Download Virtual Sky II (Rev 10/11)

NAME ____________________________
Lab Night _________________
Virtual Sky II (Rev 10/11)
Login to VMware View. Run the program ‘Voyager III’ on the COSAM Astronomy menu. Look in
File>Open Settings to find the short program folders like that in Procedure 1.
Procedure 1 What a Difference 8000 yrs Makes
Select Chicago 10000 AD from the Basics folder.
What is the new “North Star”? __________________
What is the name of the process that causes the North Star to change? ______________
Move the display using scroll bars until North is in the center. Sketch the pattern. Show Cassiopeia,
Cygnus, Lyra, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Label Deneb and Polaris.
Use the Time panel to change the year to this year. Draw the pattern now. Show Cassiopeia, Cygnus,
Lyra, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. Label Deneb and Polaris.
Procedure 2 Constellation Close-up
Set location to Auburn (Longitude between 85 & 86 Latitude between 32 & 33). Set time to 8:30 PM
(DST on or off depending on date). Pick one of these constellations depending on when you are doing
this: Spring Semester-Canis Major, Summer Semester-Bootes, Fall Semester-Lyra. Use
View>Constellations menu to find constellations.
Name of brightest star _______________
(Size of star on chart related to brightness but look at magnitude in data panel to be sure. Lowest
magnitude is brightest)
Name of a double star ____________
(Click on brighter stars. If it is double there will be a components tab on the data panel)
Name and number of a Messier object in the constellation. Choose Messier Objects under Display to turn
on. If no other name put NGC number. If none visible try Zoom button or look in View>Messier Catalog
list.
Name __________________ Messier Number _________
Procedure 3 Seasonal Changes
Set the date to Mar 21 of this year and time to 8:30 pm (daylight savings off). Set Location to Auburn.
Use View>Set Direction to look South. Turn on constellations (Display>Constellations). Draw the view
showing at least 5 constellations. Include Leo.
Change Date to June. 21. Turn on daylight savings time. Draw the Southern view. Include at least 5
constellations including Leo. Note how much the position of Leo has changed.
Procedure 4 Arcturus Nears the Sun
Over long periods the appearance of constellations will change. Go to ‘Open Settings’ to open up
Settings> Arcturus Nears Sun. Initiate the demo by clicking start. Stop when Arcturus reaches the
boundary (purple line) between Bootes and Virgo. How many years did it take according to black and
white message at top of chart? ____________
Procedure 5 Analemma from Minneapolis
Select Analemma from Minneapolis from Settings folder. If you observe the Sun at the same time and
place every day you will find the position of the Sun in the sky changes. Use the time panel to see the
path traced out.
What is the path traced out called? _____________
What is the shape of this path? _____________
Give the two dates when the Sun is at the position where the path crosses itself.
___________ _________________
Procedure 6 Blue Stars
Click on Blue Stars in the Settings folder. These are the hottest stars.
The blue stars belong to spectral classes ______ and _______.
Where are most of the blue stars? above galaxy, below galaxy, plain of galaxy, scattered all over?
_____________________
Name a bright blue star does not follow this pattern. ____________
Procedure 7 Eclipses
From the Settings folder run South Carolina Eclipse.
How long does the eclipse last (minutes)? Click on start. Use the time it takes for the
Moon close-up to go from white to black and back to white. Length of eclipse = ______________
When does the Moon cover the Sun completely? (hour and minute)? ___________
Procedure 8 Crowded Part of the Sky.
Open Tail of the Scorpion in the Demo folder.
What is the name of the nebula (written in green) to the right of Shaula?
________________
What is the name of the cluster M6 above and to left of Shaula? _____________
(If not visible try zoom(-) button or scroll bars)
What is the name of the cluster (in green) above and to left of M6? ____________
Procedure 9 Moon Phases
Select Phase of the Moon in Basics Folder. Go through phases from New Moon back to New Moon. Look
at the time in the lower left. Use the time panel to start and stop.
On which date is the right half lit up (1st quarter)? ________________
On which date is the left half lit up (3rd quarter)? ________________
Procedure 10 Three Places Three Views
Select Three Cities from Basics Folder. What you see depends on the time of day, month, and whether
above or below equator.
Compare New York and Singapore.
Where is Vega (compass direction) if you are in Singapore? __________
Where is Vega if you are in New York? __________
Compare New York and Sydney. Use time panel to set both to 8pm. Use the scroll bars to look to the
south. The time panel affects the window with blue bar with name of city in dark blue. Click on bar to
change.
Which very bright star is between South and Southeast from New York? _____________
From Sydney the words Rigel Kentaurus appear on the chart above South. What is the better known name
of the star to the left of the R? This star system is the nearest to Earth. ____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Point values: For 1-10 each blank is worth 3 points. In #1 each drawing is worth 6 points (a point will be
counted off for each label that is missing). In #3 each drawing is worth 5 points.