🚀 go-pugleaf

>There are two things I'm searching for, primarily on the net.  I wondered
>if anyone on physhare could help.
>        The first is data about the orbits of planets.  I am attempting
>to verify Kepler's 2nd Law through using actual orbital data.  Is this
>available on the net, in a book, or in software?  I would like to
>actually be able to map out the orbit on a piece of paper, determine
>positions near the perhelion and aphelion which represent equal units of
>time for the orbit, cut them out, then compare areas. Mars would be best
>(it's the most eccentric), but any orbit ought to do.
>        The second thing I would like to obtain are Landsat maps, again
>in either book, net, or software form.  Thanks for your help.  <<Joe>>
>
>               +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
>             Joseph F. McLaughlin, Physics
>   Brentwood High School,  Brentwood (Pittsburgh), PA
>johnmcl+@pitt.edu (Pitt got it wrong- it's Joe, not John!)
>           (formerly jxm39@psuvm.psu.edu)


The old Harvard Project Physics had a lab in which students could plot the
orbit of Mars from overlay photos.  I believe that its intent was to show
the elliptical nature of the orbit.  In addition, there was one in which
the students could verify the 2nd law from planetary data on Mercury's
orbit.

Martin H. Baumberger
Chestnut Hill Academy
mbberger@cha.k12.pa.us
martinbaum@aol.com
(215) 247-4700 ext. 128