Finding Your Way Around The Sky

Activity 2A: Getting to Know the Constellations Based upon an activity found at http://mrscienceut.net/StarryNight1.html Objectives: By the end of this activity, you should be able to: 1. Identify some of the more prominent constellations; 2. Describe some of the myths associated with the constellations; 3. Relate the constellations in the sky at a particular time with the season; PART 1 : Constellations 1. Let’s learn a little bit about “navigating” in the northern hemisphere night sky. Go to http://www.naturalnavigator.com/find-your-way-using/stars and read through the page. What are the two hints they give for how to find the North Star? Make sure that they are two DIFFERENT hints (not two parts of the same hint). a. Pointer stars point to Polaris b. Casseiopoa is opposite the big dipper 2. What is it about the North Star that is so important to navigation? It is fixed in position above the North Pole. 3. Watch this video, in which a park ranger introduces you to some circumpolar constellations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oxoAAs9TUI PART 2 : Constellations and the Seasons There are different constellations in the sky at different times of year. Why? 1. Go to http://www.astro.umass.edu/~arny/constel/night_sky _ learn.html and read the page and follow the directions . When you have finished reading the page and feel that you are familiar with the constellations on the image, go on to step 2. 2. Click the “October” link at the bottom of the page. Read the information on this page, and then practice finding and identifying the indicated constellations on each of the diagrams. When you are finished (and feel that you are familiar with the constellations shown), click the browser’s “back” button. 3. Repeat step 2 for each of the month links at the bottom of the page. 4. If you could see the constellations in the sky during the day , what would you see? View the “ zodiac.mov ” to find out. The bright dot in the center of the video is the Sun. The constellations through which the Sun moves during the year form what is called the zodiac . Thanks to Dr. Richard Pogge of the Ohio State University for the video. 5. (From Constellations for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave) Explore the diagram found at this website for a complete zodiac model. In what

listed constellation would you (on Earth) see the Sun? Highlight your answer: Taurus Aries Pisces Aquarius 6. Look at the diagram. In what constellation would you (on Earth) see the Sun? Highlight your answer: Gemini Taurus Aries Use the diagram at right for questions a- h. a. In what constellation would you see the sun when Earth is at A? Scorpius b. In what constellation would you see the sun when Earth is at B? Leo c. In what constellation would you see the sun when Earth is at C? Taurus d. In what constellation would you see the sun when Earth is at D? Pisces e. Which constellation would you see at night if the Earth is at A? Taurus f. Which constellation would you see at night if the Earth is at B? Pisces g. Which constellation would you see at night if the Earth is at C? Scorpius h. Which constellation would you see at night if the Earth is at D? Leo

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