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Re: planetary orbits

I understand that calculus is now taught in HS's. If so, perhaps, you
could use a numerical treatment. Eisberg (and Lerner) does this in
great detail. This method is quite useful, as one may vary the initial
conditions, check the stability of the orbits under perturbations, test
Kepler's laws, and even change the force law. One, thereby, obtains the
results usually reserved to graduate students.

If the students can't understand coupled second order differential
equations, one may then treat the computer program as a black box, and
show the effects of the above.

bc

Justin Parke wrote:

I am teaching astronomy for the first time this year (high school) and recall seeing an activity in the past where the student would plot the orbit of (mars? mercury?) based on the dates of greatest elongation or opposition. It was a "kepler's first law" activity. I have searched the internet to no avail. Is anyone else familiar with what I am talking about. Any assistance is appreciated.

Justin Parke
Oakland Mills High School
Columbia, MD