Agenda – Class 2
1. Announcements/Reminders
2. Lesson: How Things Look in the Sky
3. Tutorial: “Position”
4. Due for next class (see last page for details):
• Readings (textbook)
• Quiz (Blackboard)
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Learning Outcomes
Before setting out to solve the great mysteries of this universe, we need to be
able to navigate it first, and understand the causes of the changing
appearances of our sky. After completing this lesson, you should be able to:
• Explain how the Earth-centred Celestial Sphere coordinates model is used
to identify celestial objects.
• Explain why some stars rise and set daily, while others do not.
• Discuss the causes for the daily changes in the appearance of the night sky.
• Describe patterns of night and day sky objects as they would appear for
observers at different latitudes on Earth.
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Prediction Question
Which of the objects in this image will NOT appear to move toward the
West as the day goes on?
A) The Moon D) Mars (a planet)
B) Constellations of stars E) All of these objects will appear to
C) The Sun move toward the west as the day goes on
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Prediction Question
Which of these stars will NOT set below the horizon as the day goes on?
A B C D
E) All of these stars will set below the horizon at some time during the day
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Stars: Stars vs. Asterisms vs. Constellations
• individual sources of light
• 400 billion stars in our galaxy
• human eye can see about
3,000 stars on a dark night
• Light pollution and stars
• Video: Losing the Dark
Asterisms:
• commonly recognized
Example: The Big Dipper is an asterism, which is the
patterns of stars, usually most recognized part of the Ursa Major constellation
smaller parts of a constellation
Constellations:
• 88 regions into which the entire sky dome around Earth has been divided
Supplemental Info:
The Constellation Index What is a Constellation? 5
Constellations and ‘Shapes’
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The Three Views of Orion
Animation: Orion Constellation to Nebula Zoom
(Interactive Figure 1.2 in M.A.)
Interactive Photo: Orion: Head to Toe
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http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101023.html
Use The Big Dipper to Find North
pointer stars
Which way is NORTH in this photo?
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Consider the Dome of the Sky…
inverted mixing bowl ….
mixing bowl
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Star Maps
Star Maps (or Star Charts, or Star Finders) show the view of our
‘inverted mixing bowl’ sky from the inside !
Download a free copy of the
IYA2009 Star Finder here:
http://www.star-finder.ca/
(produced by the RASC)
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Supplemental Info on Stargazing
Stargazing Tools
Stargazing Basics: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/howto/basics
Interactive Sky Chart: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/skychart/
Toronto Clear Sky Chart: http://cleardarksky.com/c/Torontokey.html
Cloud Tracking with Satellite Imagery: http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/maps/
Current Observing Highlights
What’s Up Tonight? http://www.skyandtelescope.com/letsgo/whatsuptonight
Star Parties: http://www.rasc.ca/centres/events.shtml
Desktop Planetarium Software
Google Earth & Sky: http://earth.google.com/
World Wide Telescope: http://www.worldwidetelescope.org
Celestia: http://www.shatters.net/celestia/
Stellarium: http://www.stellarium.org/ 11
The Celestial Sphere
What we see:
All objects appear to move
east-to-west on the sky during
one day.
How do we model this?
Visualizing (‘imagining’) a
celestial sphere, with stars and
other objects ‘stuck to it’, centred
on Earth, rotating east-to-west.
What is the real CAUSE of
this apparent motion?
Interactive Tool: http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion1/cec_units.html 12
From the Celestial Sphere to You
Step 2:
Observer in Toronto,
inside the Celestial
Sphere
Step 3:
Step 1: Observer in Toronto,
The Celestial inside the Celestial
Sphere Sphere, rotated upright
to have horizon flat
around her
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Sky for a Local Observer
Step 3:
Step 4:
Observer in
Same observer in
Toronto,
Toronto, inside
inside the
the Celestial
Celestial
Sphere, rotated
Sphere,
upright to have
rotated upright
horizon flat
to have
around her, with
horizon flat
the ‘underside’
around her
removed
Step 5:
Same observer in
Toronto, inside the
Celestial Sphere, rotated
upright to have horizon
flat around her, with
‘underside’ removed, with
labels for directions and
special points/lines.
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Reading Directions in the Sky
Directions on Earth: Directions on the Sky:
Step 1: Toronto
(Lat: 44°N, Long: 79°W ) Step 3: Local Observer
Step 2: Toronto on a map
Step 4: Observer’s View of the South Sky
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Interactive Rotating Sky Explorer: http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion2/animations/ce_hc.html
Angular Sizes
To be able to speak about sizes of, and distances
between objects in the sky, astronomers use a
system of angular measurement (rather than
meters/etc), because these objects are located
on a CURVED SURFACE.
The full Moon is about
½°. Or, we say:
• the angular diameter (or
size) of the Moon is ½°
• the Moon subtends an
angle of ½°
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Angular Distances
The angular distance between To roughly estimate angular sizes
the two ‘pointer stars’ of the Big and distances, use your outstretched
Dipper is about 5°. hand as a measuring instrument.
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Tutorial: Position
• Work in a group of 2‐‐3 people
• Read the instructions and questions carefully
• Talk to each other and discuss your answers with each other
• Come to a consensus answer you both agree on
• If you get stuck or are not sure of your answer ask another group
• If you get really stuck or don’t understand what the questions are asking you,
ask your instructor for help
• Your tutorial will be checked for completion as part of your participation
grade
• Be ready to answer take-up questions with your voting card after the tutorial
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Take-Up Question
What direction is the observer
facing in this picture?
A) North
B) South
C) East
D) West
E) Directly overhead
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Take-Up Question
In what direction would you
face (look) to see star A
when it is highest in the sky?
A) North
B) South
C) East
D) West
E) Directly overhead
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Take-Up Questions
In what direction would you
face (look) to see star X as
shown at right?
A) High in the North-East
B) High in the South-East
C) High in the North-West
D) High in the South-West
E) South
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Take-Up Questions
At what numbered position
does star B rise?
A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4
E) None
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DUE FOR NEXT CLASS:
Readings (for next quiz):
See the Critical Path for details.
QUIZ 2 (in Blackboard, ‘ASSESSMENTS’ section)
- Based on assigned readings above
- Due by 11pm on last evening before next class
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