Astronomy Today: W 01/25/06 Welcome! Recall List some ways you think you could tell a planet apart from a star when you are looking at them in the night sky. Reminder: Look up the answers in the book or online.
What we’re gonna do today Hand Out: R - The Sky and the Calendar Review: N - Constellations & Twinkling o Answer review questions Activity: Draw a constellation
Reflect All the stars in the constellation of Pegasus appear close together in our sky. Do you think all of them formed at the same time? Explain. Reminder: Look up the answers in the book or online.
Homework A - Draw a constellation Read Sections 6.1 and 6.2 in your book (p. 95-7) Test only required (all others optional): o Read the following web article and click on some
of the constellation links http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/sow/const.html
Astronomy Today: TH 01/26/06 Welcome!
Recall Can a star not be a part of a constellation? Explain. Are stars on the horizon more or less likely to twinkle than stars overhead? Explain.
What we’re gonna do today Lab: Using Planispheres and Sky Maps
Reflect We cannot tell the stars in a constellation are at different distances, but we can tell things are at different distances in this room. Explain the difference between the two.
Homework Finish L - Using Planispheres and Sky Maps Read Section 6.3 (p. 97-99) Read and understand example 6.1, and stop before you get to example 6.2. Test only required (all others optional):
o Read the following web article http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/celsph.html Astronomy Today: F 01/27/06 Welcome! Recall Do you think the Big Dipper will always look like it does? Explain your answer. Turn in your RC/RF.
What we’re gonna do today Turn In: L - Using Planisphers and Sky Maps Discuss: N - The Equatorial System Lab: L - The Equatorial System
Reflect None
Homework Will have the first 5 or 10 minutes of class to finish lab on Monday if not done…Have a relaxing weekend!
Astronomy Today: M 01/30/06
Welcome! Recall What is the maximum Right Ascension and Declination the Sun can reach during the year?
What we’re gonna do today Lab: Finish L - The Equatorial System; Turn In. Inquire: Why does the Earth have seasons? Lab: L – The Reason for the Seasons
Reflect Astrology bases human actions and the outcome of events on astrological signs from the Zodiac. What is your sign? On what day and month is your birthday? Look at the sky chart you used in this lab and see if the two match up. Explain your findings. (What does this tell you about the validity of your horoscope and other astrological predictions?)
Homework L – Reasons for the Seasons Read Section 6.5 (p. 103-5) Astronomy Today: TU 01/31/06 Welcome! Recall Does Mars have seasons? Explain. Use diagrams in your explanation.
What we’re gonna do today Turn In: L - Reason for the Seasons Discuss: Reason for the Seasons Activity: o Read about Precession in your book (p. 100 -101) o Write and turn in a paragraph explanation on what it is and how it affects our view of the night sky and the seasons. Review: N - Sidereal and Solar Time Activity: W - Sidereal and Solar Time
Reflect When Arcturus (Appendix 5) is due South of you, what is the sidereal time where you are at?
Homework W - Sidereal & Solar Time Read about Sidereal and Solar Time Section 6.3 (p. 99-100), including Examples 6.2 & 6.3 Astronomy Today: W 02/01/06 Welcome! Recall By comparing their Right Ascension and Declination, describe whether Sirius (6h45m09s, -06042’58”) and Canopus (06h23m57s,-52041’44”), the two brightest stars, are close together or far apart in our sky. Explain. Describe how far apart from one another you would estimate they actually are.
What we’re gonna do today Grade/Review: W - Sidereal and Solar Time Lab: The Earth in Space
Reflect Describe what the Earth’s seasons would be like if the Earth’s axis of rotation were tilted @ 00 to the orbital plane? @ 900?
Homework Finish L – The Earth in Space Read Section 6.4 in your book (p. 101-3) Astronomy Today: TH 02/02/06 Welcome!
Recall A pair of friends walked South 2 km, East 2 km, and then North 2 km, only to wind up back where they started, at which point they were eaten by a bear. What color was the bear?
What we’re gonna do today Turn In: L - The Earth in Space Video: Redshift - Sidereal and Solar Time/Seasons/Celestial Sphere Review: N - The Horizon System Activity: W - The Horizon System
Reflect Why can’t a person in Australia use the Big Dipper to find the North direction?
Homework W – The Horizon System Quiz tomorrow over everything up to this point Astronomy Today: F 02/03/06 Welcome!
Recall Where do you have to be on Earth in order to see the South Celestial Pole directly overhead? What is the maximum possible elevation of the Sun above the horizon at that location? On what date is this maximum elevation achieved?
What we’re gonna do today Review: W – The Horizon System Quiz: Q – The Sky and the Earth in Space Video: Redshift - Time, Time Zones, and the Calendar Review: N - Time, Time Zones, and the Calendar Activity: W - Time, Time Zones, and the Calendar
Reflect Why is it convenient to have the Earth divided into time zones?
Homework W – Time, Time Zones, and the Calendar Read Sections 6.6 and 6.7 (p. 105-8) Astronomy Today: M 02/06/06 Welcome! Recall Using diagrams, describe in a short paragraph, why the Moon has phases. Draw where the Earth, Moon, and Sun would be during a full moon.
What we’re gonna do today Turn In: W - Time, Time Zones, and the Calendar Review: N - The Moon in Orbit; N - Phases & Tides; N - Eclipses Activity: W - Phases & Tides; W - Eclipses
Reflect When, if ever, is the Moon visible during the day time?
Homework W - Phases & Tides; W – Eclipses Read Sections 7.2, 7.3, and 8.3 Astronomy Today: TU 02/07/06 Welcome!
Recall What is the phase of the Moon if it rises at 3 AM? … if it sets at 12 AM?
What we’re gonna do today Review: W - Phases & Tides; W - Eclipses Lab: L - Motions of the Moon
Reflect During a lunar eclipse, does the Moon enter the Earth’s shadow from the East or West? Explain why.
Homework Finish L – Motions of the Moon Test Only Required, Optional for all others: o Read all of Chapter 7 Astronomy Today: W 02/08/06 Welcome!
Recall In his novel King Solomon’s Mines, author H Rider Haggard described a total solar eclipse that was seen in both South Africa and the British Isles. Is such an eclipse possible? Why or why not?
What we’re gonna do today Review: N - Planetary Aspects & Phases Activity: W - Planetary Aspects & Phases Review: Draw a celestial sphere for 6h sidereal time and correctly position & label Polaris & Sirius for: o Santa Claus’s back yard (the North Pole) o London (450 N) o Ecuador (on the Equator)
Reflect Can one ever observe an annular eclipse of the Moon? Why?
Homework W – Planetary Aspects and Phases; Finish Review and R – The Sky and the Calendar Astronomy Today: TH 02/09/06 Welcome!
Recall Can we see Venus or Mercury in our sky? Explain with diagrams how this is possible.
What we’re gonna do today Grade: W - Planetary Aspects & Phases Review: Draw a celestial sphere for 6h sidereal time and correctly position & label Polaris & Sirius for: o Santa Claus’s back yard (the North Pole) o London (450 N) o Ecuador (on the Equator) Finish Review: The Earth in Space Review: Finish R - The Sky and the Calendar
Reflect What phase would we see Mars in if it was directly in line with the Sun and Earth, on the same side of the Sun from us? Why wouldn’t we see an eclipse of Mars at this point? Turn in RC/RF.
Homework Test Tomorrow Astronomy Today: F 02/10/06 Welcome! Recall None
What we’re gonna do today Test: T - The Sky and the Calendar
Reflect (just for fun, don’t write down) 1. I have in my hand two U.S. coins which total 55 cents in value. One coin is not a nickel. Please bear this in mind. What are the coins? 2. A farmer had 17 sheep. All but 9 died. How many did he have left? 3. Two men play checkers. They play five games and each man wins five games. There are no ties. How can this be? 4. Take two apples from three apples and what do you have? 5. An archeologist claimed he found some gold coins dated 46 BC. Do you think he really found the coins? 6. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents. The woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. How come? 7. How many animals of each species did Moses take aboard the ark? 8. Is it legal in Tennessee for a man to marry his widow's sister? 9. If you went to bed at eight o'clock at night and set your alarm clock to get up at nine o'clock in the morning, how many hours sleep would this permit you to have?