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Frostburg State Planetarium presents July-Sept Sky Sights for Middle School & Intermediates by Dr. Bob Doyle Next Edition: October 2011

Big Topics Treated Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM & PM Moon basics, It’s Origin Why has varying shapes? Bright points seen at night? Easy Summer Planets Best Stars & Groups Seen on Summer Evenings 3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied Summer ‘11 Moon Schedule & Star tables Fall ’11 Planetarium Schedule & related info

Horizon & Directions When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe ! Horizon surrounds us, the sky/ground boundary At top of sky is zenith, 90 degrees from horizon From North to right, East, then South and West. Sun rises in East, face sunrise, left is North Midday shadow N (1pm July – Sept.) Sun sets nearly in West, face sunset, right is North Can use Big Dipper’s pointers to find N. Star

Sunrise & Sunsets? Earth’s daily rotation makes it look as if sun rises each morning & sets each afternoon Time of sunrise, sunset varies thru year Earliest sunrise & latest sunset in late June Latest sunrise & earliest sunset in late Dec. Longest days when sun highest, farthest N Shortest days when sun lowest, farthest S Change in sunrise/sunset reduced closer to equator Change in sunrise/sunset increased near poles

Let’s review these ideas What point in sky is farthest from horizon? Is it Celestial Pole? Zenith? Nadir? Which direction recipe WON’T work? S. Side of tree with moss? Shadow in mid day? Place where biggest changes with seasons? Polar Regions? Mid Latitudes? Equator? Write down your answers for these questions. Answers: Zenith, Mid day shadow, Polar regions

Interesting facts about day sky Noon sun million x brighter than full moon Day Sky max. polarization 90 deg. from sun Maximum sunlight energy in early summer Sun peaks around 1 pm July - September Maximum sunlight energy in late June To find North, face where sun goes down and extend your right arm out, points North.

Twilight or Dusk? When sun disappears from our view, the air overhead is still ‘seeing’ sun and glowing. When sun 6 dg. below horizon, turn on lights When sun 18 dg. below horizon, sky darkest To see faint star groups, sun must be 12 dg. below Arctic Circle cities have no darkness in June Equatorial places have shortest twilights Our twilights last about 90 min. at dusk & dawn

What about Moon? Our moon is 2160 miles across, ¼ Earth’s width Moon ¼ as big as Earth; if Earth a regular globe (1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball. Earth-moon distance about 30 x Earth’s width. As Earth, Moon lit by sun with day & night halves As Moon orbits Earth, see varying part of day side After line up with sun, moon waxes (grows) 14 d After full moon, moon wanes (shrinks) 14 days Moon phase cycle 29.5 dy, approx. month length

Just a little bit more about Moon Moon rocks reveal moon matter from Earth! Moon due to planets colliding, debris hurled Moon formed from ring of orbiting debris Early moon closer, much stronger tides Moon slowly spiraling out, lengthen our day Earth has 1 st natural moon from sun, 6 th largest moon in solar system

Another review of ideas.. As you face sunset, what points North? Back of Head? Right arm (out)? Left ear? If Earth 1 ft. wide, how far away is moon? Is it 10 feet? 30 feet? 100 feet? 300 feet? How long does moon ‘grow’ or ‘shrink’? Is it A week? A half month? A month? Write down your answers to above 3 questions. Answers: Right arm (out), 30 feet, A half month

Bright points we see at night? Even the nearest planets appear as * (points) as we see them with our eyes; for even these objects far away Venus at closest 100x farther than our moon To tell a planet from a star, all night stars twinkle and planets usually shine steady. Also satellites (especially Space Station) shine steadily as creep eastward across sky Night stars are distant suns, really, really far away compared to our planet neighbors. If Earth penny size, moon 22” away, sun 730 ft. away (6.3 ft. wide), nearest star is 37,000 mi.away

July-September 2011 Planets Early Even., Saturn in SW,W in early summer Cresc. Moon near Saturn at dusk: 7/7, 8/3 & 8/31 First number is month number / 2 nd is date Jupiter in early summer is in S. dawn sky In late summer, Jupiter seen low in East late p.m. Moon-Jupiter close on 7/23 am, 8/17 pm, 9/14 pm Mercury W dusk July, E dawn early Sept. Mars dull in am sky, Venus at low angle to sun

Summer Even. Stars & Groups Evening: Big Dipper in NNW with handle on top Two lowest scoop * point rightward to North Star Dipper’s handle arcs to golden star Arcturus High is bright white-blue star Vega Vega is the brightest star in Summer Triangle On moonless nights, Milky Way near Triangle Low in S: Scorpion (‘J’) & Sagittarius (Tea pot)

Big Dipper & N. Star, Sum.Even. North Star Pointers

Big Dipper’s handle arcs to golden * Arcturus Arcturus

Summer Triangle on Summer Evenings Vega Facing E, early summer Facing S, Mid summer Vega Facing W, Late summer

Sagittarius & Scorpion low in South on summer evenings See “Tea Pot” and letter “J”

Let’s review once more… What two evening planets this summer? Are they (Venus, Mars) or (Saturn, Jupiter) Name two very bright evening summer stars. Are they (Arcturus, Vega) or (North Star, Orion) Special sight seen on moonless summer evenings? Is is (Northern Lights) or (Milky Way)? Write down your answers, Correct answers are (Saturn, Jupiter), (Arcturus, Vega) (Milky Way)

Summer’11 Moon Schedule Early July: ½ full evening moon on 7/7/11 Full Moon on 7/14/11 to left of Tea Pot Early August: ½ full evening moon on 8/6/11 Full Moon on 8/13/11 in western Aquarius Early September: ½ full evening moon on 9/4/11 Full Moon (Harvest) on evenings of 9/11 & 9/12 September’s Harvest Moon gives us extra evening moonlight the following 4 evenings October’s full moon on 10/11/2011 (Hunter’s Moon) also gives extra evening moonlight

Planetarium Schedule & Services Free Sunday Public Shows at 4 pm, 7 pm Planetarium=Tawes 302, near Clock Tower Sept. Shows start on 11th: “Moons’ Curiosities” (shows last 45 min.) Oct. Sunday Shows: “Planets’ Peculiarities” Nov. Sunday: “Mysteries of the Stars” No Nov. 27 programs (follows Thanksgiving) Come about 10 min.early as no late admissions Call (301) for spoken road directions

Frequently asked questions What are shooting or falling stars? Pea sized space grit impacting upper atmosphere and bursting into flame. What if planets aligned (as beads on string)? They can’t as orbits are not in 1 plane. But even if they could, their pull very weak next to our moon. Why study other worlds? won’t ease our problems By understanding other worlds, better know Earth Your questions are welcome at our public programs.

Send any questions to…. Bob Doyle Be sure that questions involve basics about sky, moon, planets and stars For questions about 2012, Pluto, Asteroids, Comets – visit Planetarium, talk to Dr. Doyle Sunday programs are free on Sundays at 4 p.m.and 7 p.m. starting Sept.6, change monthly at FSU To arrange program for special group, club, call below number and state your date and hour. Call (301) to request free planetarium bookmark, schedule sent to you through mail