Granddaughters school project

[wookie1965]

I'm trying to find out how long light takes to get to each planet sounds easy but then want to say like the sun we see 8 minutes back in time what is it for each plane. So like we look at Jupiter how old is the image.

Doing this with granddaughter who is 9 just adding for extra marks we have done moon phases and how we get seasons going to do the time taken and a bit on super novas producing heavier elements make a rocket then we are done.

if any one can give the answers or point to a couple of websites I would really appreciate it thanks.

[fozzybear]

https://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/venus/q89.html

 

To calculate how long (Time, T) it takes light to travel from Venus to Earth, you need to know how far away Venus is from the Earth (Distance, D), the speed at which light travels (Speed of light (S), scientific symbol: c). Then you use the following formula: T = D / S

Speed of light:

‘The speed of light in vacuum, commonly denoted c, is a universal physical constant important in many areas of physics. Its exact value is 299,792,458 metres per second (approximately 300,000 km/s (186,000 mi/s)).’ Speed of light - Wikipedia

Earth-Venus average distance:

On average Venus is 40 million kilometres away. Sometimes Venus is further away, and sometimes a little closer. How Far Away is Venus?

You can get an approximate value by using 300 000 km/s for the speed of light or you can convert everything into metres and metres per second. 40 000 000 km = 40 000 000 000 metres (you multiplied by 1000, because there are 1000m in a km).

T = 40 000 000 000 / 299 792 458 = 133.43 seconds (rounded up)

Now, you divide the number of seconds by 60 (because there are 60s in a minute): 2.22 minutes (rounded).

0.22 of a minute is (0.22 x 60) = 13.2 seconds.

So, on average, it takes 2 minutes 13 seconds approximately for light to travel from Venus to Earth. This means we are looking at Venus as it was just over 2 mins ago.

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by fozzybear

[Stu]

Fozzie has done it the hard (proper) way, the cheating way is to look at Skysafari which shows the light travel time. For instance Jupiter is currently 49.16 light minutes away so you are seeing it as it was 49 mins ago.

This sort of thing was brought home to me when using Stellarium (I think) where there was a selection to either show Jupiter's moons in real time or allowing for the light travel time. I forgot to select this option and wondered why it showed transits starting 35 mins too early 

[wookie1965]

Brilliant thanks Now how do I work out if I am looking at Jupiter is that the same because light illuminates it or is it shorter because earth is closer the same goes for all the other planets.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by wookie1965

[Stu]

24 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

Brilliant thanks Now how do I work out if I am looking at Jupiter is that the same because light illuminates it or is it shorter because earth is closer the same goes for all the other planets.

 

 

You need the distance to each planet then can work out the light travel time from that.

[fozzybear]

Mercury 0.387 193.0 seconds or 3.2 minutes

Venus 0.723 360.0 seconds or 6.0 minutes

Earth 1.000 499.0 seconds or 8.3 minutes

Mars 1.523 759.9 seconds or 12.6 minutes

Jupiter 5.203 2595.0 seconds or 43.2 minutes

Saturn 9.538 4759.0 seconds or 79.3 minutes

Uranus 19.819 9575.0 seconds or 159.6 minutes

Neptune 30.058 14998.0 seconds or 4.1 hours

Pluto 39.44 19680.0 seconds or 5.5 hours

Time for the sun to reach  each of the planets so if we subtract 8.3 minutes from the above that is a rough guide as to how old each planet is  as per Jupiter 43.2 minutes and then subtract 8.3 minutes = 34.9 minutes ago from good old earth etc

 

[wookie1965]

7 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

Mercury 0.387 193.0 seconds or 3.2 minutes

Venus 0.723 360.0 seconds or 6.0 minutes

Earth 1.000 499.0 seconds or 8.3 minutes

Mars 1.523 759.9 seconds or 12.6 minutes

Jupiter 5.203 2595.0 seconds or 43.2 minutes

Saturn 9.538 4759.0 seconds or 79.3 minutes

Uranus 19.819 9575.0 seconds or 159.6 minutes

Neptune 30.058 14998.0 seconds or 4.1 hours

Pluto 39.44 19680.0 seconds or 5.5 hours

Time for the sun to reach  each of the planets so if we subtract 8.3 minutes from the above that is a rough guide as to how old each planet is  as per Jupiter 43.2 minutes and then subtract 8.3 minutes = 34.9 minutes ago from good old earth etc

 

There in front of me but I'm going around the hard way thank you so much.

[fozzybear]

1 minute ago, wookie1965 said:

There in front of me but I'm going around the hard way thank you so much.

so mercury is 8.3-3.2=5.1 minutes

venus is 8.3-6.0=2.3 minutes

etc etc no prob

[fozzybear]

What plans do you have in mind for the rocket...….

[wookie1965]

recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/articles/fun-stuff/transform-a-bottle-into-a-rocket-in-6-easy-steps.

Following this don't want it to be too elaborate especially as she is supposed to do it herself.

[fozzybear]

1 minute ago, wookie1965 said:

recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/articles/fun-stuff/transform-a-bottle-into-a-rocket-in-6-easy-steps.

Following this don't want it to be too elaborate especially as she is supposed to do it herself.

And their was me thinking you where going for the x=prize project and beat Richard Branson

[wookie1965]

I would love to but I want the school think she has done it herself why did you have something in mind

[fozzybear]

https://www.npl.co.uk/skills-learning/outreach/water-rockets/wr_booklet_print

I think the method we did at school albeit secondary at 11 was a fizzy drink bottle 1/2 filled with meths swilled around with cap on with as small hole in it then contents emptied so just the vapour left in said bottle then bottle placed in some gutter offcut at and angle then physics teacher with a wick lit placed at bottom of bottle and presto (don't think that this is aimed at 9 year old's ) but stook with me as my best friend lit his rocket and set fire to his brand new school blazer sleeve... LOL

[wookie1965]

I am going to make one of those we have a park 2 minutes away I will video it, get my son help me and my granddaughter will love it.

[fozzybear]

1 minute ago, wookie1965 said:

I am going to make one of those we have a park 2 minutes away I will video it, get my son help me and my granddaughter will love it.

Can't wait for my granddaughter to arrive gotta wait till feb albeit she will be a newborn and my first one. Just spend the day decorating at my sons apartment as he is moving with his wife to their first house in a few weeks (wallpapering hate it with vengeance) eyesight not the same anymore kids of today can't do anything practical (dad can you do this) a big learning curve awaits.....

[fozzybear]

Just seen your location I used to work at the sandcastle (Royal Insurance) if they are still there? back in the 90's

[Marvin Jenkins]

I love it all. Don’t wish for failure but blowing ‘stuff’ up is part of the fun. Good luck with the flight. Please post on this thread, I would love to see the end result. A grade, for your grand daughter I hope.

Marv

[wookie1965]

28 minutes ago, fozzybear said:

Just seen your location I used to work at the sandcastle (Royal Insurance) if they are still there? back in the 90's

I live in St. Helens Merseyside to be honest I don't know Sandcastle (Royal Insurance) so I could not tell you if they are still going I would have to Google them.

Congratulations on your upcoming grand parenthood your in for a treat.

Thank you for everything I really appreciate it.

[wookie1965]

16 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

I love it all. Don’t wish for failure but blowing ‘stuff’ up is part of the fun. Good luck with the flight. Please post on this thread, I would love to see the end result. A grade, for your grand daughter I hope.

Marv

I will certainly post the video I hope she gets a good grade for the project although last time about the Romans we made a helmet shield and sword did 3 pages of writing extra drawings and got 15/30 I was fuming we had done above and beyond what they asked for.

[Marvin Jenkins]

Education today!!! All you had to do in my day was turn up and you got a fail. Did you mention the Roman helmet was called a Galea?

[fozzybear]

8 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

I live in St. Helens Merseyside to be honest I don't know Sandcastle (Royal Insurance) so I could not tell you if they are still going I would have to Google them.

Congratulations on your upcoming grand parenthood your in for a treat.

Thank you for everything I really appreciate it.

the big sandcastle building next to the old echo building  had the largest open plan office space in Europe at the time on one floor

https://www.the-modernist.org/news/2018/6/23/63offgizjbg9bnosd1ixz95hz1dbz0

[Marvin Jenkins]

Just thought I would add a correction to the speed of light v distance of planets question. If the light in question is going to be seen from anywhere in France between midday and two pm then you need to add two hours to the time taken. (Nothing happens at lunch time)

After lunch time, time travels at half speed till 3 pm and you need to take into account the recent clock change and also I am one hour ahead.

No wonder I am confused.

[fozzybear]

3 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Just thought I would add a correction to the speed of light v distance of planets question. If the light in question is going to be seen from anywhere in France between midday and two pm then you need to add two hours to the time taken. (Nothing happens at lunch time)

After lunch time, time travels at half speed till 3 pm and you need to take into account the recent clock change and also I am one hour ahead.

No wonder I am confused.

dam new I went wrong somewhere in my calculations yep and watching uk tv an hour behind a real pain in the...……. knowing you have to get up for work

[Marvin Jenkins]

Good job it’s not the month of May. Five bank holidays! Imagine the heavens halting for five days in one month! Would put Stellarium in a twist for sure.

[Marvin Jenkins]

What do you mean get up for work? There is a contractual get out of clause encompassed in one word “ normallament”