Astronomy Today: W 01/25/06

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?