Astronomy 110: Star-Gazing Assignment

Purchase a star-wheel from the book-store. This device is essential to helping you find stars and constellations in the sky. (Its official name is "The Night Sky," by David Chandler.) It should arrive in the bookstores on Friday, February 27 (or thereabouts).

Weather permitting, you will have the opportunity to observe on the roof of Olin on the following Monday evenings: March 1, March 29, April 19, April 26, May 3, May 10. The meeting time will be 7-9 PM in March, and 8-10 PM in April and May (due to later sunsets).
In the week preceding a possible Monday night observing session, I will have sign-up sheets in class. The first 20 people to sign up for the coming Monday night will get to go. If less than 20 people sign up, then I will choose more people at random to bring the total up to 20, so be ready to observe on any Monday evening.
When your Monday arrives, check the course website to see if the observing session will take place. If it looks like the weather will not cooperate, I will put up a cancellation notice on the website.

Please arrive on time. Take the Olin elevator to floor "OS." Bring your star-wheel with you. (You might also find it helpful to bring your Starry Night assignment with you, but this is not required.)
You will be given a quick tour of the sky, and instruction in how to use your star-wheel.
Do the assignment (described below). I suspect it should take you about two hours.
Hand in your assignment to Prof. Weinstein or one of his assistants (Jim or Will) before you leave. Assignments handed in after you leave will NOT be accepted.

Sketch two views of the sky: a north-facing view, and a south-facing view. Each view must contain at least three constellations, and you must have a total (both views together) of at least 10 constellations. All constellations must be clearly labeled, and their relative sizes and positions in the sky must be represented accurately.
Mark the positions of all planets visible at that time on your sketches, and label them. Also include the Moon if it is visible.
Using you star-wheel and Starry Night, find out the names of 12 of the bright stars that you have plotted, and label them on your sketch.
At the top of your sketch, you must include the following information: 1) your name, 2) the date and time of observation, 3) the phase of the Moon (if it's visible), and 4) the sky condition (clear, partly cloudy, hazy, etc.).
Some telescopes will be set up on the roof when you arrive. Look through at least two of them, and make sketches of what you see. Depending on the night, you might observe Jupiter and its moons, Saturn and its rings, binary star systems, star clusters, or distant galaxies!

Last updated 23 Feb 2004, by M. A. Weinstein