GOOF

Galilean Orbiting Object's Frequencies

Original Objective

➲ To determine the rotational frequencies of Jupiter's moons

➲ Also to determine to orbital periods of the Moons

What We Tried To Do

➲ Measure the relative brightness of two of Jupiter's moons, Europa and Callisto using the photometer and the 20” telescope.

➲ This would allow us to determine the rotational period of these two moons by determining how long it took to form a distinctive pattern.

More of What We Tried To Do

➲ Using the 12” and a CCD camera, we attempted to take pictures of Jupiter (and its moons) to determine the orbital period of the moons.

➲ By seeing when the moons came back into original positions, then we could determine how long the moons took to orbit Jupiter.

What Happened...

“Results”

➲ Most of the data was corrupted.

➲ Both the data for the comparison star that we used (SAO 187992) and the data for the moons fluctuated in weird ways...

Day 1

➲ Comparison Star, then Europa and Callisto1 2 3

-250

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

Column D

1 2 3

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

Column D

Column E

Day 2

➲ Again, the comparison star and the 2 moons.

1 2

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Column G

1 2 3

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

Column K

Column L

Day 3

➲ DANCE PARTY!!!➲ and then cloudy data. cry. ➲ Finally, robotic beings rule the

world.➲ Woohoo

So..

➲ In the end, we just got unlucky. But that's the way it goes.