Sections
Lab 5: Planets is meant to enlighten the student about the story of planet discovery and specification from the Ptolemaic system to exoplanets.
But it is distinctly too long for 3 hours and some parts are tough.
So I recommend omitting sections 8 (Tasks 11--14 which contain some tough little algebra), 10 (Tasks 18--19), and 12 (Tasks 22--25).
More can be omitted if needs be.
If there is lots of time after everything else, then section 12: Exoplanets could be stuck in for fun. This will probably be the case if weather precludes observations.
If you have really great lab section, maybe all the sections can be done.
The observation sections can be done at any time in the lab period:
13
takes about 15 minutes
and
14
takes anywhere from 15 to 30 minutues depending on how much the students are asked to do.
Review as needed:
As usual for labs-with-observations, check the
weather online at
NWS
7-day forecast, Las Vegas, NV in advance and
by personal visual inspection at/during the lab period.
If the weather is BAD,
Lab 5: Planets
can go ahead omitting the observations (which are a relatively small part)
and, perhaps, including an omitted section: e.g.,
12: Exoplanets.
On the other if instructor really wants to do the observations, then
Lab 5: Planets
can be postponed and a lab-without-observations substituded.
Usually, that lab-without-observations should be from the current semester
lab schedule.
If none of the above is feasible, yours truly suggests
Lab 16: Hubble's law since that is
pretty short and easy and takes little prep.
The instructor must make an executive decision.
Since this is a planet observation lab, you should
check what planets are in the
current night sky.
The sky map below gives quick insight.
You will need to set up the
C8 telescopes
on the roof before the lab period and review their usage well in advance if needed.
The C8's
usually should be sky aligned for this lab, so that the planets
to be observed stay fixed in the field of view
while the students sketch them.
The students can sketch quickly and slew
the C8's as needed.
As many C8's
as needed should be set up
and the instructors should decide ahead of time how to share them.
You will need smaller focal-length
eyepieces than
the standard 40-mm eyepieces.
The smaller ones are in boxes labeled by their
focal length.
The 40 mm eyepieces should be
back on the C8's
at the end of the night and all the smaller ones in their appropriate boxes.
The smaller focal-length
eyepieces are good for viewing
and needed for the angular diameter measurements---yours truly
recommends that you do NOT
do the angular diameter measurements---just
give the students the fiducial times given below.
The CCD camera
will have to be set up by someone if any images are to be taken.
Maybe there won't be any images or maybe you will not need to do the set up.
See CCD Camera Instructions if the
CCD camera is to be set up.
Actually, nowadays, students can take pretty good images just with their
cell phones if they want images.
You'll need one for each group---don't take more or the other lab instructors will become hostile.
You'll have to give some students a lesson in using a
protractor even though it is thoroughly
described in the lab exercise.
It's nice if they are sky aligned, but it's not absolutely essential.
See
Telescope Operating Procedure
and List of Tricks for C8 Telescopes
for procedures and tips.
It is possible to cover all parts of the lab in one week, but be sure to decide among
the instructors how to proceed in order to avoid CHAOS on the roof.