About this presentation

1
About this presentation.

• Is free to be used by students, teachers
  public. Please acknowledge it is from FSU. It can
  also be copied and downloaded.
• Is written in Microsoft Power Point that can be
  read by a number of computer systems.
• If you find any needed changes, please contact
  Dr. Doyle at rdoyle_at_frostburg.edu

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Frostburg State Planetarium presents

• Nov-Jan. Sky Sights for
• Middle School Intermediates by Dr.
  Bob Doyle
• Next Edition Early Jan.10

3
Big Topics Treated

• Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset
• How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM PM
• Moon basics, Its Origin Why its varying shapes?
  
• Bright points seen at night? Easy Nov.Jan.Planets
• Best Stars Star Groups Seen Nov.Jan. Evenings
• 3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied
• Nov.Jan. Moon Schedule, Planet Star tables
• Nov.Jan. Planetarium Schedule related info

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Horizon Directions

• When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe!
• Horizon surrounds us, the sky/ground boundary
• At top of sky is zenith, 90 degrees from horizon
• From North to right, East, then South and West.
• Sun rises in ESE, face sunrise, to left is North
• Noon shadows point N (for E. Standard time)
• Sun sets in WSW, face sunset, to right is North
• Can use Big Dippers pointers to find N. Star

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Sunrise Sunsets?

• Earths daily rotation makes it look as if sun
  rises each morning sets each afternoon
• Time of sunrise, sunset varies thru year
• Earliest sunrise latest sunset in late June
• Latest sunrise earliest sunset in late Dec.
• Longest days when sun highest, farthest N
• Shortest days when sun lowest, farthest S
• Change in sunrise/sunset time less near equator
• Change in sunrise/sunset time grows near poles

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Lets review these ideas

• What point in sky is farthest from horizon?
• Is it Celestial Pole? Zenith? Nadir?
• Which direction recipe WONT work?
• S. Side of tree with moss? Shadow in mid day?
• Place where biggest changes with seasons?
• Polar Regions? Mid Latitudes? Equator?
• Write down your answers for these questions.
• Answers Zenith, Mid day shadow, Polar regions

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Interesting facts about day sky

• Noon sun million x brighter than full moon
• Day Sky max. polarization 90 deg. from sun
• Maximum sunlight energy in early summer
• Sun peaks mid day (Noon Standard time)
• Minimum sunlight energy start of winter
• To find North, face where sun goes down and
  extend your right arm out, points North.

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Twilight or Dusk?

• When sun disappears from our view, the air
  overhead is still seeing sun and glowing.
• When sun 6 dg. below horizon, turn on lights
• When sun 18 dg. below horizon, sky darkest
• To see faint star groups, sun must be 12 dg.
  below
• Arctic Circle cities have no darkness in June
• Equatorial places have shortest twilights
• Our twilights last 90 minutes at dusk at dawn

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What about Moon?

• Our moon is 2160 miles across, ¼ Earths width
• Moon ¼ as big as Earth if Earth a regular globe
  (1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball, 30 ft. away
• As Earth-moon distance about 30 x Earths width.
• As Earth, Moon lit by sun with day night halves
• As Moon orbits Earth, see varying part of day
  side
• After line up with sun, moon waxes (grows) 15 d
• After full moon, moon wanes (shrinks) 15 days
• Moon phase cycle 29.5 dy, approx. month length

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Just a little bit more about Moon

• Moon rocks reveal moon matter from Earth!
• Moon due to planets colliding, debris hurled
• Moon formed from ring of orbiting debris
• Early moon closer, much stronger tides
• Moon slowly spiraling out, lengthen our day
• Earth has 1st natural moon from sun, 6th largest
  moon in solar system

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Another review of ideas..

• 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 half month? A month?
• Write down your answers to above 3 questions.
• Answers Right arm (out), 30 feet, A half month

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Bright points we see at night?

• Even the nearest planets appear as (points) as
  we see them with our eyes for even these objects
  far away, Venus at closest 100x farther than our
  moon
• 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

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Nov.Jan. Planets

• Evenings, Jupiter very bright steady point
• Moon near Jupiter 11/23, 12/21 1/17
• First number is month number / 2nd is date
• Venus very bright at dawn, slowly dropping
• Moon near Venus 11/15, by Dec. Venus gone
• As Venus lowers, Mars higher brighter
• Mars late evening sky in East in Nov., rises
  earlier each week, well seen by 9 pm in December,
  then seen as soon as it gets dark in late
  January

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Nov.-Jan. Stars Groups

• Big Dipper low N, steadily improves each month
• Rightmost Dipper point to North Star.
• Cassiopeia, high in North, resembles a M
• In NE bright star Capella and 7 Sisters star
  cluster
• Late Nov. evenings see Orion with 3 star belt
• Orion better in Dec., resembles tilted hour glass
• On Jan. even., Orions 3 star belt points to
  Sirius, nights brightest star thats also close
  (9 lt.yrs.)

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Big Dipper N. Star Nov.Jan.
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Summer Triangle in WestAltair, Deneb Vega
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Cassiopeia, Capella 7 Sisters cluster
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Orion Sirius, late even.Dec, Jan.
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Lets review once more

• What planet is now prominent in the evening sky?
• Is it Venus? Mars? Jupiter? Saturn?
• When closest, bright planet is lost in suns
  glare?
• Is it Venus? Mars? Jupiter? Saturn?
• Which night star is the brightest?
• Capella or Vega or Sirius
• Write down your answers
• Answers Jupiter, Venus, Sirius

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Nov.Jan. Moon Schedule

• Early Nov Full 11/2, much even. moonlight
• Mid Nov Dawn crescent moon
• Late Nov Growing evening moon Jupiter
• Early Dec Full on 1st, then drifts into morning
• Late Dec Growing even.moonJupiter, 12/31 full
• Early Jan After few days, Moon into morn.sky
• Rest of Jan Moon in W dusk Jupiter on 1/17, ½
  full on Jan.22 and onto full on Jan. 29
• Dates change from yr to yr, lunar month 29.5 d.

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Nov.Jan. Planet Schedule

• Nov Jupiter in SW dusk, Mars in E in late even.
• Venus in Nov. very low in E dawn, Saturn
  higher
• Dec Jupiter low in SW dusk, Mars low in E 9 pm,
  Mercury seen low in W dusk from mid to late Dec
• Jan Jupiter even lower W dusk, Mars in E at
  nightfall, Saturn rises late PM, at dawn in South
• Planet schedule changes each year due to all
  planets having different periods to orbit sun

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Nov.-Jan. Group Schedule

• Same s (stars) groups come back same time
  each year as Earth orbits the sun
• Nov. Dec.even Summer Triangle low in W
• Nov.-Jan. even Cass (M), Capella,7 Sisters
  high
• Dec. Jan. even Orion (3 star belt), Sirius
  below
• Nov.-Jan. Dawn Skies feature spring evening stars

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Planetarium Schedule Services

• Free Sunday Public Shows at 4 pm, 7 pm
• PlanetariumTawes 302, near Clock Tower
• Nov.Sunday shows Telescopic Astronomy (no
  programs Nov.22, Sunday before Thanksgiving)
• Christmas Seasonal Feasts Dec.6, 13 20
• Our Glorious Atmosphere Jan.10,17,24 31
• Come about 10 min.early as no late admissions
• Call [phone] to request bookmark map

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Frequently asked questions

• What are shooting or falling stars?
• Pea sized space grit impacting upper atmosphere
  and bursting into flame.
• What if planets aligned (as beads on string)?
• They cant as orbits are not in 1 plane. But even
  if they could, their pull very weak next to our
  moon.
• Why study other worlds? wont ease our problems
• By understanding other worlds, better know Earth
• Your questions are welcome at our public programs.

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Send any questions to.

• Bob Doyle email rdoyle_at_frostburg.edu
• Be sure that questions involve basics about sky,
  moon, planets and stars
• For questions about 2012, Pluto, Asteroids,
  Comets 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
• To arrange program for special group, club,
  call below number and state your date and hour.
• Call [phone] to request free planetarium
  bookmark, schedule sent to you through mail