Explore the Universe Observing
Certificate and Pin
Constellations Constellations
• Pictures in the sky formed by alignment of stars: Caution – Imagination required • Many recognized thousands of years ago • Stories usually related to the gods • Unrelated cultures saw similar objects • Southern exploration yielded a splurge of new constellations as maps were drawn • IAU set 88 constellations in 1930 Constellation Groups
• Northern constellations – always, or almost – visible (circumpolar) • The Zodiac – mark the Sun’s path (ecliptic)
• Seasonal groups • Southern constellations Big and Little Dippers Ursa Major Dubhe & Merak Ursa Minor Polaris & Kochab S P R I N G Bootes the Herdsman Arcturus Leo the Lion Regulus & Denebola Virgo the Maiden Spica Libra the Balance Zubenelgenubi & Zubeneschamali S U M M E R Hercules the Strong Man Rasalgethi Cygnus the Swan & Lyra the Harp Deneb & Albireo & Vega Albireo and the Double-Double Aquila the Eagle Altair Sagittarius & Scorpius Nunki & Antares Sagittarius the Archer (Teapot) & Scorpius Capricornus the Sea Goat Algedi & Dabih A U T U M N Cassiopeia (Cassiopeia’s Chair) Schedar Andromeda the Princess Alpheratz Perseus the Hero Mirfak & Algol Pegasus the Winged Horse Markab Aries the Ram Hamal & Sheratan W I N T E R
Orion the Hunter Betelgeuse & Rigel Canis Major the Big Dog Sirius Canis Minor the Little Dog Procyon & Gomeisa Taurus the Bull Aldebaran Auriga the Charioteer Capella Gemini the Twins Castor & Pollux Moon Facts
• ~ ¼ diameter of Earth
• Perigee: 356,000 km • Apogee: 407,000 km
• 33.5’–29.5’ (Sun 30-31’)
• Sidereal month = 27.3 d • Synodic month = 29.5 d
The Big Splat 4.5 Gya- Theia
• Much of Theia’s iron core merged with Earth’s core • Lunar rock samples are very similar to Earth rock composition • Subtle differences are being discovered Late Heavy Bombardment 4.1 – 3.8 Gya
• Orbits of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune disrupted the asteroid and Kuiper belts • Inner planets bombarded • Lava flows 3.8 to 3.1 Gya The Far Side
Where is the Man in the Moon?
Why does the Moon have phases? Lunar Maria Mare Nectaris (Sea of Nectar) Sinus Iridium (Bay of Rainbows) Lunar Coordinates System Petavius & Cleomedes Posidonius & Theophilus Aristoteles & Ptolemaeus Plato & Tycho Clavius & Copernicus Gassendi & Grimaldi