Planisphere Questions Name:
Tonight: Set the date and time for tonight, about 10:00 P.M.
1. Name three constellations you may easily view. Jan 7: Perseus, Taurus, Eridanus, Cetus, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pisces, Aries, Pegasus, Aquarius, Delphinius, Cepheus, Cygnus, Draco, Lyra, Ursa Minor, Ursa Major, Cancer, Canis Minor, Auriga, Canis Major, Orion, Lepus. Others are visible, but near the horizon which may be blocked by trees or buildings.
2. Name a constellation that is just rising in the sky, and one that is just setting in the sky. Leo, Hydra, Canis Major, Canis Minor… Setting: Aquarius, Lyra, Delphinius, Cygnus…
3. Name another month, day and time at which you may view this same positioning of the stars. Sep 10 at 4 AM; Sep 25 at 3 AM; Oct 9 at 2 AM; Oct 24 at 1 AM; Nov 8 at midnight, and other dates/times… 4. Name a star or constellation closest to the center of your viewing window. This point represents the zenith; the zenith is the point in the sky that appears directly overhead. Perseus, Aries (also acceptable: Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Auriga…)
SUMMER: Set the date and time dials for approximately 6 months from now, July 15, 10:00 P.M. (It gets darker earlier in winter.)
5. Name three constellations you may easily view. Ursa Minor, Draco, Hercules, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Corona Borealis, Bootes, Libra, Virgo, Ursa Major, Coma Berenices, Leo?, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Cepheus, Cygnus, Delphinius, Pegasus, Aquarius, Capricornus, Aquila. Others are visible, but near the horizon which may be blocked by trees or buildings.
6. Name a constellation that is just rising in the sky, and one that is just setting in the sky. Rising: Pisces, Pegasus, Aquarius, Capricornus… Setting: Virog, Corvus, Leo, Cancer….
7. Name another month, day and time at which you may view this same positioning of the stars. June 29 at 11 PM; June 14 at midnight; May 29 at 1 AM; May 15 at 2 AM; several answers possible
8. Name a star or constellation closest to the center of your viewing window. This point represents the zenith; the zenith is the point in the sky that appears directly overhead. Draco (also acceptable: Lyra, Hercules)
When You Were Born: Set the planisphere dials accordingly.
9. Use the planisphere to find a star or constellation that was near the zenith when you were born. Ashley’s birthday, for example: Apr. 22, midnight: Ursa Major
10. Name three stars or constellations that were on the meridian when you were born. The meridian is an imaginary line running north to south; it divides the half of the sky that is “rising” from the half of the sky that is “setting.” The meridian is also the highest point of our sky that a celestial object will reach during the night. Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, Draco, Bootes (Arcturus), Virgo, and pieces of other constellations
Polaris:
11. This star is part of which constellation? Ursa Minor
12. As you move the planisphere to different dates and times, what do you notice about the location of Polaris in the sky? It remains in pretty much the same spot. (Exactly the same on this planisphere; in reality, it shifts only slightly. If you take a picture of the sky and leave the camera shutter open, then the light of the stars as they move will leave a “trail” on the image. The image of Polaris is at the center of the circular trails; it looks like just a small dash.) 13. If you were at the north pole, where in the sky would you find this star? Directly overhead; at the zenith
14. If you were at the equator, where in the sky would you find this star? On the horizon; difficult to actually see, since any small tree or obstruction would probably block the view of the horizon
Circumpolar stars and constellations:
15. Name three constellations that are always above the horizon (they never rise or set). Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Perseus (partial), Auriga (partial). Pers., Aur., Andromeda, and Cygnus are not typically considered circumpolar
16. What do you think circumpolar means? Making a circle around the pole star
The zodiac and the ecliptic:
17. Notice the astrological-sign constellations of the zodiac on your planisphere. These occur along a curve on the map, part of an imaginary circle called the ecliptic. Name four constellations on the ecliptic. Aquarius, Capricornus, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, Libra, Virgo, Leo, Cancer, Gemini, Taurus, Aries, Pisces
18. What does the ecliptic represent in space?
The ecliptic represents that area of space which is in the same plane as our solar system. The orbits of the 8 planets around the Sun describe a plane, and if that plane extends outward to the stars we can see, then the stars of the zodiac constellations intersect the plane. There is an illustration in the text, p. 22, of this concept.
Finally:
19. Name two constellations that are visible at 10:00 P.M. tonight, but not at 2:00 A.M. tomorrow morning.
Hint: look on the western horizon, since that’s where constellations will be setting/disappearing as tonight turns into tomorrow morning. Pisces, Cetus, Eridanus (mostly), Pegasus, Cygnus (Deneb)
In the month of January, 2016, these planets will be visible in the following areas of the sky:
Venus: Scorpius Mars: Virgo Jupiter: Leo Saturn: Ophiuchus
The Sun will be in the constellation Sagittarius from about Dec. 18 – Jan. 18.