exploring the night sky fall 10 webpage

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Lincoln Hills Astronomy GroupExploring the Night SkyLincoln Hills Astronomy GroupExploring the Night Sky

September 28, 2010


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Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group

Exploring the Night SkyLincoln Hills Astronomy Group

Exploring the Night Sky

ObjectivesObjectives

Learn how to locate and identify objects inLearn how to locate and identify objects inthe night sky using your naked eye,the night sky using your naked eye,

binoculars, and small telescopesbinoculars, and small telescopes


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Exploring the Night SkyCourse Outline


Exploring the Night SkyCourse Outline

Session 1Session 1 OC lodgeOC lodge -- RonRon Presentation:Presentation: Orientation to the Night SkyOrientation to the Night Sky

Viewing: Naked eye, binoculars, some telescopeViewing: Naked eye, binoculars, some telescope

Session 2Session 2 Blue CanyonBlue CanyonRon/AllRon/All

Viewing: Emphasis on Deep Sky Objects withViewing: Emphasis on Deep Sky Objects with

telescopes & binocularstelescopes & binoculars Meet at OC Lodge Fitness center at 5:30Meet at OC Lodge Fitness center at 5:30 Leave at 5:45Leave at 5:45

Release FormsRelease Forms

CarpoolingCarpooling


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Lincoln Hills Astronomy GroupOrientation to the Night SkyLincoln Hills Astronomy GroupOrientation to the Night Sky

Presented by Ron Olson

September 28, 2010


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Lincoln Hills Astronomy GroupOrientation to the Night Sky

ObjectivesObjectives To learn how the sky movesTo learn how the sky moves

To learn what kind of objects you can seeTo learn what kind of objects you can see To learn how to locate objects in the skyTo learn how to locate objects in the sky

using:using:

Star ChartsStar Charts

PlanispheresPlanispheres

Star HoppingStar Hopping


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Topics:Topics:

Star motionStar motion

What kinds objects can you see?What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky?Where is it in the sky?

TonightTonights Observing Plans Observing Plan


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Topics:Topics:

Star motionStar motion




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How Do Stars Move?How Do Stars Move?

Celestial SphereCelestial Sphere Stars donStars dont move (much)t move (much)

Earths orbit around the SunEarths orbit around the Sun

Sky changes throughout the yearSky changes throughout the year


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Earth Orbit - NovemberEarth Orbit - November

Earth

Midnight

November - 2009


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Earth Orbit - JanuaryEarth Orbit - January

Earth

Mid

night

January - 2010


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How Do Stars Move?How Do Stars Move?

EarthEarths Rotations Rotation Sky changes throughout the day and nightSky changes throughout the day and night

North Celestial PoleNorth Celestial Pole

PolarisPolaristhe North Starthe North Star Polaris always in the same locationPolaris always in the same location

Rising and SettingRising and Setting

CircumpolarCircumpolar -- never setsnever sets

Some southern hemisphere stars never riseSome southern hemisphere stars never rise

Others rise in the East, set in the westOthers rise in the East, set in the west


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NorthCelestialPole (NCP)


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Star Trails around PolarisStar Trails around Polaris

E

N

W


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Topics:Topics: Star motionStar motion




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North


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North

Big Dipper

Little Dipper

Asterisms


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What can I see in the night sky?What can I see in the night sky?

StarsStars AsterismsAsterisms

An easily identified grouping of starsAn easily identified grouping of stars

Often part of a larger constellationOften part of a larger constellation

Informal namesInformal names

ConstellationsConstellations

Entire sky divided into 88Entire sky divided into 88 piecespieces

Each constellationEach constellation figurefigure is contained within itis contained within itssconstellation boundaryconstellation boundary

Formal namesFormal names


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North

Ursa Minor

Ursa Major

Constellations


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North

Little Bear

Big Bear


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Ursa Minor

Ursa Major


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Ursa Minor

Ursa Major


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ZodiacZodiac

Star ClustersStar Clusters


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Open Star ClusterOpen Star Cluster

Perseus Double Cluster


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Globular Star ClusterGlobular Star Cluster

M13 Hercules Cluster


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Double StarsDouble Stars


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Double StarDouble Star

Albireo


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Alcor/Mizar double star in Ursa Major -Alcor/Mizar double star in Ursa Major -

Photo: Sky and Telescope

Alcor

Mizar


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StarsStars AsterismsAsterisms ConstellationsConstellations


Double StarsDouble Stars MoonMoon

Planets and their moonsPlanets and their moons

NebulaeNebulae GalaxiesGalaxies

CometsComets


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The Moon


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Saturn


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Jupiter


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Nebulae

Orion NebulaOrion Nebulareflected starlightreflected starlight


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Nebulae

Ring NebulaRing Nebula


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Galaxies

Andromeda GalaxyAndromeda Galaxy


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Galaxies

M83 is probably what our galaxy looks likeM83 is probably what our galaxy looks like


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Orientation to the Night Sky





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Where is it in the sky?Where is it in the sky?

WhatWhat directiondirection should I look?should I look? North, South, East or WestNorth, South, East or West

How HighHow High in the sky should I look?in the sky should I look?

On the horizon, overhead, halfway up?On the horizon, overhead, halfway up?


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Where is it in the sky?Where is it in the sky? Star Chart BasicsStar Chart Basics

Locating NorthLocating North

Using a Star ChartUsing a Star Chart




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Star Chart BasicsStar Chart Basics

Star ChartsStar Charts provide a map of stars andprovide a map of stars andother celestial objects in the skyother celestial objects in the sky

For specific latitudeFor specific latitude

Drawn for specific dates/timesDrawn for specific dates/times

Monthly charts provide sufficient accuracyMonthly charts provide sufficient accuracy

for most purposesfor most purposes

Popular astronomy magazines havePopular astronomy magazines have

monthlymonthly centerfoldcenterfold Star ChartsStar Charts


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More Star ChartsMore Star Charts

Planets/MoonPlanets/Moon Planets at midPlanets at mid--month positionmonth position

Moon at specific datesMoon at specific dates

Only planets inOnly planets in

good viewing positiongood viewing position

shownshown

Sky & Telescope websiteSky & Telescope website

BiBi--Monthly Star Charts can be printedMonthly Star Charts can be printed Online Star ChartsOnline Star Charts


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10 PM in late Sept9 PM in early Oct


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How to use Star ChartsHow to use Star Charts

Basic Star Chart OrientationBasic Star Chart Orientation Outside edge is horizonOutside edge is horizon

Center is the zenith (directly overhead)Center is the zenith (directly overhead)


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Horizon

DirectlyOverhead(Zenith)


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How to use Star ChartsHow to use Star Charts

Basic Star Chart OrientationBasic Star Chart Orientation Outside edge is horizonOutside edge is horizon

Center is the zenith (directly overhead)Center is the zenith (directly overhead)

Orient chart withOrient chart with direction you are facing at thedirection you are facing at the

bottombottom

Distance above the horizonDistance above the horizon towards the centertowards the center

is theis the heightheight

Halfway between horizon (edge) and center of chart isHalfway between horizon (edge) and center of chart ishalfway between horizon and directly overhead in thehalfway between horizon and directly overhead in the

skysky


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Height

Direction

S


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HeightDirection

FacingSouth

DirectlyOverhead

HalfwayUp


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What direction is North?What direction is North?

Facing NorthFacing North EastEast is on youris on your rightright -- where thewhere the sun risessun rises

WestWest is on youris on your leftleft -- where thewhere the sun setssun sets

PolarisPolaris,, thethe North StarNorth Star isis directly in frontdirectly in frontof youof you


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N

W Polaris the North star

The Big Dipper


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What direction is North?What direction is North?

Finding PolarisFinding Polaris Height above horizon always equals yourHeight above horizon always equals your

latitudelatitude 4040 for Sacramento areafor Sacramento area

ApproximatelyApproximately way above the horizonway above the horizon

Pointer from the end of the Big DipperPointer from the end of the Big Dipper

Pointer from the middle of CassiopeiaPointer from the middle of Cassiopeia

Note: aNote: a compasscompass points to magnetic north,points to magnetic north,not true northnot true north


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North


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Polaris the North star

North

Cassiopea

Big Dipper

Little Dipper


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How do I find The Summer Triangle?How do I find The Summer Triangle?

Locate the asterismLocate the asterism The SummerThe Summer

TriangleTriangle on the Star Charton the Star Chart


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DenebVega

Altair

The Summer Triangle


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What directionWhat direction do I look?do I look?

Rotate the Star Chart so that the horizonRotate the Star Chart so that the horizon

below The Summer Triangle is at thebelow The Summer Triangle is at thebottombottom

WestWest

Face the direction at the bottom of theFace the direction at the bottom of thechartchart (West)(West)


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Deneb

VegaAltair


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How highHow high do I look?do I look?

Estimate approximately how high TheEstimate approximately how high The

Summer Triangle is above the horizonSummer Triangle is above the horizon A little below the zenith (directly overhead)A little below the zenith (directly overhead)

Look West above the horizon almostLook West above the horizon almost

directly overheaddirectly overhead


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Zenith


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What will I actually see?What will I actually see?

Naked Eye ViewNaked Eye View

Starry Night program shows view similar toStarry Night program shows view similar to

what your eye will see with your naked eyewhat your eye will see with your naked eye Real skyReal sky view will be similar butview will be similar but muchmuch

largerlarger


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Facing WestFacing West

9:00 PM9:00 PM

Summer TriangleSummer Triangle

3 Constellations3 Constellations


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Cygnus

Lyra

Aquila


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D b


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W 9:00 PM

SummerTriangle

Deneb

Altair

Vega


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W 9:00 PM

Cygnus

LyraAquila


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W 9:00 PM

Northern Cross


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W 9:00 PM


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Facing WestFacing West

9:00 PM9:00 PM

Summer TriangleSummer Triangle

Bright starsBright stars Vega,Vega, DenebDeneb, Altair, Altair


Cygnus,Cygnus, LyraLyra, Aquila, Aquila


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Facing EastFacing East

9:00 PM9:00 PM

JupiterJupiter


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Jupiter

9:00 PM



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Using a Star ChartUsing a Star Chart PlanispheresPlanispheres



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Using a Star ChartUsing a Star Chart PlanispheresPlanispheres



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Arc to Arcturus

Spike to Spica

W

Big Dipper


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Observing TipsObserving Tips

Start at sunsetStart at sunset

Look for brightest stars to appear firstLook for brightest stars to appear first Look West early, East laterLook West early, East later

Everything looksEverything looks muchmuch larger in the real skylarger in the real sky

The MoonThe Moon New or 3rd Qtr Moon best for dim objectsNew or 3rd Qtr Moon best for dim objects Check the paper for moon phase/rise/set timesCheck the paper for moon phase/rise/set times

Looks great in binoculars!Looks great in binoculars!

More accurate Star ChartsMore accurate Star Charts

Set for desired date and timeSet for desired date and time Online at Sky and Telescope/Night Sky magazine websiteOnline at Sky and Telescope/Night Sky magazine website

Monthly charts include planetsMonthly charts include planets




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What kinds objects can you see?What kinds objects can you see?

Where is it in the sky?Where is it in the sky?




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Finding the North StarFinding the North Star The Big DipperThe Big Dipper

CassiopeiaCassiopeia Little DipperLittle Dipper

The Summer TriangleThe Summer Triangle

Vega,Vega, DenebDeneb, Altair, Altair ConstellationsConstellations -- LyraLyra, Cygnus, Aquila, Cygnus, Aquila

JupiterJupiter



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More Bright StarsMore Bright Stars

Alcor/MizarAlcor/Mizar (double star)(double star)

ArcturusArcturus (Arc to(Arc to ArcturusArcturus))

More ConstellationsMore Constellations

SagittariusSagittarius

BootesBootes HerculesHercules

PegasusPegasusThe Great SquareThe Great Square

AndromedaAndromeda

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