Science 9 Observing Project

Transcription

1 Science 9 Observing Project Why? To get you to learn more about the sky and what s in it. You ll use your star chart to look at constellations and the moon over the next two weeks. What You ll Need: your eyes, your starchart, and a worksheet to make notes and sketches. (1) Measuring Angles on the Sky: You can use your hand and fingers to tell how far apart two objects are on the sky. See Activity 13.5 in your text (#5 and #6 especially): 1 finger is about 1 degree, Your 3 middle fingers are about 5 degrees, Your fist is about 10 degrees, If you spread out your hand as wide as you can, that s about 25 degrees The Sun and full moon are about ½ degree across, and there are 180 degrees from one side of the sky to the other. (2) Constellations: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Cassiopeia On the first clear night you can, find a place where you can see most of the sky, especially to the North. Write down in your worksheet the time and date. Face North, and using your star chart, find the Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia. Find Polaris, the North Star, which is the end star in the handle of the Little Dipper. The Little Dipper is upside-down over the Big Dipper Always look at the sky from this same place To Do in your Worksheet: (A) Sketch each constellation in your worksheet. Make sure to include some object on the ground like a tree or house below each constellation. (B) Measure how many degrees across each constellation is using your hand, and write this in your worksheet. (3) How do these Constellations Move Over an Hour? Come back in an hour or so and sketch the 3 constellations again. Look carefully to see if they have moved in the sky. (4) How do these Constellations Move Over Two Weeks? Come back to the same place at the same time of night (e.g. 8:30) about two weeks later. Write down in your worksheet the time and date. Find your three constellations again, and make a sketch of each one in your worksheet, making sure to include your object on the ground (tree or house). Look carefully to see if they have moved from two weeks ago.

2 (5) Checking out the Moon From Oct 18 until the end of October, you can see the Moon in the sky after sunset. Each night that you can over the next two weeks, find the Moon. Look for the Moon at the same time each night. o Where is the Moon in the sky each night (how high in the sky)? Is it moving from night to night? Write this in your worksheet. o Sketch in your worksheet how the Moon looks each night Next two pages have your worksheets The last page is a question sheet you should answer, using what you wrote down and sketched in your worksheets.

3 Worksheet for Observing Project (Page 1) (2) Constellations: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Cassiopeia. Time and Date: (A) Sketch each constellation, including an object on the ground for reference: (B) Measure how many degrees across each constellation is, using your hands and fingers: Big Dipper Little Dipper Cassiopeia (3) How do the Constellations Move Over an Hour? Sketch each constellation again an hour later, again including your reference object: (4) How do the 3 Constellations Move Over Two Weeks? Time and Date: Sketch each constellation again two weeks later, including your reference object:

4 Worksheet for Observing Project (Page 2) (5) Checking Out the Moon Each night that you can, from Oct 18 till Oct 31, find the Moon in the sky. Write down below where the Moon is each night (how high in the sky) Sketch how the moon looks each night Oct 18 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 28 Oct 29 Oct 30 Oct 31

5 Question Sheet (2) Constellations: Big Dipper, Little Dipper, Cassiopeia Was it easy to find these constellations? When would it be useful to be able to find the North Star (Polaris)? Compare the sizes of your constellations (in degrees) with the size of the Moon (1/2 degree) and the size of the sky from one horizon to another (180 degrees) (3) How Do the Constellations Move Over an Hour? Have the constellations moved over an hour? How have they moved? Why do they move? Are the stars in the constellations actually moving? (4) How Do the Constellations Move Over Two Weeks? Have the constellations moved over two weeks? How have they moved? Why do they move? Is it for the same reason that you found for (3)? Are the stars in the constellations actually moving? (5) Checking Out the Moon Does the Moon move in the sky from night to night? How much does it move? Why does the Moon look different each night? Think about how the Moon goes around the Earth.