Angular diameter distance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

The angular diameter distance is a distance measure used in astronomy. The angular diameter distance to an object is defined in terms of the objects actual size, x, and θ the angular size of the object as viewed from earth.
d_A= \frac{x}{\theta}
The angular diameter distance depends on the assumed cosmology of the universe. The angular diameter distance to an object at redshift, z, is expressed in terms of the comoving distance, χ as:
d_A = \frac{r(\chi)}{1+z}
Where r(χ) is defined as:
r(\chi) = \begin{cases} \sin \left( \sqrt{-\Omega_k} H_0 \chi \right)/\left(H_0\sqrt{|\Omega_k|}\right) & \Omega_k < 0\\ \chi & \Omega_k=0 \\ \sinh \left( \sqrt{\Omega_k} H_0 \chi \right)/\left(H_0\sqrt{|\Omega_k|}\right) & \Omega_k >0 \end{cases}
Where Ωk is the curvature density and H0 is the value of the Hubble parameter today.

In the currently favoured geometric model of our Universe, the "angular diameter distance" of an object is a good approximation to the "real distance." However, beyond a certain redshift it gets smaller with increasing redshift. In other words an object "behind" another of the same size, beyond a certain redshift, appears larger on the sky, and would therefore have a smaller "angular diameter distance".

[edit] Related Links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../a/n/g/Angular_diameter_distance.html"