Download Planet Passport Learn about each of the major bodies of the solar

Planet Passport
Learn about each of the major bodies of the solar system, to find them in the evening or
morning sky, and to observe them for yourselves. Be aware of which objects can be seen,
and when and where to look for them.
Your passport has notes on when each planet can be seen; look below for links to sky
maps showing the sky this week and any planets which are visible, and on the resources
page as well for apps that can help. Most passport ‘locations’ but it is not necessary to
come to the observatory to complete the passport. In fact, we encourage you (and your
family, and friends) to go outside in the evening or the early morning to find the Moon
and planets yourselves using regular binoculars, a small telescope (if you have one), or
just your eyes.
Where to Look
The five planets closest to us - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn - can all be
seen with the naked eye, if you know where to look. They have been known since ancient
times to “wander” through the stars on a broad path called the ecliptic. This is the same
path followed by the sun and moon, from east to west in the southern sky. Because the
planets are all different distances from the Sun, they take different amounts of time to
make this journey across the sky through the stars.
The positions given in the viewing tables are for sunrise and sunset. If you are trying to
look for a planet before sunrise, it will be easier to see the earlier you look, before the sun
brightens the sky. When finding a planet after sunset you need to let the sky darken
enough for the planet to be visible. As the night progresses, planets and stars will appear
to slowly move westward in the sky as the Earth rotates. So if you are trying to find a
planet several hours after sunset, you need to look to the west of its sunset position.
Since Mercury and Venus are both interior planets (i.e. they orbit the sun within the
Earth’s orbit) we will always see them close to the Sun, either in the morning just ahead
of where the sun will rise, or in the early evening to the east of the setting Sun’s position.
During the next 18 months, however, Venus will only be visible in the morning sky,
before sunrise.
To observe Uranus and Neptune you will need a telescope; these are objects that are ideal
to see when you visit the observatory on one of the scheduled public nights in September
and October. Pluto is even too faint to be visible at the eyepiece of our 0.6 m telescope!
We have to collect and store its light with a camera, and you’ll see these images during
our presentations
Have patience. You will probably need at least a whole year to see all of the planets,
maybe even 18 months. Keep in mind that each day any planet’s position will gradually
change from day to day as the planet and the Earth move in their respective orbits around
the Sun.
When to Look
The sun can, of course, be seen on any clear day, but to safely view its sunspots and
prominences, you must use a solar filter with a small telescope – you can seriously
damage your eyes by using a homemade or inadequate filter. The Grenfell Observatory
has a solar telescope which is used for daytime school tours when it is clear.
The phases of the moon and its 29-day cycle are familiar to most people .You can
observe the Moon with the naked eye, with common binoculars, or with a telescope.
However you view the moon, be sure to document this by making a sketch of any
features you see, showing its phase, and giving the date and time of the observation.
Star charts are useful for learning the stars and constellations, but since planet positions
change daily, planets don’t appear on them. The viewing tables here will help you plan
when to look for each planet. You can get additional help identifying planets in the sky
by looking at a free planetarium program which simulates the sky, showing the planets
and the stars for any location at a requested date and time.
An excellent, easy to use, freeware planetarium program for your home computer is
Stellarium. It is also available as an app for your Android tablet or iPad.
How to Complete the Passport
When you visit the observatory with your class or come to a public session, be sure to
bring your passport and we’ll stamp it for any places you “visit”. If you have any
questions, you can email us at: [email protected]
When you have “visited” all the locations in the passport, bring it to an observatory
event. We’ll verify your entries and enter your name in a yearly draw for an astronomical
prize: one for Grades 4 - 6 and another for Grades 7 and higher.
Passports are available at observatory events and from the Grenfell Office of
Engagement.