Backyard Astronomy Notes Essay #1

Learning Constellations Materials needed 1. Star charts (Star Dome). 2. Flashlight with red acetate over the bulb. 3. Dark spot, free of light pollution, an unobstructed view of the sky. 4. A telescope or good binoculars. 5. A compass.

B. Techniques Determine North Locate brighter stars (match up with charts) Use your hand for scaling (fully spread hand at arms length covers 20˚ of sky, for smaller distances use fingers widths at 1˚. Learn star lore – stories associated with stars.

C. Star Lore Part of all cultures. Stories about star groupings. We see the same sky as ancient people – lore is linked to our past. Helps to remember constellations. Birds can recognize star patterns. Asterism – are easily recognized grouping of stars that are part of either one constellation or pieces of several.

Asterisms Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major (the Great Bear). Two stars in the cup/scoop/bowl of the dipper or Dubhe & Merak act as pointer stars that point to the North Star or Polaris. The bowl represents a huge bear, the handle represents warriors chasing the bear. The bear wounded and dripping blood causes the changes in the leaves in fall when the constellation is low in the sky.

2. Summer triangle – the three bright stars that are part of three different constellations: Deneb in Cygnus (swan), Altair in Aquila the eagle, and Vega in Lyra the harp. 3. The Little Dipper – part of the constellation Ursa Minor, or the Little Bear. Polaris marks the end of the handle of the dipper.

D. Small Telescopes 1. Reflecting scope – used mirror to collect and focus light. 2. Refracting scope – direct view, multiple lens, inverted images.

5. Greatest elongation – planets greatest separation from the Sun. E. Planetary Terms Conjunction – planets lies in the same direction as the Sun from Earth. Inferior – planet lies between us and the Sun (Mercury & Venus). Superior – planets is on the other side of the Sun (All planets). 2. Transit – planet that is directly between us and the Sun and silhouette is visible against the Sun (Mercury and Venus). 3. Opposition – Planet directly opposite the Sun in the sky (rises when Sun sets, sets when the Sun rises). 4. Morning or evening star – a planet seen close to the Sun at dawn or dusk (Venus). Southwestern Sky 5. Greatest elongation – planets greatest separation from the Sun. Mercury 28˚ away from Sun. Venus 47˚ away from Sun.

Your Eyes at Night Dark adaptation Pupils open wider from 2mm to 7 or 8 mm. Chemical changes cause retina to be more sensitive to light than under full daylight conditions. Purkinje Effect – during day our eyes respond best to green colors, while at night it responds best to blue (starlight is bluer than sunlight). Averted vision – see faint objects easier if you don’t look directly at the, but off to the side a bit. This is due to the receptors in the eye.

All of these pictures were taken by me All of these pictures were taken by me. They were taken with the Neximage or with a Cannon Power Shot on the piggy back mount. I have an Astromaster 130 EQ telescope. Backyard Astronomy