Download Frostburg State Planetarium presents

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 [email protected]
Frostburg State Planetarium
presents
Fall 2009 Sky Sights for
Middle School & Intermediates
by Dr. Bob Doyle
Next Edition: Early Nov.’09
Big Topics Treated
• Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset
• How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM & PM
•
•
•
•
•
•
Moon basics, It’s Origin Why has varying shapes?
Bright points seen at night? Easy Fall 2009 Planets
Best Stars & Star Groups Seen on Fall Evenings
3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied
Fall ’09 Moon Schedule, Planet & Star tables
Fall ’09 Planetarium Schedule & related info
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 nearly in East, face sunrise, left is North
Mid day shadows point N (1 pm now, cold noons)
Sun sets nearly in West, face sunset, right is North
Can use Big Dipper’s pointers to find N. Star
Sunrise & Sunsets?
• Earth’s 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 reduced closer to equator
• Change in sunrise/sunset increased near poles
Let’s review these ideas
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What point in sky is farthest from horizon?
Is it Celestial Pole? Zenith? Nadir?
Which direction recipe WON’T 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
Interesting facts about day sky
•
•
•
•
•
•
Noon sun million x brighter than full moon
Day Sky max. polarization 90 deg. from sun
Max. sunlight energy to ground early summ
Sun peaks mid day(1 p.m. now, cold noons)
Min. sunlight energy to ground early winter
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.
• 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
What about Moon?
• Our moon is 2160 miles across, ¼ Earth’s width
• Moon ¼ as big as Earth; if Earth a regular globe
(1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball.
• If Earth-moon distance about 30 x Earth’s 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
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
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
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
Easy Fall 2009 Planets
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evenings, Jupiter very bright steady point
Moon near Jupiter 9/2, 9/29, 10/26 & 11/23
First number is month number / 2nd is date
Venus very bright at dawn, slowly dropping
Moon near Venus on 9/16, 10/16 & 11/15
As Venus lowers, Mars higher & brighter
Venus & Saturn close at dawn on 10/13
Both Mars & Saturn outshine most stars, but both
are quite a bit dimmer than Venus
Easy Fall Stars & Groups
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evening: Big Dipper low in N, holds soup!
Rightmost Dipper * point to North Star.
Early fall, Dipper’s handle arcs to Arcturus
Dipper & stars below and to right – Big Bear
Vega brightest evening star, high in West
Vega part of Summer Triangle, seen all fall
In Southeast Big Square/Baseball Diamond
Big Dipper & N. Star in Fall
Summer Triangle in West
Altair, Deneb & Vega
Arc to Arcturus using Dipper’s Handle
Venus & Mars: Dawn, Fall ‘09
Let’s 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 sun’s glare?
Is it Venus? Mars? Jupiter? Saturn?
Which part of Big Dipper arcs to Arcturus?
End of Scoop or Arch of Dipper’s Handle
Write down your answers
Answers: Jupiter, Venus, Arch of Dipper Handle
Fall ’09 Moon Schedule
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Early Sept: Full moon 4th,moonlit even. following
Mid Sept: Moon at dawn near Mars, Venus
Late Sept: Even. Moon ‘grows’ & Jupiter seen
Early Oct: Harvest Moon (3rd), moonlit even.
Late Oct: Even. Moon ‘grows’ & Jupiter
Early Nov: Hunters’ Moon (2nd),moonlit evenings
Late Nov: Even. Moon grows for Thanksgiving
Dates change from yr to yr, lunar month = 29.5 d.
Fall ’09 Planet Schedule
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sept. & Oct.: Jupiter prominent in evening
Sept. & Oct.: Venus magnificent at dawn
Sept. & Oct.: Mars seen in E in early AM
Mid Oct: Saturn close to Venus at dawn
Nov: Venus low in SE dawn, Saturn higher
Nov: Mars rises just before midnight in E
Planet schedule changes each year due to all
planets having different periods to orbit sun
Fall * and Group Schedule
• Same *’s (stars) & groups come back same time
each year as Earth orbits the sun
• Sept. & Oct.: Vega brightest evening *, part of
large Summer Triangle in W. even. Sky
• Sept. & Oct.: Big Dipper gets low in North
• Nov.: Bright Golden * Capella in NE with 7
Sisters cluster to right, Vega low in NW
• Some winter groups (Orion) seen late in evening
in November
Planetarium Schedule & Services
• Free Sunday Public Shows at 4 pm, 7 pm
• Planetarium=Tawes 302, near Clock Tower
• Sept. Shows resume on 6th: Earth & Moon from
Other Planets (shows last 45 min.)
• Oct. Sunday shows: Bare Eyed Astronomy
• Nov.Sunday shows: Telescopic Astronomy (no
programs Nov.22, Sunday before Thanksgiving)
• Come about 10 min.early as no late admissions
• Call (301) 687-4270 for spoken road directions
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 can’t as orbits are not in 1 plane. But even if they
could, their pull very weak next to our moon.
• Why study other worlds? won’t ease our problems
• By understanding other worlds, better know Earth
• Your questions are welcome at our public programs.
Send any questions to….
• Bob Doyle email [email protected]
• 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 (301) 687-7799 to request free planetarium
bookmark, schedule sent to you through mail