Interactive Demonstrations

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES

Demonstration Description Applies to Text-only Summary

Kepler's
Laws Examine Kepler's Laws of planetary motion by picking orbit sizes and shapes and viewing the resultant motion. ASTR 10 Kepler's Laws Text

Planetary
Spectra See how the visible and IR spectra of airless planets vary with star temperature and brightness, planet distance and albedo ASTR 10 Planet Spectra Text

Build a
Planet Watch an animated display of the formation and evolution of a terrestrial planet based on your choices of mass and orbit distance ASTR 10 Planet Evolution Text

Visual Spectra
of Objects View visual and graphical representations of the visible spectra of various objects ASTR 10
ASTR 101 Spectra Text

Planck
Spectrum Change the temperature and see how the spectrum and visual color impression of a star change ASTR 101 Planck Spectrum Text

Energy
Levels See how transitions within the energy level structure of an atom produce a unique line spectrum ASTR 101 Energy Levels Text

Evolution of
a Star Cluster See how the HR diagram and visual appearance of a star cluster change with time ASTR 101 Cluster Evolution Text

Lunar
Phases Select a month and year to produce a monthly lunar phase calendar for some of the author's favorite cities ASTR 102 Lunar Phases Text

Coordinate
Conversions Convert the astrolabe Azimuth and Altitude values to RA and Dec for ASTR 102 Lab #5 (Plotting the Moon's Orbit) ASTR 102 Coordinate Conversion Text

Spectral Classes
& H-R Diagram A lab exercise in which spectral classes and magnitudes of stars in a cluster are estimated and an H-R Diagram is produced and analyzed ASTR 102 On-Line Lab Text

ASTROPHYSICS COURSES

Demonstration Description Applies to Text-only Summary

Effective Potential and Integrated Motion Explore the effective potential and integrated motion for various force laws ASTR 117A Effective Potential Text

Planet Stability in Binary Star Systems Determine which planetary orbits are stable in various binary star systems ASTR 117A Planet Stability Text

Stellar Models and Spectra See how the strength and shape of spectral lines change as stellar physical parameters (T, g & abundances) are varied ASTR 117B Stellar Models and Spectra Text

Disk Galaxy Simulation Examine the development of structure in a two-dimensional, collisionless-particle disk galaxy ASTR 117B Galaxy Simulation Text

Nuclear Isotope Stability Examine the stability of nuclear isotopes as precicted by the semi-empirical mass formula ASTR 117B Nuclear Stability Text

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Demonstration	Description	Applies to	Text-only Summary
Kepler's Laws	Examine Kepler's Laws of planetary motion by picking orbit sizes and shapes and viewing the resultant motion.	ASTR 10	Kepler's Laws Text
Planetary Spectra	See how the visible and IR spectra of airless planets vary with star temperature and brightness, planet distance and albedo	ASTR 10	Planet Spectra Text
Build a Planet	Watch an animated display of the formation and evolution of a terrestrial planet based on your choices of mass and orbit distance	ASTR 10	Planet Evolution Text
Visual Spectra of Objects	View visual and graphical representations of the visible spectra of various objects	ASTR 10 ASTR 101	Spectra Text
Planck Spectrum	Change the temperature and see how the spectrum and visual color impression of a star change	ASTR 101	Planck Spectrum Text
Energy Levels	See how transitions within the energy level structure of an atom produce a unique line spectrum	ASTR 101	Energy Levels Text
Evolution of a Star Cluster	See how the HR diagram and visual appearance of a star cluster change with time	ASTR 101	Cluster Evolution Text
Lunar Phases	Select a month and year to produce a monthly lunar phase calendar for some of the author's favorite cities	ASTR 102	Lunar Phases Text
Coordinate Conversions	Convert the astrolabe Azimuth and Altitude values to RA and Dec for ASTR 102 Lab #5 (Plotting the Moon's Orbit)	ASTR 102	Coordinate Conversion Text
Spectral Classes & H-R Diagram	A lab exercise in which spectral classes and magnitudes of stars in a cluster are estimated and an H-R Diagram is produced and analyzed	ASTR 102	On-Line Lab Text