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2007

Gallery from 2007

Some of the projects in IAYC 2001

Working groups:

Dynamics in Astronomy

Structure and Evolution of Galaxies

Collection of files

Working Group Dynamics in Astronomy

Working group led by Jörg Dietrich

How the Trojan asteroids move

Chaotic motion of Trojan asteroids around the Lagrange points L4 and L5 is studied numerically in the corotating coordinate frame. Various trajectories are found, including one that goes from L4 to L5 and back.

Colliding galaxies

The collission of two galaxies, where the galaxies are represented as collection of mass points, is studied on the computer. An adaptive step size RK method is utilised to display the collision depending on initial conditions.

Orbit Determination

The Gauss method to determine orbits of objects in our solar system is presented. Emphasis is put in the so called sector-triangle ratio, a key quantity in this method.

Simple Geodesics in Schwarzschild Geometry. -- Verification of General Relativity.

In this theoretical project it is shown how to calculate in simple cases the path of a planet and a light ray in the gravitational field produced by a spherically symmetric massive body. First the orbit of Mercury is studied, then the bending of light rays close to the sun is calculated. Both calculations are the most simple tests of the Theory of General Relativity.

On Worms and Holes

After introducing Kruskal-Szekeres coordinates the non-possibility to travel through a classical, non-rotating uncharged wormhole is examined.

Working Group Structure and Evolution of Galaxies

Working group led by Tim Schrabback

Automatic Hubble Classification of Galaxies

The construction of a program that is able to classify galaxies using pictures as input data. The program is able to distinguish elliptical, spiral and barred-spiral galaxies and also produce statistical data about the galaxies.

Brightness profiles of spiral galaxies

Attempting to fit the brightness distribution in a galaxy and transform it into a mathematical formula. This gives an insight into the galactic evolutionary processes. The project was mainly practical: I had to make measurements utilising pictures and eventually creating the fitting formula.

A Galaxy is Born

With reference to the theories galaxy formation we have performed a study of the Virgo Cluster and have found many giant elliptical and irregular galaxies in the centre that support galaxy collision theories.

Mass determination of black holes

Today many scientists believe that there is a black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. Using data about the orbits of stars within the central parsec you can estimate the mass of this black hole.

Spiral Structures

I asked myself three (3) questions: what exactly is a spiral galaxy/structure; what is the density-wave theory; what is the winding problem. To answer these questions, I used M51 (the Whirlpool Galaxy) and its companion (NGC 5159) as an example.

Quasars

A theoretical project about the exotic objects that lie so far out in the universe. I tried to learn a little about what they actually are and also included some calculations of a quasar’s mass and the apparent superluminal movements of jets from quasars, using a picture of 3C279.

Absorption of light from globular clusters by interstellar dust

The aim of the project is to determine the position of the galactic center and the thiclness of the disk of the Milky Way from the distribution of globular clusters and their colour indices.

Identifying varible stars

Comparing CCD images of the sky taken at different times to find variables and plotting light curves of those identified as such.

Neutral Hydrogen's 21 cm line

In this project the distribution of neutral hydrogen in the Milky Way is studied using data of the 21 cm line.