Constellation Notes

Constellations Day 1 Objective: You will use critical thinking skills in order to differentiate between astronomy and astrology. You will use the apparent motion of the earth in order to explain the changing view of our night sky. Warm-Up What is astrology? Are you familiar with your zodiac sign?

Find Your Sign!

Astronomy vs. Astrology ASTRONOMY: the scientific study of the stars, planets, comets, etc. ASTROLOGY: the belief that the stars can predict the future and determine a person’s personality

Astrology vs. Astronomy What “real” science is astrology based upon? What makes astrology a pseudoscience (fake science)?

Apparent (not your mom or dad) APPARENT MOTION: rotation of the earth on it’s axis and revolution around the sun makes the stars appear to move in the night sky

Apparent (not your mom or dad) What does the word “apparent” mean again? How it _________ Appears to move

Apparent (not your mom or dad) NORTH STAR: star around which all other stars appear to revolve; currently Polaris, located in Ursa Minor (Little Dipper)

History of Astronomy9

10 Time Elapsed Photo

Apparent (not your mom or dad) Why do you think that Polaris doesn’t appear to move?

Apparent (not your mom or dad) CONSTELLATIONS: apparent patterns of stars (there’s that word apparent again!) 88 total Constellations –Name the night sky

History of Astronomy13 What do you see in this picture? Can you find Orion?

History of Astronomy14 Stars in the same constellation are not the same distance from us. They are spread out in space.

Apparent (not your mom or dad) Explain why constellations are called “apparent” patterns. (use Orion as an example)

Apparent (not your mom or dad) ECLIPTIC: apparent path of the sun, moon, and planets through the sky

Zodiac Constellations (Circle of Animals) Zodiac constellations are constellations the sun appears to travel through What is that path called again? Ecliptic

Zodiac Constellations Your zodiac “sign” is the constellation the sun was supposedly “in” when you were born 13 Zodiac Constellations

History of Astronomy19

Zodiac Constellations Take a minute to see if you know the animal? Can you identify what they all are?

History of Astronomy21

History of Astronomy22

History of Astronomy23

History of Astronomy24

History of Astronomy25

History of Astronomy26

History of Astronomy27

History of Astronomy28

History of Astronomy29

History of Astronomy30

History of Astronomy31

Cenataur 32

History of Astronomy33

History of Astronomy34 Where the heck did this guy come from?

Precession PRECESSION: wobble of the earth on it’s axis changing our perspective of the stars (how they ___) North star changes over time (a lot of time!)

History of Astronomy36

History of Astronomy37

Precession Positions of zodiac in night sky shifted Aries originally began with the vernal (spring) equinox which now occurs in Pisces

History of Astronomy39

Did you learn some stuff? Differentiate between astrology and astronomy. Give two specific reasons why one is considered a pseudoscience.

Sun’s Length Objective You will compare astronomical and astrological time using the calculations of the time the sun appears in each constellation in order to analyze the zodiac constellations defined by astrology. Warm-Up What are constellations? How many constellations there? What is their purpose?

Measuring the Ecliptic  Find the ECLIPTIC : Point to it  What is the ecliptic?  The apparent path the sun takes through the sky

Measuring the Ecliptic History of Astronomy43 You will be measuring along the ecliptic! For Leo You would measure from The orange arrow to the red arrow. Lets try it!

Closure Do the astrological dates for the zodiac align with the astronomical dates? Explain

Objective You will use constellation coordinates (know) in order to identify the constellations.(do) You will use a celestial sphere (a scientific model) (know) in order to locate stars and constellations (do). Warm-Up What is a scientific model? What information would you need to identify a certain constellation or a star?

Celestial Coordinate System Celestial PolesCelestial Poles: point in space directly over the North and South Poles

Celestial Coordinate System What is currently located at the North Celestial Pole? Polaris the North Star

Celestial Coordinate System Right Ascension (RA)Right Ascension (RA): celestial (sky) longitude Right ascension unit: hours, min (0-23 beginning at the vernal equinox moving westward)

Celestial Coordinate System How can you remember it? It moves from RIGHT to left There are 24 divisions and there are 24 _____ in a day

Celestial Coordinate System Let’s Try It!Let’s Try It! Look at your star chart and name 2 constellations that are found at 3 hours RA. Sometimes it’s easier if you use a ruler!

Celestial Coordinate System Declination (DEC)Declination (DEC): celestial (sky) latitude (“ladder”tude) Declination unit: degrees How can you remember it? Declination and Degrees both start with ____.

Celestial Coordinate System Let’s Try It!Let’s Try It! Look at your star chart and name 2 constellations that are found at DEC Use the ruler again to help!

Celestial Coordinate System Celestial equatorCelestial equator: imaginary line in space directly above earth’s equator

Celestial Coordinate System If the celestial equator is at 0 0 declination, degrees above zero would be _________ and below zero would be __________ (think about a thermometer)

Celestial Coordinate System At what latitude is the earth’s equator? _____ 0 Guess what declination is the celestial equator? _____ 0

Celestial Sphere Declination Right Ascension Celestial Equator

Celestial Coordinate System Vernal (spring) EquinoxVernal (spring) Equinox: point in space where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator 0 hours0 hours right ascension (celestial Prime Meridian)

Celestial Coordinate System How can you remember it? But it used to be at the beginning of Aries and now it’s in Pisces Can you come up with something? Where the ecliptic and celestial equator meet! Meet in spring

History of Astronomy59

History of Astronomy60 Make a labeled sketch of the coordinate system shown

Celestial Coordinate System Let’s Try It!Let’s Try It! Find the constellations at the given coordinates. Remember that the numbers proceed from RIGHT to left, be careful!

History of Astronomy62

Closure 3 things you learned; 2 questions 1 surprise How did you like this style of notes? History of Astronomy63

Constellations Objective You will apply knowledge of constellations and coordinates in order to complete constellation quest. You will research stellar information and the constellation legend in order to identify the constllations origins Warm-Up When is your birthday? From your birthday what is your horoscope? History of Astronomy64

Find Your Sign!

Permission Slip: DUE 3-20 History of Astronomy66

Closure what are the two you choose? What two pieces of information would you need in order to locate Hercules? History of Astronomy67