Question

Name Izzy

Chapter
2
Precisely Perfect
Performance Task
Building and carpentry are two areas in which it is very important to carefully measure and
calculate. Space exploration is another. What level of accuracy is needed for a telescope?
How does this level change depending on what you are viewing?
Different telescopes can help you see many things, such as a bird's nest in a tree, the
surface of the Moon, or deep into space. Greater distances require more accurate telescopes.
The accuracy of a telescope is measured in arcminutes and arcseconds, which are units of
angular measurement. There are 60 arcminutes in 1 degree, and there are 60 arcseconds
in 1 arcminute.
1.
Use a rational number to complete each statement.
1 arcminute =
60
degree
I arcsecond =
1 arcsecond =
-60
arcminute
degree
hows the accuracy of seven te

Answer 1

Telescope accuracy is crucial and measured in arcminutes and arcseconds. One arcminute is 1/60 degree and one arcsecond is 1/3600 degree. The tiny angel measurements illustrate the precision required in astronomical observations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The level of accuracy required for a telescope is often measured in arcminutes and arcseconds, which are fine-grained units of angular measurement used to express very small angles in the sky. An arcminute is 1/60th of a degree, and an arcsecond is 1/60th of an arcminute, or 1/3600th of a degree. Therefore:

• 1 arcminute = 1/60 degree
• 1 arcsecond = 1/60 arcminute
• 1 arcsecond = 1/3600 degree

For example, astronomers had to overcome great challenges to measure stellar parallax, which involves detecting the tiny shifts in a star's position as Earth orbits the Sun. These shifts are minute fractions of an arcsecond, demonstrating the high-degree of accuracy needed for observational astronomy. The precision required is also illustrated by comparing an arcsecond to a coin the size of a US quarter, which would appear to be 1 arcsecond in diameter when viewed from about 5 kilometers away. This emphasizes just how minuscule these angles really are, necessitating very accurate telescopes.