Lab 1: Constellations

Credit/Permission: For text, © David Jeffery. For figures etc., as specified with the figure etc. / Only for reading and use by the instructors and students of the UNLV astronomy laboratory course.

Group Number/Name:

Name:

Partner Names:

Favorite Report: Y / N

    Task Master:

      EOF

    1. Task 1: Contouring Constellations: Complete early for observations later on.
    2. Task 2: Constellation Observations: Outside observing task to be done with a night sky.
    3. Task 3: Bright Star Labels: Complete early for observations later on.
    4. Task 4: Bright Star Observations: Outside observing task to be done with a night sky.
    5. Task 5: Ranking Star Brightness: Outside observing task to be done with a night sky. For IPI, optional at the discretion of the instructor. For RMI, required.
    6. Task 6: NCP Angle.
    7. Task 7: Circumpolar Circle Angular Radius for the NCP.
    8. Task 8: The Polaris Altitude.
    9. Task 9: Polaris Altitude from Hand Measurements.
    10. Task 10: Bright Star Data (IPI only).
    11. Task 11: The Rotating Sky.
    12. Task 12: Rotating Sky Explorer Questions: Omit update.
    13. Task 13: Contouring the Horizon (IPI only). Optional at the discretion of the instructor.

    End of Task

  1. Task 1: Contouring Constellations:

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Print out the 3 Unlabeled Sky Maps in the figures below (local link / general link: Unlabeled Sky Maps)---unless your instructor has already printed the sky maps for you.

      You will only need one set of sky maps PER GROUP---unless your instructor directs otherwise

      The set of sky maps should be appended to the favorite report form---unless your instructor asks for each group member to make a set of sky maps.

      RMI Qualification: If you do NOT have a printer, just sketch the Unlabeled Sky Maps by hand with enough detail for your own use.

    2. Launch the TheSky which is on the desktop.

      RMI Qualification: Since the TheSky is NOT available, you will have to use Your Sky sky maps: the Jan01 sky map for the winter night sky and the Jul01 sky map for the summer night sky.

    3. Find the constellations listed below in Constellation Tables (general link: Constellation Tables) on the 3 sky maps you have printed out and label them with their abbreviated names. See Wikipedia: 88 modern constellations: Modern constellations for the abbreviated names.

      RMI Qualification: If you do NOT have a printer, you will have to write out the Constellation Tables by hand with enough detail for your own use. They are part of your Report Form.

    4. Surround the stick-figure representing each constellation with a tight-fitting contour line (or alternatively trace over the stick-figure with a colored pencil, etc.).

      The figure above (local link / general link: iau_scorpius_contour.html) illustrates a tight-fitting red contour line surrounding the stick-figure of a constellation labeled by its abbreviated name. 

            _________________________________________________________________________________________
        
        Constellation Tables
        
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Table:  North Polar Sky Constellations
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Constellation               Observed Location in Sky     Why Not Observed?
                                    (Done in observations
                                     task below)
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Camelopardalis, CAM
    
        Cassiopeia, CAS
    
        Cepheus, CEP
    
        Draco, DRA
    
        Perseus, PER
    
        Ursa Major, UMA
    
        Ursa Minor, UMI
    
        _________________________________________________________________________________________ 

            _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Table:  Summer Sky Constellations
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Constellation               Observed Location in Sky     Why Not Observed?
                                    (Done in observations
                                     task below)
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Aquila, AQL
    
        Bootes, BOO
    
        Corona Borealis, CRB
    
        Cygnus, CYG
    
        Draco, DRA
    
        Hercules
    
        Lyra, LYR
    
        Ophiuchus, OPH
    
        Pegasus, PEG
    
        Sagittarius, SGR
    
        Scorpius, SCO
    
        Virgo, VIR
    
        _________________________________________________________________________________________ 

            _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Table:  Winter Sky Constellations
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Constellation               Observed Location in Sky     Why Not Observed?
                                    (Done in observations
                                     task below)
        _________________________________________________________________________________________
        Andromeda, AND
    
            Auriga, AUR
    
        Canis Major, CMA
    
        Canis Minor, CMI
    
        Gemini, GEM
    
        Leo, LEO
    
        Orion, ORI
    
        Perseus, PER
    
        Taurus, TAU
    
        Ursa Major, UMA
    
        _________________________________________________________________________________________

    End of Task

  2. Task 2: Constellation Observations:

    This task is to be done DURING observations and SIMULTANEOUSLY with Task 4: Bright Star Observations.

    So you have to wait until you go outside.

    Only the favorite report form requires filled-in tables---unless your instructor directs otherwise.

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Try to find all the constellations in the above Constellation Tables (general link: Constellation Tables) that are observable at this time of the year.

    2. When you have found a constellation, mark its location in the "Observed Location" column in the Constellation Tables.

      Example location specifications: near zenith, near nadir, northern sky, southern sky, eastern sky, western sky, some in-between sky, etc.

    3. If a constellation is NOT observed, in the Constellation Tables mark it as NOT observed in the observation column and report why NOT observed in the "Why Not Observed?" column: i.e., below or too near the horizon, lost in the city lights, clouded out, etc.

    4. Note that actually almost all the constellations can only be found by finding one or more bright stars in them.

      So this task has to be done SIMULTANEOUSLY with Task 4: Bright Star Observations specified below.

    End of Task

  3. Task 3: Bright Star Labels:

    Label the bright stars shown in Table: Bright Stars (general link: Table: Bright Stars) on the sky maps you printed out.

    Click on the name of the bright star to see a sky map locating it in its parent constellation.

    DO NOT fill in the Table: Bright Stars now. 

      ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  Table:  Bright Stars
  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  Bright Star    Bayer     RA       DEC       Transit  Above Horizon   Observed    Why Not Observed?
                 Desig-   (h m)     (deg       Time      at 9:00 pm     Today
                 tion               arcmin)               Today         (Y/N)
                                                           (Y/N)
  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  Aldebaran      α TAU    4h 36m    +16°31'
    
  Algol
    
  Altair
    
  Antares
    
  Arcturus
    
  Betelgeuse
    
  Capella
    
  Castor
    
  Deneb
    
  Polaris
    
  Pollux
    
  Procyon
    
  Regulus
    
  Rigel
    
  Sirius
    
  Spica
    
  Vega
    
  ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    End of Task

  4. Task 4: Bright Star Observations:

    This task is to be done DURING observations and SIMULTANEOUSLY with Task 2: Constellation Observations.

    So you have to wait until you go outside.

    Only the favorite report form requires filled-in tables---unless your instructor directs otherwise.

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Try to find all the bright stars in the above Table: Bright Stars (general link: Table: Bright Stars) that are observable at this time of the year.

    2. When you have found/not found a bright star mark it as "Y/N" in the observation column in Table: Bright Stars above. If the bright star is NOT observed, report why NOT observed the "Why Not Observed?" column: e.g., below or too near the horizon, lost in the city lights, clouded out, etc.

    End of Task

  5. Task 5: Ranking Star Brightness:

    If there is time DURING the observations, observe ONE or OTHER of the Big Dipper (which is an asterism in Ursa Major) or Cassiopeia and rank their brightest stars in order of apparent brightness (rank 1, 2, 3, etc.) in the tables below (local link / general link: Table: Big Dipper Stars; local link / general link: Table: Cassiopeia Stars). Any unobservable star, just rank as unobservable.

    Often only one of the two constellations will be in a good position: high in the sky and NOT lost in the city lights or clouds.

    The sky maps below (local link / general link: iau_ursa_major_ekrem.html; local link / general link: iau_cassiopeia.html) will allow you to identify the stars in the constellations. Print both sky maps. To print go right click on image/print preview/adjust size/print.

    Of course, neither the Big Dipper nor Cassiopeia may be observable in which this task CANNOT be done.

    If the task CANNOT be done, say why NOT. Reason why NOT: _____________________________________________ 

            _______________________________________________________________________
        Table:  Big Dipper Stars
        _______________________________________________________________________
        Star                            Apparent Brightness Order
        _______________________________________________________________________
        Alioth (ε UMA)
    
        Alkaid (η UMA)
    
        Dubhe (α UMA)
    
        Megrez (δ UMA)
    
        Merak (β UMA)
    
        Mizar (Mizar-Alcor system)
    
        Phecda (γ UMA)
    
        _______________________________________________________________________ 

            _______________________________________________________________________
        Table:  Cassiopeia Stars
        _______________________________________________________________________
        Star                            Apparent Brightness Order
        _______________________________________________________________________
        α CAS (Schedar)
    
        β CAS (Caph)
    
        γ CAS (Tsih, Navi)
    
        δ CAS (Ksora, Ruchbah)
    
        ε CAS (Segin)
    
        η CAS (Achird)
    
        _______________________________________________________________________

    End of Task

  6. Task 6: NCP Angle:

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Study the circumpolar figure below (local link / general link: declination_altitude.html). Note the north celestial pole (NCP), the equator, the right angle, and angles L, A, B.

    2. What is geographic quantity represented by angle L? (A number is NOT the answer.)     ________________________    

    3. What is the altitude (astro jargon for angle perpendicularly up from the horizon) above the due-north horizon of the north celestial pole (NCP) for a GENERAL location in the Northern Hemisphere? (A number is NOT the answer.) What is the altitude of the NCP for Las Vegas, Nevada? (A number is the answer.) Answer in sentence form.

      Hint: A regular sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with a period. It usually has a subject and a verb. NOT always.

      Answer:









    End of Task

  7. Task 7: Circumpolar Circle Angular Radius for the NCP:

    The circumpolar circle angular radius (CCAR) for the NCP for a given location in the Northern Hemisphere is the angle measured from the NCP within which astronomical objects are circumpolar for that location and above the horizon.

    Recall circumpolar astronomical objects are astronomical objects that NEVER rise or set---they are always above or below the horizon.

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Examine the animation in the figure below (local link / general link: sky_swirl_polaris_animation.html). Are all the stars circumpolar?     Y / N
    2. Which star is nearly at the NCP (i.e., which star is the pole star)?     ______________________    
    3. How far in angle can a star be from the NCP and still be circumpolar? A general answer is expected. Answer: An angle equal to the altitude of the NCP.
    4. What is the CCAR for the NCP for astronomical objects for a GENERAL location in the Northern Hemisphere (the answer is NOT a number) and from Las Vegas, Nevada (the answer is a number)? Answer in sentence form.

      Answer:



    End of Task

  8. Task 8: The Polaris Altitude:

    What is the altitude of Polaris for the Northern Hemisphere in general and for Las Vegas, Nevada in particular? Answer in sentence form.

    Answer:


    End of Task

  9. Task 9: Polaris Altitude from Hand Measurements:

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Read the subsection Finding Polaris above (local link / general link: Finding Polaris) and figure above (local link / general link: alien_angular.html). Have you read the caption?     Y / N    

    2. About how many spread hands is Polaris above the horizon in Las Vegas, Nevada? Answer in sentence form.

      Answer:

    End of Task

  10. Task 10: Bright Star Data (IPI only):

    Making use of TheSky, complete the data in Table: Bright Stars above (local link / general link: Table: Bright Stars) in the favorite report form only---unless directed otherwise by your instructor.

    The columns "Observed Today" and "Why Not Observed?" should be filled out in Task 4: Bright Star Observations during the observations.

    Note the column "Above Horizon at 9:00 Today" makes use of the "visibility" row in the TheSky6 information box which gives rise and set times on the 24-hour clock.

    If the rise time is after the set time, then the star set and then rose during today's date (see Date & Time if needed).

    End of Task

  11. Task 11: The Rotating Sky:

    During tonight's observations (which are described above in section Constellations, Bright Stars, Observations), did you notice the apparent rotation of the sky?

    1. Yes.
    2. Yessss! Awesome!
    3. No.
    4. The rotating sky is all a crock.

    End of Task

  12. Task 12: Rotating Sky Explorer Questions: Omit update:

    Complete this task using the Rotating Sky Explorer displayed in the figure below (local link / general link: naap_rotating_sky_explorer.html). EVERYONE in the group must do the task for themselves.

    Sub Tasks:

    1. Push all the buttons to see what they do. Did you do this?     Y / N    
    2. Is the Big Dipper/Orion/the Southern Cross (as marked out by the Rotating Sky Explorer) completely circumpolar from the latitude of Las Vegas, Nevada?     _____________________    
    3. Where on Earth are all stars circumpolar (i.e., they never rise or set)?     __________________________________________________    
    4. Where on Earth are NO stars circumpolar?     __________________________________________________    

    End of Task

  13. Task 13: Contouring the Horizon (IPI only):

    On the 3 Unlabeled Sky Maps given in section Constellations, Bright Stars, Observations (local link / general link: Unlabeled Sky Maps) mark approximately with a contour line the horizon for our location for today's date (see Date & Time if needed) for 9:00 pm.

    See the below subsection Finding the Horizon (local link / general link: Finding the Horizon) for help in finding the horizon.

    This task takes about 15 minutes or so which may be too much time at the end of the night. So it is omittable at the discretion of the instructor.

    End of Task