Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky Today in class Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion I The Sky and Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac Online Components

Class Info Online Components Major sections I Web courseware - UA Learn on Blackboard Goals/Outcomes http://ualearn.blackboard.com The Sky Getting Started also accessible from your mybama Constellations Local Sky I Grades (including extra credit) posted here Orientation of our sky I Syllabus Celestial Motion Motion in sky I Class notes Celestial Sphere Zodiac I General information - clicker registration, links to things, etc

I Mastering Astronomy - Online Homework http://masteringastronomy.com

I Need student access code - $$ I section code is MATOWNSLEY50217 (on syllabus) I linked to on syllabus I 15% of your grade Class outline

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Major sections Constellations Local Sky Orientation of our sky I Celestial Motion and Earthling Orientation Celestial Motion I Planetary Systems Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac I Stars and Their Products

I Galaxies and Cosmology Each section will take just under 4 weeks and conclude with an exam. The last as most of the final. General Learning Goals

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky General learning goals (or learning ”Outcomes”) Getting Started Constellations I Students will be able to identify key concepts in the Local Sky Orientation of our sky sciences, contributing to the development of a broad Celestial Motion Motion in sky perspective on the human condition. Celestial Sphere Zodiac I Students will be able to recognize and explain the scientific method, and evaluate scientif ic inf ormation. Bleh... Translation: I want to teach you how science works and even help you learn how to do a little bit! Celestial ”Motion”

Class Info Online Components Two types of motion: Major sections Goals/Outcomes I Each day: Sky objects The Sky rotate around the pole Getting Started Constellations and move across the sky Local Sky Orientation of our sky due to Earth’s rotation Celestial Motion Motion in sky I Day-to-Day: Solar Celestial Sphere system objects ”move” Zodiac The most obvious celestial among background stars motion is not celestial at all I Sun Instead the earth rotates and I Moon distant objects appear to I Planets move We will start with daily motion But first some definitions Constellations

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky I Patterns in sky are Orientation of our sky created by projection. Celestial Motion Motion in sky Stars are actually at very Celestial Sphere Zodiac different distances.

I In astronomy, constellations define regions of the sky. Sun and Planets: of order 0.00001 light years Local Sky

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes We use portions of spheres to The Sky Getting Started indicate directions Constellations Local Sky Much like a compass on a Orientation of our sky map Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac This works because the stars are very distant, much like the Some terminology: north pole is very distant from Zenith, Horizon, Altitude us when we are walking or Cardinal directions: N, S, E, driving around. W Orientation of our sky to stars

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes I Orientation of our sky is The Sky Getting Started determined by location Constellations Local Sky on earth and the earth’s Orientation of our sky orientation. Celestial Motion Motion in sky I Stars below horizon are Celestial Sphere Zodiac ”not up”

I Sun below horizon = night Terminology: North Celestial Pole: point I Pay attention to around which stars appear to reference directions turn (zenith, horizon, N, S, E, Celestial Equator: imaginary W) ”circle” indicating directions at right angle to celestial pole Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac Class Info Online Components Major sections Question concepts Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Question #1: Given an unlabeled diagram, label the features Constellations Local Sky as they are here: N, S, E, W horizon, north celestial pole, Orientation of our sky zenith, celestial equator Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac Daily ”motion” of stars in sky

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac

Stars further from the pole (including the sun) appear to cross the sky a various altitudes (heights). Stars near celestial pole appear to spin around it Question concepts Class Info Online Components Major sections Question #2: During a single day or night, the Sun, Moon, Goals/Outcomes The Sky stars and planets all appear to move across the sky together. Getting Started Constellations Their relative positions change relatively slowly from night to Local Sky night. Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion Question #3: Celestial bodies will follow the circles Motion in sky Celestial Sphere indicated by arrows across the sky in the diagram. Based on Zodiac the direction something rises (crosses the horizon), describe where it will set and how high in the sky it will pass. Day-to-day ”motion” of solar system

Class Info Online Components Planet Motion: Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac

The Sun, planets and moon change position with respect to the (”fixed”) background stars.

Caused by the orbital motion of all these bodies - their relative orientations change with time. http://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Solar Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Question concepts Local Sky Orientation of our sky Question #4: The most distant stars are a directionally fixed Celestial Motion Motion in sky (non-rotating) reference frame. The motion of other celestial Celestial Sphere Zodiac objects are then characterized with respect to this frame. Celestial Sphere (constellations)

Class Info Online Components Major sections I Constellations appear to Goals/Outcomes move during the night The Sky Getting Started much like the sun does Constellations Local Sky during the day due to the Orientation of our sky Earth’s rotation Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere I The distant stars form a Zodiac fixed reference frame precisely because they are so distant

I Nearby objects (sun, planets, nearby stars) appear to move in Terminology: Ecliptic: circle indicating various ways with respect directions we see the sun (and to the most distant stars planets) at various times of year. The Zodiac

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations I Approximately each Local Sky Orientation of our sky month, a different Celestial Motion Motion in sky constellation is behind Celestial Sphere the sun. Zodiac

I Sometimes said that the sun is ”in” this constellation, which is how we perceive it Earth-sun orientation and Zodiac

Class Info Online Components Major sections Goals/Outcomes The Sky Getting Started Constellations Local Sky Orientation of our sky Celestial Motion Motion in sky Celestial Sphere Zodiac