30 -3.83 168.07 -0.154 B1.5III
71352 h Cen 2.33 -2.55 94.61 -0.157 B1Vn + A
53910 Merak 2.34 0.41 24.35 0.033 A1V
72105 Izar 2.35 -1.69 64.31 0.966 G8II-III
107315 Enif 2.38 -4.19 206.19 1.52 K2Ibvar
86670 k Sco 2.39 -3.38 142.25 -0.171 B1.5III
2081 Ankaa 2.40 0.52 23.74 1.083 K0III
58001 Phecda 2.41 0.36 25.65 0.044 A0V
84012 Sabik 2.43 0.37 25.79 0.059 A2.5Va
113881 Scheat 2.44 -1.49 61.09 1.655 M2II-III
105199 Alderamin 2.45 1.58 14.96 0.257 A7IV-V
35904 h Cma 2.45 -7.51 980.39 -0.083 B5Ia
45941 k Vel 2.47 -3.62 165.29 -0.141 B2IV
102488 Gienah 2.48 0.76 22.09 1.021 K0III
113963 Markab 2.49 -0.67 42.81 -0.002 B9.5III
14135 Menkar 2.54 -1.61 67.48 1.63 M2III
81377 Han 2.54 -3.20 140.45 0.038 O9.5V
68002 z Cen 2.55 -2.81 117.92 -0.176 B2.5IV
54872 Zosma 2.56 1.32 17.69 0.128 A4V
78820 Acrab 2.56 -3.50 162.6 -0.065 B0.5V
25985 Arneb 2.58 -5.40 393.7 0.211 F0Ib
59196 d Cen 2.58 -2.84 121.21 -0.128 B2IVne

Is this page a copy of Strobel’s Astronomy Notes?