Stargazing: A Guide To The Heavens Star Maps Expectations: D2.2, D3.6 Stargazing: A Guide To The Heavens Constellations - The Universe Documentary(41 min); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DQuGX-6L-Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80A03DfX1Ks (2hr show 10 min)_

Constellations A grouping of stars. Ursa Major (big bear- can you see the Big Dipper?)

Orion (Hunter or Canoe)

Star Map Map of the night sky that shows the positions of the stars in a particular part of the sky. Can be used for navigation. (still used by sailors) All stars in the Northern Hemisphere appear to revolve around Polaris (the North Star.) The stars close to Polaris are visible all year. Example: planisphere displays date and time to locate stars, constellations and galaxies.

Ecliptic The path across the sky celestial objects appear to follow over the year.

Planisphere

Azimuth The horizontal angular distance from the north measured eastward along the horizon. (North 0º, East 90º, etc.)                                                       

Altitude The angular height of an object appearing above the horizon, measured vertically.

zenith The zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e. the direction in which gravity pulls, is toward the nadir.

Hand Angles Finger 1º Fist 10º Outstretched hand 20º

Calendars Many First Nations groups noted that the appearance of certain patterns marked the changing of the seasons. Ancient Egyptian farmers noticed that the annual flooding of the Nile River, used for crop irrigation would occur every 365 days when the Sun passed through the constellation Leo. Others lined up stones with the Sun’s path in the sky and were able to track the start and end of each season.

Solstices and Equinoxes Ancient Mayans built a giant pyramid that is aligned to the Sun’s movement in the sky. At sunset on the spring and fall equinoxes, a corner of the structure casts a shadow that resembles a plumed snake slithering down the pyramid steps.

Stonehenge Circular arrangement of giant stones and boulders. At sunrise on the summer solstice every year, the Sun’s first rays strike a particular stone.

Other Views Some West Coast Natives tell of the stars being formed when the sleeping Sun’s mouth spewed sparks through the smoke hole of its house. As the Sun slept, its brother, the Moon, rose in the east. In other First Nations legends, lunar eclipses are the result of monsters in the sky swallowing the Moon.

Homework Planisphere construction Using the planisphere, answer the worksheet questions. how to make & use you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP0AhYGXp2g If facing north put the planisphere’s northern horizon facing down. Tilt planisphere up to orient constellations