Exercise:
A star is at Right Ascension 5h
0m and declination +26°20'.
The latitude φ
is +56°20'.
Local Sidereal Time is 5h 0m.
Atmospheric
pressure is 1050 millibars,
and the temperature is +5°C.
What is the stars true altitude?
LST = RA, so the star is on the
local meridian,
so altitude a = (90°-φ)
+ δ = 60°.
How much will the stars
image be shifted by atmospheric refraction,
and in which
direction?
Zenith distance z =
90°-altitude = 30°.
Angle of refraction R = k tan(z')
where k = 16.27" P/(273+T) = 16.27" x 1050 /278
= 61.45".
However, we don't know z', only
z.
For a first, approximate answer, take z = z' = 30°.
This
gives R = 35.5",
so z' = z+R = 30° 0' 35.5".
Now recalculate R = k tan(z') =
35.5"
(unchanged, so no need to iterate further).
So
the star is raised by 35.5".
What will be the stars
Right Ascension and declination,
corrected for refraction?
Since the star is on the local
meridian, the shift is only in declination.
The apparent altitude
is increased by 35.5",
so the apparent declination is
similarly increased.
So the apparent coordinates are:
Right
Ascension 5h 0m and declination +26°20'35.5".
Back to "refraction".