Transcript Frostburg State Planetarium presents

This presentation ……
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provided credit is given to FSU Planetarium.
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Dr. Doyle at [email protected]
Frostburg State Planetarium
presents
Jan,Feb,Mar 2010 Sky Sights for
Primary Grades & Beginners
by Dr. Bob Doyle
Next Version: Early March 2010
Big Topics Treated
• Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset
• How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM & PM
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Moon basics, Made of what? Lady in moon?
Bright points in night? Planets Jan,Feb,Mar’10
Best Stars & Star Groups Seen Jan-Mar Even.
3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied
Jan-Mar’10 Moon Schedule, Planet Table, * Table
Planetarium Schedule for 2010 School Yr.
Horizon & Directions
• When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe!
• The Horizon is line between ground and sky.
• Horizon has 4 directions – North, East, South &
West. To learn, say Never Eat Salty Worms!
• North is direction your shadow points in mid day.
• Sun rises each morning to the right of East (ESE)
• South is where sun is highest in sky (in mid day)
• Sun sets each afternoon to the left of West (WSW)
Why does Sun Rise & Set?
• For thousands of years, humans believed that sun
& sky objects moved about Earth every day!
• In the 1500’s, Copernicus proposed that the Earth
itself was moving, not the sky objects!
• Copernicus wrote that the Earth was spinning
every day and orbiting the sun every year!
• It took over a century until most were convinced
that Copernicus was correct (thanks to Newton).
• The Earth turns so sun seems to rise and set.
Let’s review these ideas
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What is the line between ground & sky?
Is it Ground line? Horizon? Edge of sky?
In what direction are shadows in mid day?
Is it
North? East? South? or West?
Why does sun seem to rise and set?
Because: Sun is moving? Earth is spinning?
Write down your answers for these questions.
Answers are: Horizon, North & Earth is spinning
How Day Sky Works
• Sun, our day star is so bright that it lights up air,
causing it to glow blue on a clear day.
• As Earth turns, sun seems to rise in morning
• Due to our turning, sun slowly rolls right.
• Sun peaks mid day (12 noon for standard time)
• Sun sets near direction West as we turn.
• To find North, face where sun goes down and
extend your right arm out, points North.
Twilight or Dusk?
• When sun disappears from our view, the air
overhead is still ‘seeing’ sun and glowing.
• As we turn more away from sun, only very thin,
very high air still lit & sky gets darker.
• This time is twilight or dusk, lasts an hour.
• During dusk, bright planets, bright stars show 1st.
• By end of dusk, easily seen star groups seen.
• Just as dusk after sunset, dawn before sunrise.
What about Moon?
• Our moon is a ball of rock that orbits Earth.
• Moon ¼ as big as Earth; if Earth a regular globe
(1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball.
• If Earth is regular globe, moon is 30 ft.away
• As moon orbits us, we see day & night sides
• In evening, lighted side ‘grows’ for 12 days
• Then moon is full, shining all thru the night
• Then in morning sky, moon ‘shrinks’ for 12 days
• Moon seems to change shape, can’t see night side
Just a little bit more about Moon
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The moon NOT a big cheese ball! (Sorry!)
Man/lady/rabbit at full moon by dark plains
Dark plains of hard lava, good to land there
Over 40 yrs. ago, 1st men walked on moon
Perhaps in 2020’s, more moon landings
Current rockets can’t carry people, new
rockets needed, U.S., China or Russia to try
Another review of ideas..
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As you face sunset, what points North?
Back of Head? Right arm (out)? Left ear?
If Earth 1 ft. wide, how far away is moon?
Is it 10 feet? 30 feet? 100 feet? 300 feet?
How long does moon ‘grow’ or ‘shrink’?
Is it A week? A dozen days? A month?
Write down your answers to above 3 questions.
Answers: Right arm (out), 30 feet, Dozen days
Bright points we see at night?
• Even the nearest planets appear as * (points) as we
see them with our eyes; for even these objects
very far away (if moon dist.=1, Venus dist.= 100)
• To tell a planet from a star, all night stars twinkle
and planets usually shine steady.
• Also satellites (especially Space Station) shine
steadily as creep eastward across sky
• Night stars are distant suns, really, really far away
compared to our planet neighbors.
• If Earth penny size, moon 22” away, sun 730 ft.
away (6.3 ft. wide), nearest star is 37,000 mi.away
Easy Jan-Mar.’10 Planets
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Evenings thru early February, bright Jupiter in W
Moon near Jupiter 1/17, too close to sun Feb.,Mar.
First number is month number / 2nd is date
Venus seen low in W in March, but not in Febr.
Moon near Venus 3/16, Venus to left, moon right
Mars mid evening sky in East in Jan., bright
yellow, will get higher in Febr. & March, but fade
• Saturn trailing Mars, in E in late Febr. evening, in
March will be seen from mid evening on
Easy Jan.-Mar’10 Stars & Planets
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Big Dipper in N Northeast, top * point left to N. *
Cassiopeia, in NNW, resembles a tilted “M”
Orion with hour glass shape has belt of 3 * in row
Belt points left to Sirius, night’s brightest star
Belt points right past Aldebaran & 7 Sisters cluster
Big Dipper’s pointers point right to Leo’s sickle
Planet Mars appears above and to right of sickle
Saturn late winter seen below & left of Mars
Venus very bright, very low in W. dusk in March
Big Dipper, N. Star as Year ends
Finding Big Dipper, Leo’s sickle
and Mars
Cassiopeia, Capella & 7 Sisters
Orion/Sirius in South
Let’s review once more…
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How to tell a planet from a star?
Planet always brighter Planet shines steady
Brightest Evening , Brightest Midnight planet?
(Jupiter PM-Jan., Mars M) (Mars PM, Venus M)
Which part of Big Dipper points to N.Star?
End of Scoop or Arch of Dipper’s Handle
Write down your answers
Answers: Pl. steady, Jup. PM, Mars M, Scoop
Frequently asked questions
• What are falling stars? (Aka shooting stars)
• Nearly all are pea sized space grit burning up in
our upper atmosphere. Only dust left.
• Can the planets line up like beads on string?
• No, orbits are tilted but even if they could, pull is
extremely weak, compared to moon.
• What keeps stars, planets floating in sky?
• There’s no up/down in space. Earth floats too!
Jan.-Mar.’10 Moon Schedule
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Early Jan: Late evening, then into morning sky
Mid Jan.: Dawn moon / dusk moon, Jup.1/17
Late Jan..: Growing even. ½ full and full on 1/29
Early Febr.: Late even., then into morning sky
Late Febr.: Growing moon , ½ full & full 2/28
Early Mar.: After few days, Moon into morn. sky
Mid Mar.: Moon back to W dusk, near Venus 3/16
Late Mar.: Mars 3/24-25: Saturn 3/28, Full 3/29
Jan.-Mar. Bright Planet Table
• Jan.: Jupiter W Dusk, Mars E. in 9 pm sky.
Saturn E. in late even., Merc @ dawn, late J.
• Feb.: Jupiter seen 1st week, Mars seen all
night long in E; Saturn in E. mid even. sky
• Mar: Mars easy, Saturn lower in E even.sky
Venus starts to be seen low in W dusk
Bright Jan.-Mar.*’s & Groups
• Jan.& Feb. Even: Orion (S) & Sirius (SE)
Big Dipper in NNE, top * pts. left to N. *
Top scoop * points right to Sickle of Leo
• Mar. Even: Dipper’s handle arcs to bright *
Arcturus, speed onto bright * Spica
• Jan.-Mar. Dawn Skies feature summer ev. *
FSU Planetarium Shows (free)
Tawes 302 Sundays, 4 pm ,7 pm
• “Our Glorious Atmosphere” Jan.10, 17, 24 & 31
• “Quick Intro to Universe” Feb. 7, 14, 21 & 28
• “Quick Intro to Stars” March 7, 21 & 28
• Different Program (last 45 min.) each month
Tawes Hall near FSU Clock Tower, Lane Center
With convenient free parking, hand. access
Limited free literature: Monthly sky map,
bookmark/schedule, beginner’s guide to universe
Late comers not admitted, come 10 min.early
Send any additional questions
to….
• Bob Doyle email [email protected]
• Be sure that questions involve basics about sky,
moon, planets and stars
• For questions about 2012, Sun out of order,
collisions – visit Planetarium, talk to Dr. Doyle
• Sunday programs are free on Sundays at 4 p.m.and
7 p.m. starting Sept.6, change monthly at FSU
• Call (301) 687-7799 request free planetarium
bookmark, map, schedule be sent to you thru mail
Other ways FSU Planetarium
serves the Tri-State area
• Friday Starlab sessions Allegany Cty. Schools
• Special FSU Planetarium programs for Tri-State
schools – free, call (301) 687-7799 and leave
message of desired date & time
• Free Special programs arranged for special
groups, clubs, scouts, etc. – call above #
• Dr. Doyle talks to clubs, groups as well, no fee
• FSU Planetarium has served area for 40 years