Appendix E: Data Tables

A-8

Planet Satellite Discoverers of moons Average distance from center of planet (km) Orbital (sidereal) period* (days) Orbital eccentricity Diameter of satellite (km) Mass (kg)
EARTH Moon — 384,400 27.322 0.0549 3476 7.349 × 1022
MARS Phobos Hall (1877) 9,378 0.319 0.02 28 × 23 × 2 1.1 × 1016
  Deimos Hall (1877) 23,459 1.262 0.00 16 × 12 × 10 2.4 × 1015
JUPITER Io Galileo (1610) 421,600 1.769 0.00 3643 8.93 × 1022
  Europa Galileo (1610) 670,900 3.551 0.01 3138 4.80 × 1022
  Ganymede Galileo (1610) 1,070,000 7.155 0.00 5268 1.48 × 1023
  Callisto Galileo (1610) 1,883,000 16.689 0.01 4821 1.08 × 1023
SATURN Mimas Herschel(1789) 185,520 0.942 0.02 392 3.8 × 1019
  Enceladus Herschel (1789) 238,020 1.370 0.00 444 7.3 × 1019
  Tethys Cassini (1684) 294,660 1.888 0.00 1050 6.3 × 1020
  Dione Cassini (1684) 377,400 2.737 0.00 1120 1.1 × 1021
  Rhea Cassini (1672) 527,040 4.518 0.00 1528 2.3 × 1021
  Titan Huygens (1655) 1,221,830 15.945 0.03 5150 1.3 × 1023
  Iapetus Cassini (1671) 3,561,300 79.330 0.03 1436 1.6 × 1021
URANUS Miranda Kuiper (1948) 129,872 1.413 0.00 −470 6.6 × 1019
  Ariel Lassell (1851) 190,945 2.520 0.00 −1160 1.4 × 1021
  Umbriel Lassell (1851) 265,998 4.144 0.01 1169 1.2 × 1021
  Titania Herschel (1787) 436,298 8.706 0.00 1578 3.5 × 1021
  Oberon Herschel (1787) 583,519 13.463 0.00 1523 3.0 × 1021
NEPTUNE Triton Lassell (1846) 354,760 5.877R 0.00 2704 2.14 × 1022
  Nereid Kuiper (1949) 5,513,400 360.1 0.75 340 2 × 1019
*A superscript R means that the satellite orbits in a retrograde direction (opposite to the planet’s rotation).
Table E-3: MAJOR SATELLITES OF THE PLANETS BY MASS

A-9

  Pluto Ceres Eris Makemake Haumea
Year of Discovery        1930        1801        2003        2005        2004
Semimajor axis (AU)        39.4817        2.766        67.668        45.79        43.13
Semimajor axis (106 km)        5906.4        413.7        10210        6850        6452
Sidereal period (year)        247.7        4.599        557        309.9        283.28
Sidereal period (day)        90470        1680        2.03 × 105        113183        103468
Mean orbital speed (km/s)        4.67        17.88        3.44        4.42        4.484
Orbital eccentricity        0.249        0.080        0.442        0.159        0.195
Inclination of orbit to ecliptic (°)        17.14        10.59        44.19        28.96        28.22
Equatorial diameter (km)        2390        941        2400        720        1300
Equatorial diameter (Earth = 1)        0.19        0.074        0.19        0.0057        .164
Mass (kg)        1.3 × 1022        9.5 × 1020        1.7 × 1022        ?        4.0 × 1021
Mass (Earth = 1)        2.2 × 10−3        1.6 × 10−4        2.8 × 10−3        ?        6.6 × 10−4
Mean density (kg/m3)        2030        2080        2100        ?        3000
Rotation period (days)        6.388R        0.3781        ?        0.324        .163
Inclination of equator to orbit (°)        122.5        4        ?        ?        ?
Surface gravity (Earth = 1)        0.06        0.028        0.07        ?        0.045
Escape velocity (km/s)        1.2        0.51        1.3        ?        0.84
Location        Kuiper Belt (TNO)        Asteroid Belt        TNO        TNO        TNO
Number of satellites        3        0        1        0        2
Table E-4: DWARF PLANETS

A-10

Name* Parallax (arcsec) Distance (ly) Spectral type Radial velocity** (km/s) Proper motion (arcsec/year) Apparent visual magnitude Absolute visual magnitude Luminosity (Sun = 1)
Sun     G2 V     −26.7 +4.85 1.00
Proxima Centauri 0.769 4.22 M5.5 V −22 3.853 +11.09 +15.53 8.2 × 10−4
Alpha Centauri A 0.747 4.40 G2 V −25 3.710 −0.01 +4.38 1.77
Alpha Centauri B 0.747 4.40 K0 V −21 3.724 +1.34 +5.71 0.55
Barnard’s Star 0.547 5.94 M4 V −111 10.358 +9.53 +13.22 3.6 × 10−3
Wolf 359 0.419 7.80 M6 V +13 4.696 +13.44 +16.6    3.5 × 10−4
Lalande 21185 0.393 8.32 M2 V −84 4.802 +7.47 +10.44 0.023
L 726−8 A 0.374 8.56 M5.5 V +29 3.368 +12.54 +15.4    9.4 × 10−4
L 726−8 B 0.374 8.56 M6 V +32 3.368 +12.99 +15.9    5.6 × 10−4
Sirius A 0.380 8.61 A1 V −9 1.339 −1.43 +1.47 26.1
Sirius B 0.380 8.61 white dwarf −9 1.339 +8.44 +11.34 2.4 × 10−3
Ross 154 0.337 9.71 M3.5 V −12 0.666 +10.43 +13.07 4.1 × 10−3
Ross 248 0.316 10.32 M5.5 V −78 1.617 +12.29 +14.8    1.5 × 10−3
Epsilon Eridani 0.310 10.49 K2 V +17 0.977 +3.73 +6.19 0.40
Lacaille 9352 0.304 10.73 M1.5 V +10 6.896 +7.34 +9.75 0.051
Ross 128 0.299 10.87 M4 V −31 1.361 +11.13 +13.51 2.9 × 10−3
L 789−6 0.294 11.09 M5 V −60 3.259 +12.33 +14.7    1.3 × 10−3
61 Cygni A 0.286 11.36 K5 V −65 5.281 +5.21 +7.49 0.16
61 Cygni B 0.286 11.44 K7 V −64 5.172 +6.03 +8.31 0.095
Procyon A 0.286 11.40 F5 IV–V −4 1.259 +0.38 +2.66 7.73
Procyon B 0.286 11.40 white dwarf −4 1.259 +10.7 +12.98 5.5 × 10−4
BD +59° 1915 A 0.281 11.61 M3 V −1 2.238 +8.94 +11.18 0.020
BD +59° 1915 B 0.281 11.61 M3.5 V +1 2.313 +9.70 +11.97 0.010
Groombridge 34 A 0.281 11.65 M1.5 V +12 2.918 +8.08 +10.32 0.030
Groombridge 34 B 0.281 11.65 M3.5 V +11 2.918 +11.06 +13.3    3.1 × 10−3
Epsilon Indi 0.276 11.82 K5 V −40 4.704 +4.69 +6.89 0.27
GJ 1111 0.276 11.82 M6.5 V −5 1.290 +14.78 +16.98 2.7 × 10−4
Tau Ceti 0.274 11.90 G8 V −17 1.922 +3.49 +5.68 0.62
GJ 1061 0.272 12.08 M5.5 V −20 0.826 +13.09 +15.26 1.0 × 10−3
L 725−32 0.269 12.12 M4.5 V +28 1.372 +12.10 +14.25 1.7 × 10−3
BD +05° 1668 0.263 12.40 M3.5 V +18 3.738 +9.84 +11.94 0.011
Kapteyn’s star 0.255 12.79 M1.5 V +246 8.670 +8.84 +10.87 0.013
Lacaille 8760 0.253 12.89 M0 V +28 3.455 +6.67 +8.69 0.094
Krüger 60 A 0.248 13.05 M3 V −33 0.990 +9.79 +11.76 0.010
Krüger 60 B 0.248 13.05 M4 V −32 0.990 +11.41 +13.38 3.4 × 10−3
*Stars that are components of binary systems are labeled A and B.
**A positive radial velocity means the star is receding; a negative radial velocity means the star is approaching.
Compiled from the Hipparcos General Catalogue and from data reported by the Research Consortium on Nearby Stars. The table lists all known stars within 4.00 parsecs (13.05 light-years).
Table E-5: THE NEAREST STARS

A-11

Name Designation Distance (ly) Spectral type Radial velocity* (km/s) Proper motion (arcsec/year) Apparent visual magnitude Apparent visual brightness** (Sirius = 1) Absolute visual magnitude Luminosity (Sun = 1)
Sirius A α CMa A 8.61 A1 V −9 1.339 −1.43 1.000 +1.47 26.1
Canopus α Car 313 F0 I +21 0.031 −0.62 0.470 −5.53 1.4 × 104
Arcturus α Boo 36.7 K2 III −5 2.279 −0.05 0.278 −0.31 190
Rigil Kentaurus α Cen A 4.4 G2 V −25 3.71 −0.01 0.268 +4.38 1.77
Vega α Lyr 25.3 A0 V −14 0.035 +0.03 0.258 +0.58 61.9
Capella α Aur 42.2 G8 III +30 0.434 +0.08 0.247 −0.48 180
Rigel β Ori A 773 B8 Ia +21 0.002 +0.18 0.225 −6.69 7.0 × 105
Procyon α CMi A 11.4 F5 IV−V −4 1.259 +0.38 0.184 +2.66 7.73
Achernar α Eri 144 B3 IV +19 0.097 +0.45 0.175 −2.77 5250
Betelgeuse α Ori 427 M2 Iab +21 0.029 +0.45 0.175 −5.14 4.1 × 104
Hadar β Cen 525 B1 II −12 0.042 +0.61 0.151 −5.42 8.6 × 104
Altair α Aql 16.8 A7 IV−V −26 0.661 +0.77 0.132 +2.2 11.8
Aldebaran α Tau A 65.1 K5 III +54 0.199 +0.87 0.119 −0.63 370
Spica α Vir 262 B1 V +1 0.053 +0.98 0.108 −3.55 2.5 × 104
Antares α Sco A 604 M1 Ib −3 0.025 +1.06 0.100 −5.28 3.7 × 104
Pollux β Gem 33.7 K0 III +3 0.627 +1.16 0.091 +1.09 46.6
Fomalhaut α PsA 25.1 A3 V +7 0.368 +1.17 0.090 +1.74 18.9
Deneb α Cyg 3230 A2 Ia −5 0.002 +1.25 0.084 −8.73 3.2 × 105
Mimosa β Cru 353 B0.5 III +20 0.05 +1.25 0.084 −3.92 3.4 × 104
Regulus α Leo A 77.5 B7 V +4 0.249 +1.36 0.076 −0.52 331
Data in this table was compiled from the Hipparcos General Catalogue.
*A positive radial velocity means the star is receding; a negative radial velocity means the star is approaching.
**This is the ratio of the star’s apparent brightness to that of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.
Note: Acrux, or α Cru (the brightest star in Crux, the Southern Cross), appears to the naked eye as a star of apparent magnitude +0.87, the same as Aldebaran, but it does not appear in this table because Acrux is actually a binary star system. The blue-white component stars of this binary system have apparent magnitudes of +1.4 and +1.9, and thus they are dimmer than any of the stars listed here.
Table E-6: THE VISUALLY BRIGHTEST STARS

A-12

A-13

A-14

Name Meaning R.A. Dec. Genitive* Abbreviation
Andromeda proper name; princess 1 +40 Andromedae And
Antlia air pump 10 −35 Antliae Ant
Apus bee 16 −75 Apodis Aps
Aquarius1,2 waterman 22 −10 Aquarii Aqr
Aquila eagle 20 +15 Aquilae Aql
Ara altar 17 −55 Arae Ara
Aries2 ram 3 +20 Arietis Ari
Auriga charioteer 6 +40 Aurigae Aur
Boötes proper name; herdsman, wagoner 15 +30 Boötis Boo
Caelum engraving tool 5 −40 Caeli Cae
Camelopardalis giraffe 6 +70 Camelopardalis Cam
Cancer2 crab 8.5 +15 Cancri Cnc
Canes Venatici hunting dogs 13 +40 Canum Venaticorum CVn
Canis Major larger dog 7 −20 Canis Majoris CMa
Canis Minor smaller dog 8 +5 Canis Minoris CMi
Capricornus1,2 water—goat 21 −20 Capricornii Cap
Carina keel 9 −60 Carinae Car
Cassiopeia proper name; queen 1 +60 Cassiopeiae Cas
Centaurus centaur 13 −45 Centauri Cen
Cepheus proper name; king 22 +65 Cephei Cep
Cetus whale 2 −10 Ceti Cet
Chamaeleon chameleon 10 −80 Chamaeleontis Cha
Circinus compasses 15 −65 Circini Cir
Columba dove 6 −35 Columbae Col
Coma Berenices Berenice’s hair 13 +20 Comae Berenices Com
Corona Australis3 southern crown 19 +40 Coronae Australis CrA
Corona Borealis4 northern crown 16 +30 Coronae Borealis CrB
Corvus5 crow, raven 12 −20 Corvi Crv
Crater cup 11 −15 Crateris Crt
Crux6 southern cross 12 −60 Crucis Cru
Cygnus swan 21 +40 Cygni Cyg
Delphinus1 dolphin 21 +10 Delphini Del
Dorado7 swordfish 6 −55 Doradus Dor
Draco8 dragon 15 +60 Draconis Dra
Equuleus little horse 21 +10 Equulei Equ
Eridanus proper name; river 4 −30 Eridani Eri
Fornax furnace 3 −30 Fornacis For
Gemini2 twins 7 +20 Geminorum Gem
Grus crane 22 −45 Gruis Gru
Hercules9 proper name; hero 17 +30 Herculis Her
Horologium clock 3 −55 Horologii Hor
Hydra water serpant 12 −25 Hydrae Hya
Hydrus water snake 2 −70 Hydri Hyi
Indus Indian 22 −70 Indi Ind
Lacerta lizard 22 +45 Lacertae Lac
Leo2 lion 11 +15 Leonis Leo
Leo Minor smaller lion 10 +35 Leonis Minoris LMi
Lepus hare 6 −20 Leporis Lep
Libra2,10 scales 15 −15 Librae Lib
Lupus wolf 15 −45 Lupi Lup
Lynx lynx 8 +45 Lyncis Lyn
Lyra5 lyre 19 +35 Lyrae Lyr
Microscopium microscope 21 −40 Microscopii Mic
Monoceros unicorn 7 0 Monocerotis Mon
Mensa table 6 −75 Mensae Men
Musca (Australis)11 (southern) fly 12 −70 Muscae Mus
Norma square 16 −50 Normae Nor
Octans12 octant — −90 Octantis Oct
Ophiuchus2,13 serpent-bearer 17 0 Ophiuchi Oph
Orion proper name; hunter, giant 6 0 Orionis Ori
Pavo peacock 20 −70 Pavonis Pav
Pegasus proper name; winged horse 23 +20 Pegasi Peg
Perseus proper name; hero 3 +45 Persei Per
Phoenix phoenix 1 −50 Phoenicis Phe
Pictor easel 6 −55 Pictoris Pic
Pisces1,2 fishes 1 +10 Piscium Psc
Piscis Austrinus1 southern fish 22 −30 Piscis Austrini PsA
Puppis stern 8 −30 Puppis Pup
Pyxis compass 9 −30 Pyxidis Pyx
Reticulum net 4 −60 Reticuli Ret
Sagitta arrow 20 +20 Sagittae Sge
Sagittarius2,14 archer 19 −25 Sagittarii Sgr
Scorpius2 scorpion 17 −30 Scorpii Sco
Sculptor15 sculptor’s workshop 1 −30 Sculptoris Scl
Scutum16 shield 19 −10 Scuti Sct
Serpens13 serpent 17 0 Serpentis Ser
Sextans sextant 10 0 Sextantis Sex
Taurus2 bull 5 +20 Tauri Tau
Telescopium telescope 19 −50 Telescopii Tel
Triangulum triangle 2 +30 Trianguli Tri
Triangulum Australe southern triangle 16 −65 Trianguli Australis TrA
Tucana17 toucan 0 −65 Tucanae Tuc
Ursa Major larger bear 11 +60 Ursae Majoris UMa
Ursa Minor18 smaller bear 16 +80 Ursae Minoris UMi
Vela sails 10 −45 Velorum Vel
Virgo2 virgin 13 0 Virginis Vir
Volans flying fish 8 −70 Volantis Vol
Vulpecula fox 20 +25 Vulpeculae Vul
*Genitive is the grammatical case denoting possession. For example, astronomers denote the brightest or α (alpha) star in Orion (Betelgeuse) as a Orionis.
1Constellations of the area of the sky known as the wet quarter for its many watery images.
2A zodiac constellation.
3Sometimes considered as Sagittarius’s crown.
4Ariadne’s crown.
5Corvus was Orpheus’s companion, Lyra his harp.
6Originally a part of Centaurus.
7Contains the Large Magellanic Cloud and the south ecliptic pole.
8Contains the north ecliptic pole.
9One of the oldest constellations known.
10Originally the claws of Scorpius.
11Originally named Musca Australis to distinguish it from Musca Borealis, the northern fly, which is now defunct; “Australis” is now dropped.
12Contains the south celestial pole.
13Ophiucus is identified with the physician Aesculapius, and Serpens with the caduceus.
14Contains the galactic center.
15Originally named by Lacaille l’Atelier du Sculpteur (in Latin, Apparatus Sculptoris); now known simply as Sculptor. Contains the south galactic pole.
16Shield of the Polish hero John Sobieski.
17Contains the Small Magellanic Cloud.
18Contains the north celestial pole.
Table E-7: THE CONSTELLATIONS

A-15

Astronomical unit: 1 AU = 1.496 × 1011 m
Light–year: 1 ly = 9.461 × 1015 m
       = 63,240 AU
Parsec: 1 pc = 3.086 × 1016 m
        = 3.262 ly
Solar mass: 1 M⊙ = 1.989 × 1030 kg
Solar radius: 1 R⊙ = 6.960 × 108 m
Solar luminosity: 1 L⊙ = 3.827 × 1026 W
Earth’s mass: 1 M⊕ = 5.974 × 1024 kg
Earth’s equatorial radius: 1 R⊕ = 6.378 × 106 m
Moon’s mass: 1 MMoon = 7.349 × 1022 kg
Moon’s equatorial radius: 1 RMoon = 1.738 × 106 m
Table E-8: SOME USEFUL ASTRONOMICAL QUANTITIES
Speed of light: c = 2.998 × 108 m/s
Gravitational constant: G = 6.668 × 10−11 N m2 kg−2
Planck constant: h = 6.626 × 10−34 J s
   = 4.136 × 10−15 eV s
Boltzmann constant: k = 1.380 × 10−23 J K−1
   = 8.617 × 10−5 eV K−1
Stefan–Boltzmann constant: σ = 5.670 × 10−8 W m−2 K−4
Mass of electron: me = 9.109 × 10−31 kg
Mass of 1 H atom: mH = 1.673 × 10−27 kg
Table E-9: SOME USEFUL PHYSICAL CONSTANTS
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters (cm)
1 cm = 0.394 inch (in)
1 yard = 0.914 meter (m)
1 meter = 1.09 yards = 39.37 inches
1 mile = 1.61 kilometers (km)
1 km = 0.621 mile (mi)
Table E-10: COMMON CONVERSIONS BETWEEN U.S. CUSTOMARY AND METRIC UNITS

A-16

Spiral galaxy R.A. Decl. Hubble type Interacting galaxies R.A. Decl.
M31 (NGC 224) 0h 42.7m +41° 16′ Sb M51 (NGC 5194) 13h 29.9m +47° 12′
M58 (NGC 4579) 12 37.7 +11 49 Sb NGC 5195 13 30.0 +47 16
M61 (NGC 4303) 12 21.9 + 4 28 Sc M65 (NGC 3623) 11 18.9 +13 05
M63 (NGC 5055) 13 15.8 +42 02 Sb M66 (NGC 3627) 11 20.2 +12 59
M64 (NGC 4826) 12 56.7 +21 41 Sb M81 (NGC 3031)   9 55.6 +69 04
M74 (NGC 628) 1 36.7 +15 47 Sc M82 (NGC 3034)   9 55.8 +69 41
M83 (NGC 5236) 13 37.0 −29 52 Sc M95 (NGC 3351) 10 44.0 +11 42
M88 (NGC 4501) 12 32.0 +14 25 Sb M96 (NGC 3368) 10 46.8 +11 49
M90 (NGC 4569) 12 36.8 +13 10 Sb M105 (NGC 3379) 10 47.8 +12 35
M94 (NGC 4736) 12 50.9 +41 07 Sb      
M98 (NGC 4192) 12 13.8 +14 54 Sb      
M99 (NGC 4254) 12 18.8 +14 25 Sc      
M100 (NGC 4321) 12 22.9 +15 49 Sc      
M101 (NGC 5457) 14 03.2 +54 21 Sc      
M104 (NGC 4594) 12 40.0 −11 37 Sa      
M108 (NGC 3556) 11 11.5 +55 40 Sc      
Table E-11: SPIRAL GALAXIES AND INTERACTING GALAXIES
Individual contribution Section total
Dark matter and dark energy contributions         0.954 ± 0.003*
   Dark energy    0.72 ± 0.03     
   Dark matter    0.23 ± 0.03     
   Primeval graviational radiation    ≤10−10     
Contributions from Big Bang era         0.0010 ± 0.0005
   Electromagnetic radiation    10−4.3 ± 0.000001     
   Neutrinos    10−2.9 ± 0.1     
Normal particle (baryon) rest mass         0.045 ± 0.003
   Charged particles (plasma) between stars and galaxies    0.0418 ± 0.003     
   Main sequence stars in elliptical galaxies and nuclear bulges    0.0015 ± 0.0004     
   Neutral hydrogen & helium    0.00062 ± 0.00010     
   Main sequence stars in galactic disks and in irregular galaxies    0.00055 ± 0.00014     
   White dwarfs    0.00036 ± 0.00008     
   Molecular gas    0.00016 ± 0.00006     
   Substellar objects    0.00014 ± 0.00007     
   Black holes    0.00007 ± 0.00002     
   Neutron stars    0.00005 ± 0.00002     
   Planets    10−6 ± 0.1     
*The numbers after the plus or minus (±) symbol indicate the possible errors in the given numbers.
This table lists the major contributions to the mass and energy of the universe.
Table E-12: MASS AND ENERGY INVENTORY FOR THE UNIVERSE