AST_101_Lab_5_Exercise_Rev (1)
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Arizona State University, Tempe *
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Course
101
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Feb 20, 2024
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Uploaded by ProfessorSheep4002
AST 101 Lab 5 Exercise
Student Name:
Question 1 (10 points): In this lab, you will use Starry Night
to observe the sky from 3 locations at different longitude and latitude. These locations are defined as follows:
1.
The first location must be your home
location.
2.
For the second location, choose one near the same latitude as your home, but far away in longitude. For example, use Tripoli, Libya if your home location is Phoenix, Arizona. 3.
The third location must be in the opposite hemisphere (north or south) from your home location. For example, if your home location is Phoenix Arizona, the third location might be Adelaide, Australia. (To get the longitude and latitude values, select the city as your location in Starry Night, then
read the values it lists for the city.)
In the table below, list the name, longitude, and latitude for the three locations.
Following the table, include a screenshot
showing Starry Night set to the location in the opposite
hemisphere.
Location Name
Longitude
Latitude
1
Anthem AZ
-112.11
33.85
2
Tripoli, Libya
13.11.15
32.52.31
3
Adelaide, Australia
138.35.55
34.55.43
Question 2 (5 points): On the month and day you were born (or choose another month and day at least 15 years in the past), in what constellation did the Sun appear? What is the relationship between that constellation and your zodiac sign? Please include the month and day you chose (not the year) in your answer.
On my birthday, April 25th, the sun was positioned in the constellation of Taurus. In astrology, this is significant as the consolation housing the sun at your birth time determines your zodiac sign. My Zodiac sign is Taurus, reflecting the same constellation in which the sun appeared on that day. This celestial alignment creates a unique bond between you and the Constellation Taurus.
Question 3 (10 points): When the Sun
appears to be in Virgo, which zodiac constellation is high in the sky at midnight
? How long (weeks or months) does it take the Sun to move from Virgo to the constellation high in the sky, at midnight?
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AST 101 Lab 5 Exercise
When the sun is in Virgo, the constellation Pisces is high in the sky at midnight. This is because Pisces and Virgo are opposite each other on the celestial sphere. As for the Suns movement, it takes about six months for the sun to move from Virgo to Pisces. Due to the Earth's orbit around
the sun, which causes the sun to appear to move through one zodiac constellation per month. Therefore, the sun's journey from Burger to Pisces spans half of the Zodiac. Question 4 (15 points): A “seasonal group” of constellations is defined as the group of constellations located near the meridian at midnight in a specific season. For example, the “Spring seasonal group” consists of constellations located near the meridian at midnight in the Spring. Answer the following 3 parts of this question:
A)
At your home
location from Question 1, name 3 constellations in the “Spring seasonal group”.
And this spring season over anthem, 3 constellations in the spring seasonal group can include Ursa Major, Leo, and Virgo.
B)
When the Spring seasonal group is high in the sky at midnight, where are the constellations of the “Fall seasonal group”?
When the spring seasonal Group is high in the sky at midnight in anthem Arizona, the fall seasonal group is not visible. They are located on the other side of the sphere.
C)
In terms of the Earth’s daily rotation and orbit around the Sun, explain why the Fall seasonal group is at that location when the Spring seasonal group is high in the sky at midnight.
The positioning of the spring and fall seasonal groups is a direct result of the Earth's rotation and orbit around the sun. The spring group is high in the sky at the night, it means the Earth is positioned in its orbit such that the sun is illuminating the part of the celestial sphere associated with the spring constellations. Conversely, the fall group is then on the opposite side of the celestial sphere, hidden in the daylight. As the Earth continues its orbit, it brings different constellations into view at night, leading to cyclical pattern of the seasons and the associated constellations.
Question 5 (10 points): Using Starry Night, complete the following table for the current date
at your home location
in Question 1. Change the time to the values listed in the left column. Below the table, include a screenshot of Starry Night showing the constellation you listed as setting in the west at sunset
(make sure Starry Night is set to display the names and outlines of the constellations).
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AST 101 Lab 5 Exercise
A constellation that is…
Name
setting in the west at sunset
Pisces
high in the south at midnight
Pollux, Gemini
rising in the east at sunrise
Gemini
not visible at midnight
Scorpius
Question 6 (10 points): For your home
location listed in Question 1, list 5 constellations that are always
in the sky, all night, every night of the year. What is the special name for constellations that are always in the sky, all night, all year at some location?
From my home location anthem AZ, five constellations that are always in the sky are Ursa Major, or Ursa Minor, Cepheus, Cassiopiea, and Draco. These are all generally observable from
northern latitudes. Constellations visible in this night sky throughout the year are called circumpolar constellations. Their visibility is due to their position in relation to the Earth's rotation.
Question 7 (10 points): List the names of 20 constellations that are visible anywhere in the sky from your home
location at 10 pm on Wednesday of this week.
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AST 101 Lab 5 Exercise
Question 8 (10 points): From the 20 constellations in Question 7, list the names of all constellations visible at 10 PM local time for location #1 and location #2 in question 1.
location #1: location #2: Question 9 (10 points): From the 20 constellations in Question 7, list the names of all constellations visible at 10 PM local time for location #1 and location #3 in question 1.
location #1:
location #3:
Question 10 (10 points): Based on your answers to Questions 7, 8, and 9, which of the following
coordinates determines the constellations that can be seen from a particular location on Earth: Latitude or Longitude? Explain your answer.
The constellations we observe from a specific location on Earth are primarily influenced due to latitude. Because our physician on Earth North or South, determines our view of the celestial sphere and thus the constellations.
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