PHYS110-Fall2023-Lab1
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School
University of Notre Dame *
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Course
110
Subject
Astronomy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
7
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1
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Date:__
PHYS 110L Lab # 1
The Position and Motion of the Sun
1
Equipment: access to
http://www.heavens-above.com
Instructions: Please read and follow the steps described below and answer
all
questions.
Part #1 Computer Simulation Setup
Step 1.
Go to the website:
https://www.heavens-above.com/
Step 2.
Under the
Configuration
section, click on the
Change your observing location
link.
Step 3.
Scroll down the page to the
Enter place to search for
box and type in your location
(
e.g.
Grand Forks, North Dakota). Click the
Search
button and your location should be displayed
on the map. If not, please enter your latitude and longitude in the available boxes.
Step 4.
Once your location is set, click the
Update
button near the bottom of the webpage. This
action will take you back to the main page with your location and time set in the box at the upper
right of the page.
Step 5.
Under the
Astronomy
section, click the link
Interactive Sky Chart
. This will give you
a star chart displaying the visible stars, planets, and Sun that are currently located above your
position.
1
Modified from
Engaging in Astronomical Inquiry
, by S. J. Slater, T. F. Slater, and D. J. Lyons, 2010, W. H. Freeman
and Company.
Learning Objectives:
In this lab assignment you will conduct a series of inquiries about the motion of the Sun in the
sky using simulations and learn how the Sun follows different pathways at different times of
the year.
2
Part #2 Exploration
Question 1:
On a map of the United States, north is toward the top of the page and west is to the
left. On star charts, north is toward the top of the page and west is to the right.
How do you account for this difference?
The star chart is basically opposite to a standard map.
Step 6.
Looking at the sky chart, find the position of the yellow symbol that represents the Sun.
If you do not see the Sun, your sky chart might be set to night-time viewing. If so, please add or
subtract enough hours until you see the Sun symbol. This can be done by using the menu at the
top of the sky chart, clicking the
+
or
−
button to change the current time.
Question 2:
Which constellation is the Sun closest to right now?
The sun is closest to the constellation Leo according to the simulation.
Step 7.
Change the time by increasing it by one hour. Explain exactly how the Sun
’
s position has
changed on the sky chart.
The Sun’s original position was 250 degrees
Southwest at 16:59 PM and shifted 10 degrees
closer to true West and is now 260 degrees to the West at 17:59 PM from our location.
Step 8.
Slowly increase the time to later and later in the day. Determine exactly at what time
(hours and minutes) that the Sun will set tonight (the Sun
’
s symbol should just disappear at the
exact sunset time). Please record the sunset time:
Sunset:_20:09 PM______________
Question 3:
Which constellation was the Sun closest to when it set?
The Sun was closest to the constellation Leo during sun set.
3
Question 4:
Is this the same or different constellation from where the Sun was earlier in the day
(see Question 2)?
From the viewpoint of our location the Sun has been near the constellation Leo all day.
Question 5:
What generalization can you make about the relative speeds that the Sun and stars
move through the sky over the course of a day?
It appears from our viewpoint that the Sun and the Stars in sky are moving at the same speed
since the stars close to our Sun are not lagging behind and stay in the same location near our sun
but just shifted West.
Part #3 When looking at the star chart for sunset tonight:
Question 6:
Which constellation appears highest in the sky (i.e., directly overhead)?
The Constellation Draco appears directly overhead in the night sky at our location.
Question 7:
What is the position of this constellation relative to the sky chart (left, right, top,
bottom, center)?
The position of the constellation Draco appears center on the sky chart.
Question 8:
On what part of the sky chart (left, right, top, bottom, center) is the constellation
that appears near the southern horizon?
The constellation that is near the southern horizon appears on the bottom of the skychart.
Question 9:
What is the name of the constellation near the southern horizon?
The constellation that is near the southern horizon is the constellation Scorpius.
Question 10:
On what part of the sky chart (left, right, top, bottom, center) is the constellation
that appears near the eastern horizon?
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4
The constellation that appears near the easter horizon is on the left of the sky chart.
Question 11:
What is the name of the constellation near the eastern horizon?
The name of the constellation near the eastern horizon is the constellation Pegasus.
Part #4 When looking at the sky chart for three hours after tonight
’
s sunset:
Question 12:
Which constellation appears highest (i.e., directly overhead) in the sky?
The constellation Cygnus appears directly overhead on the sky chart.
Question 13:
What is the position of this constellation relative to the sky chart (left, right, top,
bottom, center)?
The constellation Cygnus appears slightly south from the center of the sky chart.
Question 14:
Where did the stars that used to be at this position move?
The constellation of Draco moved slightly to the top of the sky chart in the three hours after sun
set.
Question 15:
On what part of the sky chart (left, right, top, bottom, center) is the constellation
that appears near the southern horizon?
The constellation appears slightly to the right from the bottom of the sky chart.
Question 16:
What is the name of the constellation near the southern horizon?
5
The constellation near the southern horizon is the constellation Sagittarius.
Question 17:
Where did the stars that used to be at this position move?
The constellation Ophiuchus moved west and counterclockwise on the sky chart.
Question 18:
On what part of the sky chart (left, right, top, bottom, center) is the constellation
that appears near the western horizon, where the Sun sets?
The constellation appears 290 degrees Northwest on the sky chart.
Question 19:
What is the name of the constellation near the western horizon where the Sun sets?
The constellation near the western horizon on the sky chart is the constellation Bootis.
Question 20:
Where did the stars that used to be at this position move?
The stars shifted counterclockwise and West.
Question 21:
On what part of the sky chart (left, right, top, bottom, center) is the constellation
that appears near the eastern horizon, where the Sun rises?
The constellation appears 70 degrees Northeast on the sky chart.
Question 22:
What is the name of the constellation near the eastern horizon where the Sun rises?
The constellation that appears near the Eastern horizon is the constellation Aries.
Question 23:
Where did the stars that used to be at this position move?
6
The stars shifted counterclockwise and West.
Question 24:
If you were to change the time to midnight, predict what would be different about
the positions of the stars.
The stars shifted eastward and counterclockwise.
Question 25:
What generalization can you make about how stars change position over the course
of the night?
The stars move counterclockwise and westward in the night sky from our location viewpoint.
Part #5 Monthly change of Sunset Time
Step 9.
Record the time of sunset as determined in Step 8.
Sunset:___8:09 PM____________
Step 10.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset one month from now. Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:____7:05 PM___________
Step 11.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset two months from now.
Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:____6:09 PM___________
Step 12.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset three months from now.
Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:___4:33 PM___________
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7
Step 13.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset six months from now. Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:___6:07 PM____________
Step 14.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset nine months from now.
Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:____9:12 PM___________
Step 15.
Using the sky chart, determine precisely the time of sunset twelve months from now.
Click
Update
after changing the month.
Sunset:____8:07 PM___________
Question 26:
Based on your analysis of the pattern of sunset times, would you agree or disagree
with the following generalization:
“
Sunset time changes about one hour per month, setting earlier
and earlier in the fall and then setting later and later in the spring.
”?
I would agree with this statement because the sunset times changes within a one-to-two-hour
variation during twelve months.
Conclusion.
Please provide feedback regarding the lab assignment. Are there things that you
liked or disliked? Thanks!!
I liked the lab assignment it was a good introduction to how constellations move in our night sky.