Astronomy by Bob Horton, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension

4-H 365.04 Natural Resources OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

PROJECT IDEA STARTER Astronomy by Bob Horton, Extension Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, Ohio State University Extension

You may think the only way to really get involved in amateur astronomy is with a large telescope, years of expe- rience, and lots of friends to keep you company at night. Although this may be true of an experienced amateur astronomer, most of them began just like yourself. All it takes is enthu- siasm, curiosity and the patience of a willing adult to help you study the night sky.

Earth’s closest neighbors are the planets, moons, view them through binoculars or a telescope you see comets and rocks that orbit our star, the sun. that they are tiny disks of light rather than twinkling Together this family makes up the solar system. The pinpoints like the stars. However, you need quite a sun and planets formed about 4.6 billion years ago large telescope to see much surface detail. As a long- from a whirling disk of gas and dust. The sun formed term project, once you have located the planets, you first, with the planets and other bodies created from can record their movement by watching them over a the material that was left over. The planets are not period of a few weeks. alike, but can be grouped into two main types: the Ancient astronomers found their way around the skies inner rocky planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth and by dividing the stars into patterns, or constellations. Mars — and the gas giants — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus The constellations generally take the form of people, and Neptune. Tiny, icy Pluto doesn’t fit into either animals or birds. You can’t see all of them at once. group, and some astronomers have suggested that it Only with the passing of time, a change of seasons is a moon that escaped from Neptune. It is no longer or your location on the planet, does your view of the considered a planet. sky change. Astronomers have devised maps that The moon is one of the easiest objects for an pinpoint the location of stars, planets and galaxies, astronomer to study. At 238,906 miles away, you can including their relative brightness. pick out many features with the naked eye, while Many of the stars that crowd the night sky make up binoculars or a telescope reveal even more detail. our galaxy known as the Milky Way. A galaxy is a The dark areas are known as seas, because this is massive grouping of stars held together by gravity. what astronomers once believed them to be. In fact, We call our galaxy the Milky Way because its outer they are lowland plains of dark lava. The brighter edge resembles a ribbon of milky light across the areas are highlands. The surface is heavily cratered, sky. The next closest galaxy is Andromeda. It can and a small telescope reveals many mountain ranges. be located with the naked eye in the Andromeda The easiest planets to see are Venus, Mars, Jupiter constellation. and Saturn. They look like bright stars, but when you

PLAN YOUR PROJECT Use this idea starter AND publication 4-H 365 Self-Determined Project Guide as the starting place for your 4-H self-determined project. TheSelf-Determined Project Guide is available from your county OSU Extension office or on the Web atohio4h.org/selfdetermined . You may choose to do a little or a lot depending on your level of interest. Be sure to register your project with your county OSU Extension office. – 2 –

AREAS OF INTEREST AND FIND THE PLANETS THINGS TO DO ☐ Use the Internet to obtain an Every self-determined 4-H project astronomy chart of the night can be broken down into areas sky for your area. of interest. These are the specific ☐ Using a star chart, locate the things members want to address visible planets. during their project adventures. ☐ Using a telescope, discover Using 4-H 365 Self-Determined which planet has several Project Guide, identify at least visible moons. three areas of interest with at least three activities per area to explore. ☐ Explain why Venus has phases Take your ideas from the list below like the moon. or make up your own. ☐ List the planets from largest to smallest. Study the Solar System ☐ Create a model of the solar Locate Stars and Constellations system. ☐ Obtain a star chart of the ☐ Explain how the planets revolve constellations. around the sun. ☐ Find at least seven ☐ Explore how the earth’s rotation constellations and draw them. influences water going down ☐ Determine which constellation a drain. points to the North Star. ☐ Locate a reference book on the ☐ Demonstrate the North Star solar system and astronomy. in its relation to the earth’s ☐ Demonstrate a solar eclipse. rotation. ☐ Explain why the sun appears ☐ Choose a constellation and higher in summer than in winter. describe how it got its name. ☐ Find the outer edge of our Explore the Moon galaxy known as the Milky Way. ☐ Use binoculars to study the ☐ Locate the brightest star in the surface of the moon. sky and learn its name. ☐ Draw a picture of the moon at each of its phases. RELATED RESOURCES ☐ View a full moon and identify as Tour of the Solar System, many features as possible. nineplanets.org ☐ Explain how the moon’s Astronomy Picture of the Day, phases occur. apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix. ☐ Demonstrate a lunar eclipse. html ☐ Using a string tied to a ball, demonstrate how the moon revolves around the sun.

ohio4h.org/selfdetermined

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