NOMINAL VALUES FOR SELECTED SOLAR AND PLANETARY QUANTITIES: IAU 2015 RESOLUTION B3

In this brief communication we provide the rationale for and the outcome of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) resolution vote at the XXIXth General Assembly in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 2015, on recommended nominal conversion constants for selected solar and planetary properties. The problem addressed by the resolution is a lack of established conversion constants between solar and planetary values and SI units: a missing standard has caused a proliferation of solar values (e.g., solar radius, solar irradiance, solar luminosity, solar effective temperature, and solar mass parameter) in the literature, with cited solar values typically based on best estimates at the time of paper writing. As precision of observations increases, a set of consistent values becomes increasingly important. To address this, an IAU Working Group on Nominal Units for Stellar and Planetary Astronomy formed in 2011, uniting experts from the solar, stellar, planetary, exoplanetary, and fundamental astronomy, as well as from general standards fields to converge on optimal values for nominal conversion constants. The effort resulted in the IAU 2015 Resolution B3, passed at the IAU General Assembly by a large majority. The resolution recommends the use of nominal solar and planetary values, which are by definition exact and are expressed in SI units. These nominal values should be understood as conversion factors only, not as the true solar/planetary properties or current best estimates. Authors and journal editors are urged to join in using the standard values set forth by this resolution in future work and publications to help minimize further confusion

The longitude problem from the 1700s to today: An international and general education physics course

For instructors wishing to use physics as part of an international or general education course, the framework for a course based on the “longitude problem” from the 1700s is described. The longitude problem is teeming with basic principles of physics and astronomy, which makes it ideal for a non-science-major-based college-level course. This paper summarizes the longitude problem in the context of conceptual physics and astronomy and outlines an appropriate curriculum. Specifics on teaching such a course in London, as part of an international studies program, are discussed

Astronomical phenomena for the year ... /

"The material ... is partly a preprint of selected pages from The American ephemeris and nautical almanac."Latest issue consulted: 2005."The material ... is partly a preprint of selected pages from The American ephemeris and nautical almanac."Mode of access: Internet.Vols. for 1951- issued by the Nautical Almanac Office, United States Naval Observatory ( prepared jointly with Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office, Royal Greenwich Observatory).Vols. for 1951-19 reprinted from: American ephemeris and nautical almanac

Astronomical Almanac Online

The Astronomical Almanac Online is a collaboration between the Nautical Almanac Office in the United States and Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office (HMNAO) in the United Kingdom. The print version of the Almanac serves as a worldwide standard for annual data on the Sun, Moon, planets, satellites, eclipses and other phenomena. The online version expands upon the print version by providing data for several years. For instance, data on the Moon is provided for 2001-2004. Readers can choose between ASCII or PDF data display. This site is simple in its layout and easy to navigate. It also includes a useful 2004 glossary of astronomical terms. The data will be extremely useful for both astronomers and students of astronomy

The nautical almanac for the year .

Latest issue consulted: 2007.Issues for include insert: Index to selected stars.Mode of access: Internet.Vols. for issued jointly with Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office by order of the Secretary of State for Defence.The American and British editions are identical in contents, produced jointly, and printed separately in the U.S. and the U.K.Data in major sections reproduced as part of a computer file, Floppy almanac