Cosmology Assignment: Analyzing Celestial Photography Images

This document presents a detailed analysis of four astronomy pictures as part of a cosmology assignment. The first image depicts a rocket launch from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China, highlighting the Long March 3B carrier and its function in launching communication satellites. The second image showcases star trails above Mount Everest, captured using long exposure techniques to reveal the Earth's rotation and the varying temperatures of stars. The third picture, "A Cold River to Orion," features the Orion constellation and the Lielupe river in Latvia, captured using nightscape photography. The final image, "Good Morning Leonid," captures a meteor shower over the Black Forest in Germany, emphasizing the Leonid meteors and the constellation Leo. Each analysis includes details on the location, photography techniques, and celestial objects featured in the images, referencing NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day archive.

Running head: Cosmology 1
Astronomy Picture
Student Name
Institution

Cosmology 2
Rocket Launch between Mountains
In the above picture, we can see that a rocket is being launched and it can be seen
between the mountains. This rocket was launched into space Xichang Satellite Launch Center,
which is located in China, in the province of Sichuan. Two of the navigation satellites were
launched with the help of this rocket named Long March 3B carrier. The Long March 3B Carrier
was introduced in the year of 1996 by China. This type of rocket is mostly used to carry
communication satellites and launch them into geosynchronous orbit. The satellites were planned
to place 2000 KMS from the earth, and this beyond the International Space Station’s orbit.
Mission Changi3 of China was launched in the year 2013, and the Rover robot was landed in
China. The image was taken from approx. 10 km away from the launching site, and this image is
a nightscape photography with the shutter speed set to around 1 and focal length set to approx.
f/4.0 that is the reason that image background has a lot of colours. The above picture was taken
by Yudong Jiang. Nasa is using these types so pictures in their album “Discover the cosmos!”
where lots of pictures are there related to cosmos.

Cosmology 3
Mount Everest Star Trails
In the above picture, we see the trails of stars and different space objects above the Mount
Everest, which is one of the world’s highest mountain in the Himalayas mountain ranges in the
country of Nepal. The picture we see above is known as night skyscape picture and this type of
picture is taken at focal length nearby f/3.5 which is used to capture trails and also known as a
live view. This picture was taken on the 30th September with 240 sequential exposure were
captured in the camera in 1.5 hours, and this is the time needed to see such a colourful trail of the
stars. The picture was taken from the Everest Base Camp and this is north face of the mountain.
We can see the background at the night because of the moonlight. Reflecting the everyday
rotation of the planet on its orbit, their movement is accompanied by delicate bends, focused on
the South Pole, which is a point underneath the rough horizon. The shade of the trails really
shows the temperature of the stars. The shades of blue are with hot stars, and the hues from
yellow to red are cooler than the stars contrasted with the sun.

Cosmology 4
A Cold River to Orion
The above picture is taken from the river Lielupe. According to the description “A Cold
River to the Orion”, it seems that the river is taking us to the constellation. Orion is an important
constellation that is located in the celestial equator, this can be seen throughout the world. It also
is known as one of the most recognizable and conspicuous constellations the sky at the night.
This picture is also a night skyscape picture which is taken an advance night skyscape mode.
This is a mode set in camera which is used to capture the stars and the flow of the river by
capturing the image at regular shutter set around 1 and usually takes around 30 seconds
minimum. All planned and arranged, Orion focuses on the south of Panorama, which is taken in
three exposures from an extension close to the town of Staljen, Latvia, Planet Earth. You can see
the ice drifting in the river and this is captured at long exposure, while the natural stars of Orion
and the evening of the northern winter show up above and beneath the skyline. The horizon of
the town with the skyline includes a beam of light coming from the community church.

Cosmology 5
Good Morning Leonid
In the above picture, you will a landscape picture with clouds and a meteor captured in
the camera. This picture was taken on 17th of November 2017, and the time was just 30min
approx. before the sunrise. This type of picture is known as landscape photography and is taken
at advance mode with focal length around f/4 and is the long exposure picture. This picture was
taken from the top of the summit of Hochblauen, placed at the height of 1165M in the black
forest of southern Germany. In the picture, we can see a well-known start, Sirius which is seen
near the southern western horizon. The meteor is heading toward the hunter’s belt and sword.
The colour of dawn is clearly visible above the clouds that have covered the whole region of the
black forest. You can also see the constellation leo which is on the top left of the picture frame
and is above the horizon. Leonids are the type of meteors that are connected with the comet
“Temple-Tuttle”

Cosmology 6
References
NASA. (2018). Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive. Retrieved from NASA:
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html