SKY OBSERVATIONS IN THE PHYSICS CLASS - DETECTION OF ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES USING A SMARTPHONE
SKY OBSERVATIONS IN THE PHYSICS CLASS - DETECTION OF ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES USING A SMARTPHONE

Summary/Abstract: The study of celestial objects has always been a challenge for humanity. Using the parallax method, astronomers have gained a large database regarding the celestial objects in the Earth’s vicinity and those situated at longer distances in space. The evolution of space technology has enabled the launching of satellites, artificial objects that gravitate on the Earth’s orbit. For a relatively long period of time, the study of these objects (their position and trajectory) was possible using a technology available only to the scientific community and the military. Nowadays, due to the advancements in mobile technology, the presence of the acceleration, GPS and magnetic sensors in a smartphone enable, through a series of dedicated applications, the detection of the precise position and trajectory of certain communication and scientific satellites. In this study I will show how, using the application ISS Detector, the students in the Physics class can quickly receive data regarding the trajectory of International Space Station (ISS) and of the satellites from the Iridium constellation, together with information about their elevation, magnitude. Using this data, the students can calculate the altitude and the terrestrial coordinates associated with the ISS and the Iridium satellites relative to the reference system they are located in.

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