Download Lab_Starry_Night

Science 8
NamesComputer Lab- Starry Nights Backyard
PeriodI. Begin the program.
A. Click on Start, then click on Starry Night Backyard
B. Ok at register, if it shows
II. Looking at Shadows
A. Set the time1) Click on the hour shown on the top of the viewing area and change it to 6.
2) Click on the minute and change it to 0.
3) If the AM/PM is not AM change it to AM.
B. Set the time change rate.
1) To the right of the time you see a set of numbers like 003 minutes, click on it and
change it to 030 seconds.
2) Look at the symbols, they are like VCR or DVD controls.
   These will cause time to reverse, pause and forward.
l and l These will reverse or advance one time unit.
C. Position yourself.
1) Click and hold on the main screen. A fist forms that allows you to go to any view of
the horizon.
2) Grab the sky and make it so you look South.
3) Note the large tree to the right of south.
D. Start the time going forward and observe the shadow of the tree for the whole day.
Stop the time when it gets dark again.
E. Describe how the shadow changed during the day.
F. How does this relate to what we tried to do in class outside.
G. Why does the shadow change during the day?
III. Sunrise and Sunset
A. Grab the sky and move it to look West.
B. What time will the sun set tonight?
You may need to step forward and reverse to get it exactly. The shadow disappears at sunset.
C. Grab the sky and look East. What time will the sun rise tomorrow?
D. Find Sunrise and Sunset times for:
Date
6/21/09
12/21/09
Sunrise
Sunset
Observations
1) When it was dark you should have noticed the stars move. Describe the movement.
2) Grab the sky and look North. Turn on the time and then describe the movement.
3) What is the name of the central star?
IV. The Moon.
Reset the date to today, and the time to 1:00 PM.
Find the moon. You could turn off the daylight, under Sky.
When you get the pointer near the moon it should change to an arrow. When it does, right click on
it, then click on Info Window.
D. What percentage of the moon is illuminated?
E. What is the distance of the moon from the earth?
Optional: If you could drive to the moon at 100 km/hr, how long would it take you?
In hours?
In days?
V. Other objects in the sky.
Run the time just until it gets dark, grab the sky and look East.
Note the bright objects in the sky. Go to the tool bar at the top and click on Labels, then click on
Planets/Sun.
What planets will be visible tonight? You may have to grab the sky and pull it down to see another
one.
Go to the tool bar again and click on Guides, then click on The Ecliptic.
1) What happens and what do you think this shows?
Point at a planet, then right click on the Go There.
2) What happens?
2) To come home at the top, click on Home.
VI. The Solar System
Go to the tool bar and click on Go, then Inner Solar System. Look at it and then start time
forward. Note that it now changes in days.
1) Describe the motions.
Stop it, Go back to the tool bar, click on Go, then Outer Solar System. Look closely at the inner
planets. Start time and notice that now it is set for 20 days.
2) Describe the motions.
2) How is Pluto’s orbit different from the other planets?
VII. Play with the program until time to go, then close it. Click on Don’t Save when it asks.