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  • Current Syllabus
  • Advanced Mechanics
  • Electromagnetism
  • The Nature of Light
  • From the Universe to the Atom
  • Pre-2019 Syllabus
    • Space
    • Motors and Generators
    • From Ideas to Implementation
    • Astrophysics
  • Other Subjects
  • EasyChem – HSC Chemistry
  • EasyHSC – HSC Business Studies
  • EasyBio – HSC Biology
  • Search

Parallax

Astrophysics > Parallax

Careful measurement of a celestial object’s position in the sky (astrometry) may be used to determine its distance

Students learn to:

  • define the terms parallax, parsec, light-year
  • explain how trigonometric parallax can be used to determine the distance to stars
  • discuss the limitations of trigonometric parallax measurements

Students:

  • solve problems and analyse information to calculate the distance to a star given its trigonometric parallax using: 
  • gather and process information to determine the relative limits to trigonometric parallax distance determinations using recent ground-based and space-based telescopes

Extract from Physics Stage 6 Syllabus (Amended October 2002). © 2009, Board of Studies NSW.

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