Hello and welcome to another issue of Outline-Fest. You can refer to the bottom of this post to
see how the outline was created. Feel
free to use this outline for ideas - just don’t forget to cite correctly. Good day.
Topic:
Astronomy
Specified
Topic: Alpha
Centauri
Basic
Outline:
I.
Introduction
A.
Introductory Statement(s):
1.
People have gazed up at the heavens for thousands of years finding patterns in
constellations and color of stars.
2.
Now with more advanced technology we can “tag” more stars and give more
accurate descriptions of them.
3.
One group of stars has been labeled Alpha Centauri due to the fact that it is
one of closest star systems to our sun.
B.
Thesis: These groups of stars have specific, scientific characteristics that
make it unique to observers and astronomers when seen in the night sky as a
part of the constellation, “Centaurus” or “Rigil Centaurus” which translates to
“foot of the centaur”.
C.
Main Ideas:
1. Characteristics
2. Location
3. Other Interesting Data
II. Characteristics
A.
Alpha Centauri is actually made up of three stars, Alpha Centauri A, Alpha
Centauri B, and Proxima Centauri, but since these stars are so close to
together, they seem to be one star as seen by the unaided eye.
C.
One of the most prominent stars, Alpha Centauri A, is somewhat bigger, and
gives off a more brilliant yellow light than our Sun does. Its spectral type (surface temperature and
light emitted) is G2 and evident magnitude of +0.01.
D.
Proxima however, revolves around Alpha A and Alpha B for about 500,000 years
before making one complete round.
E.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica this star system is the fourth brightest
as seen from Earth coming after Sirius, Canopus, and Arcturus on the list.
1.
Although Proxima Centauri is part of this bright star system, it cannot be seen
by the unaided eye due to its stature as a red dwarf.
III. Location
A.
This system of stars includes Proxima Centauri which is the nearest to our Sun,
which is about 4.2 light years away.
B.
Alpha A and Alpha B are estimated to be 1/5 light years more than Proxima
Centauri’s distance from the Sun. A
& B rotate around each other and make a full rotation every 80 years or so.
C.
Alpha A and Alpha B are the most prominent stars that are seen in the
constellation Centaurus, mentioned earlier.
1.
For instance, in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana, this star can be seen near the
horizon and is only noticeable in May.
IV. Other Interesting Data
A.
An Astronomical Unit (or AU) is one of the most frequently used unit measuring
distance; and is equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the Sun which
is about 149,600,000 km.
B.
The star, Proxima Centauri which was mentioned to be the nearest star measures
to be 39,900,000,000,000 km (about 271,000 A.U.) away which is very far
nevertheless.
C.
Alpha Centauri C (or Proxima Centauri) takes a while to revolve around the two
larger stars in the Alpha Centauri system due to the fact that it is about 1.5
trillion km (or 930 billion miles) away - an incredible distance.
V. Conclusion
A.
Thesis Restatement: This well-known system among astronomers and avid
stargazers has some specific characteristics that make it a unique system to
look at, from the perspective of the aided or non-aided eye. Even an amateur can observe this star in the
constellation “Centaurus” visible in the night skies of the Southern Hemisphere.
B.
Brief Restatement Evidence and Circumstantial Information:
1.
The system of stars called the Alpha Centauri consists of Alpha Centauri A, Alpha
Centauri B, and Alpha Centauri C (otherwise known as Proxima Centauri).
2.
Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to our Sun, which is about 4.2 light years
away.
3.
The A.U. is one of the most frequently used unit measuring distance; and is
equivalent to the distance between the Earth and the Sun which is about
149,600,000 km.
C.
So, with this new or refreshed knowledge, spotting this constellation would
have more meaning into it than just a small dot in the sky.
Author’s
Note:
Are you still stuck with a few ideas to write your report or essay on? Would you like to find more information on your project?
Check out some of the works cited sources below for more
information. By the way, there are some
bits of information in my research that were not included in the outline
because they did not fit into a particular category or that some detail were
intentionally omitted while crafting this outline. Feel free to use those if they fit in your
essay; just be sure to cite the source.
Best wishes for your report or essay.
Brainstorm:
- Characteristics?
- Location?
- Similar Types of Stars?
- History / Discovery?
- Other Interesting Facts?
Research:
+ “triple star, the faintest component
of which, Proxima Centauri, is the closest star to the Sun, at about 4.2
light-years' distance” (Location) - Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “two brighter components [Alpha
Centauri A & Alpha Centauri B], about 1/5 light-year farther from the Sun,
revolve around each other with a period of about 80 years” (Characteristics) -
Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “Proxima may be circling them with a
period probably of 500,000 years” (Characteristics) - Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “brightest component star resembles
the Sun in spectral type, diameter, and absolute magnitude […] apparent visual
magnitude is 0.0” (Characteristics) - Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “second brightest component, of visual
magnitude 1.4, is a redder star. The third component, of 11th magnitude, is a
red dwarf star” (Characteristics) - Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “from Earth, the system is the fourth
brightest star (after Sirius, Canopus, and Arcturus); the red dwarf Proxima is
invisible to the unaided eye” (Characteristics) - Encyclopedia Britannica
+ “in the southern constellation
Centaurus and can be seen only from south of about 40° north latitude”
(Location) - Encarta
+ “located in the constellation Centaurus and is sometimes
called Rigil Kentaurus, which literally means “foot of the centaur.” (Location)
- Encarta
+ “triple star system that appears as a single point of light
because its two largest and brightest members, Alpha Centauri A and Alpha
Centauri B, are too close together for the naked eye […] and its third member,
Alpha Centauri C, is too small and dim to be seen at all” (Characteristics) - Encarta
+
“Texas, Louisiana, and Florida, for example, it appears very low in the
southern sky and is most easily visible in May.” (Other) - Encarta
+
“average distance between A and B is about 3.6 billion km (2.2 billion mi),
which is a bit more than the average distance between the Sun and the planet
Uranus” (Other) - Encarta
+
“Alpha Centauri C orbits A and B at a tremendous distance—about 1,500 billion
km (930 billion mi) (Other) - Encarta
+
“A is a yellow star, slightly larger and brighter than the Sun, of spectral
type G2 and apparent magnitude +0.01” (Characteristic) - Encarta
+
“B is a yellow-orange star somewhat smaller and cooler than the Sun of spectral
type K1 and apparent magnitude +1.34. Proxima Centauri [or Alpha C] is a red
dwarf star of spectral type M5, much smaller and cooler than the Sun”
(Characteristic) - Encarta
+
“Spectral type indicates a star’s surface temperature and the predominant color
of the light it gives off. Apparent magnitude is a measure of how bright stars
appear in the sky—a small, nearby star may appear just as bright as a much
larger star that is farther away. The lower the apparent magnitude, the
brighter the star appears” (Other) - Encarta
+
“Astronomical Unit
(AU) - the commonly used
unit of distance in the Solar System; it is equal to the average Earth-Sun
distance, or approximately 149,600,000 km” - (Other) -
Nasa.gov
+ “Proxima Centauri, the closest star to
our own, is still 39,900,000,000,000 km away. (Or 271,000 AU.)” (Other) -
Nasa.gov
Works
Cited:
"Alpha Centauri." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia
Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.
Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2012.
"Alpha Centauri."
Microsoft® Student 2008 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2007.
"Cosmic Distance Scales - The
Nearest Star." HEASARC: NASA's Archive of Data on Energetic Phenomena.
Nasa. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. http://heasarc.nasa.gov/docs/cosmic/nearest_star_info.html
Images Cited:
Relative Scale
of the Stars in Proxima Centauri to the Sun. Digital image. 15 Oct. 1997. Web.
25 Apr. 2012. http://aether.lbl.gov/www/classes/p139/speed/Alpha-Centauri.html
Planet-alphacen1. Digital image. Wikipedia. 23
Sept. 2008. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Planet-alphacen1.png
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