National Science Olympiad Reach for the Stars B Event 2013 Stellar Evolution and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Chandra X-Ray Education & Public Outreach Office Donna L Young, Lead Educator – donna@aavso.org

The American Association of Variable Star Observers AAVSO

REACH FOR THE STARS, Division B

DESCRIPTION: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the properties and evolution of stars and their observation with different portions of the electromagnetic Spectrum: Radio, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-Ray and Gamma Ray.EVENT PARAMETERS: Each team may bring only two 8.5”x11” two-sided pagesof notes containing information in any form from any source and must providetheir own clipboards and red-filtered flashlights.

Part I: Constellation, Star, and Deep Sky Object (DSO) IdentificationPart II: i: Stellar Evolution stellar nurseries, protostars, main sequence stars, red giants, planetary nebulas, white dwarfs, red supergiants, Type Ia supernovas, Type II supernovas, neutron stars/pulsars, and black holes ii: Spectral Classification of Stars spectra and the H-R diagram iii: The Electromagnetic Spectrum multiwavelength observations iv: Stellar Temperatures, Radii, and Luminosities the H-R diagram, blackbody radiation

Part I: Constellations, Stars, and DSO’s

Aquila: Altair, CoRoT-2A, SS433 Hercules: M13Aquarius: NGC 7293 Leo: RegulusAuriga: Capella Lyra: Vega, M57Bootes: Arcturus Orion: Betelgeuse, Rigel, M42Canis Major: Sirius Perseus: AlgolCanis Minor: Procyon Sagittarius: Sag A*, M17, G359.23-0.82Carina: Eta Carinae Scorpius: AntaresCentaurus: Proxima Centauri Taurus: Aldebaran, HL Tau, M1, M45Cassiopeia: Cas A, Tycho, NGC 281 HyadesDorado: 30 Doradus Ursa Minor: PolarisCygnus: Deneb, Cygnus X-1, Ursa Major: Mizar, Alcor, SN1993J NGC 7000 Vela: γ Velorum, Vela SNRGemini: Castor, Pollux, Geminga Virgo: SpicaLibra: Gliese 581

Aquila: Altair, CoRoT-2A (star with planet), SS433 (X-Ray Binary)

Aquarius: NGC 7293 (The Helix Nebula)

Auriga: Capella

Bootes: Arcturus (Red Giant)

Canis Major: Sirius & Canis Minor: Procyon (White Dwarf Companions)

Carina: Eta Carinae (Hypergiant)

Centaurus: Proxima Centauri (Red Dwarf Star)

Cassiopeia: Cas A (Type II Supernova) Tycho’s Star (Type Ia Supernova), NGC 281 (Star Formation Region)

Dorado: 30 Doradus (Tarantula Nebula) – Star Formation Region

Cygnus: Deneb, Cygnus X-1 (X-Ray Binary) NGC 7000 (North American Nebula)

Gemini: Castor, Pollux, Geminga (Neutron Star)

Libra: Gliese 581 (Red Dwarf)

Hercules: M13 (Globular Cluster)

Leo: Regulus

Lyra: Vega, M57 (Ring Nebula – Planetary Nebula & White Dwarf)

Orion: α Orionis (Betelgeuse - Red Supergiant), Rigel M42 (Orion Nebula – Star Formation Region)

Perseus: Algol

Sagittarius: Sgr A*, M 17 (Omega or Swan Nebula – Star Formation Region), G357.23-0.82 (Pulsar)

Scorpius: α Scorpii – Antares (Red Supergiant)

Taurus: Aldebaran (Red Giant), HL Tau (Star & Planet), Hyades (Open Cluster), M1 (Crab Nebula - SNR), M45 (Pleiades – Open Cluster)

Ursa Minor: Polaris Ursa Major: Mizar, Alcor, SN1993J (Supernova in M81)

Vela: γ Velorum (multiple system – Wolf Rayet Star), Vela SNR

Virgo: Spica

Part II i: Stellar Evolution

Arcturus – K1

Procyon – F5

Sun – G2

Part II ii: Spectral Classification of Stars

Summary of the Classification of Stars

SpectralClass

Temperature (oK) Strength of Balmer lines Other lines to look for

O 30,000 - 60,000 weak or not visible Ionized He (4540Å)

B 10,000 - 30,000 moderate

A 7,500 - 10,000 strong

F 6,000 - 7,500 weak Ionized Ca (3930Å, 3970Å) strong compared to neutral H (4340Å)

G 5,000 - 6,000 weak Ionized Ca (3930Å, 3970Å) strong compared to neutral H (4340Å)

K 3,500 - 5,000 weak or not visible Many lines, neutral Ca 4230 Å

M < 3,500 not visible Many lines

The Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) Diagram

Spectral Image

Spectral Plot

Spectral Image & Spectral Plot

Spectral Image& Spectral Plot

HydrogenBalmerLines

Spectral Image, Spectral Plot &BalmerLines

HydrogenBalmer Lines

He, Ca, H Lines

Part II iii: Observations across the Electromagnetic Spectrum

Cas A

Crab Nebula

Eta Carinae

Part II iv: Stellar Temperatures, radii, and Luminosities

L = 4πR2σT4

Blackbody Radiation: Planck’s Law & Wien’s Law λmax = 2.9 x 107 /T

chandra.harvard.eduhttp://soinc.org

aavso.org

apod.nasa.gov

National Reach for the Stars Event Supervisor:Dustin Schroeder - dschroed@gmail.com

Rules clarifications: available at www.soinc.org under event information

Event Preparation:1. Read the Event Description for content and allowable resources.2. Use the Webinar and PowerPoint for an overview of the content topics and deep sky objects.3. Use the Astronomy Coaches Manuel as a guide to collect images and information for the 2013 competition topics and DSOs. 4. Use the websites in the event description for images and content.5. Download the 2012 Reach for the Stars Event from the AAVSO website to use as a guide for the types of questions and to use as practice with different types of star charts.