Name(s): ______

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Date: ______Course/Section: ______

Grade: ______

Observing the Night Sky

Objectives:

Students will familiarize themselves with different methods for locating objects in the night sky and use star wheels, atlases, and digital applications to locate objects and answer questions.

Checklist:

□ Complete the pre-lab quiz with your team (if required). □ Compile a list of resources you expect to use in the lab. □ Work with your team to complete the lab exercises and activities. □ Record your results. □ Share and discuss your results with the rest of the class. □ Determine if your team’s answers are reasonable. □ Submit an observation request for next week (if required).

Pre-Lab Quiz

Answer the pre-lab questions and explain your answers.

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Part 1: The Celestial Sphere

Label the Celestial Equator, Earth’s Equator, the North and South Celestial Pole, the ecliptic, the position of Polaris, and Earth’s rotation axis. Mark on the diagram where the summer and winter solstice and the autumnal and vernal equinox occur.

1. What angle is the ecliptic inclined with respect to the celestial equator?

2. What celestial objects lay on or near the ecliptic? (Name at least 5)

The Celestial Sphere: Local Viewpoint Assume the diagram below is for Iowa City, IA, which is at a latitude of 41.6 deg.(~42deg). Identify the North Celestial Pole (NCP), Celestial Equator, zenith, the meridian, and the horizon. Then, draw where Polaris is.

Angle Between NCP and Horizon (deg)

Angle Between NCP and Celestial Equator (deg)

Angle Between Zenith and NCP (deg)

Angle Between Celestial Equator and Horizon (deg)

Angle Between Celestial Equator and Zenith (deg)

Think about the ecliptic and how it relates to the celestial equator to answer these questions.

1. For Iowa City, what is the elevation of the Sun at noon, on June 21st? Mark it on the diagram above.

2. What is the Sun’s elevation at noon on the Vernal Equinox? Mark it on the diagram above.

Part 2: Using a Star Wheel and Sky Walk 1. Dial up the 8pm on your star wheel. Find a constellation that has just risen. Find a constellation that has just set.

Just risen – Star Wheel

Just set – Star Wheel

2. The constellation Orion is a favorite nighttime object for many observers. During which months is Orion observable in the early evening? (Explain how you define early evening.)

b. Is Orion above the horizon right now?

3. What does it mean for a star or constellation to be circumpolar?

a. Name 3 circumpolar constellations for Iowa City, IA.

Using the Sky Walk App (Ipads

With Star Walk set to the current time, determine the information below.

What is the purpose of the red solid line in the Star Walk display?

Is the moon above the horizon right now?

Which planets are above the horizon at this moment?

Using the Star Walk app, fill in the information for Iowa City, IA for today.

Sunrise, sunset times

Names of planets visible tonight (30 min after sunset to 30 min before sunrise)

Phase of the moon and its rise and set times.

4. Find M31. What type of object is it and what is it better known as?

a. What constellation is M31 in?

b. Is M31 observable tonight? If not, when is it best to observe it?

Part 5: Moon Phases

Label the moon phases in the image below and mark what order they appear in starting with the New Moon as '1'. It may be helpful to draw the sunlight direction for reference.

Using the phases above, label the positions of each phase in the diagram below. The moon's orbit is counter clockwise in this image.

Materials reproduced from the Astronomy Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Web Site (http://astro.unl.edu).

Telling Time with the Moon Phases Fill in the table below and then check your answers using the Moon Phases demo on the website.

Moon Phase Rising Time Meridian Transit Time Setting Time New Moon 12 pm Waxing Crescent First Quarter Waxing Gibbous Full Moon 12 am Waning Gibbous Third Quarter Waning Crescent

1. You see a waning gibbous moon rising, what time of day is it?

2. You see a third quarter moon setting, what time of day is it?

3. If it were 3 pm, what moon phase is directly above you (transiting the meridian)?

4. If it were 3 am, what moon phase would you see setting?

5. If today is a full moon, what will the moon phase be in two weeks?