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Frostburg State Planetarium presents Summer 2012 Sky Sights for Primary Grades & Beginners by Dr. Bob Doyle Next Version: October 2012

Big Topics Treated Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM & PM Moon basics, Made of what? Lady in moon? Bright points at night? Summer 2011 Planets Best Stars & Groups Seen on Summer Evenings 3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied Summer ‘11 Moon Schedule, Planet & * Table Presentation Schedule for Sept.-Dec. 2012

Horizon & Directions When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe ! The Horizon is line between ground and sky. 4 directions along horizon – North, East, South & West. To learn, say Never Eat Salty Worms! North is direction your shadow points in mid day. East is about where sun rises each morning. South is where sun is highest in sky (in mid day) West is about where sun sets in late afternoon.

Why does Sun Rise & Set? For thousands of years, humans believed that sun & sky objects moved about Earth every day! In the 1500’s, Copernicus proposed that the Earth itself was moving, not the sky objects! Copernicus wrote that the Earth was spinning every day and orbiting the sun every year! It took over a century until most were convinced that Copernicus was correct (thanks to Newton). The Earth spins so the sun seems to rise and set.

Let’s review these ideas What is the line between ground & sky? Is it Ground line? Horizon? Edge of sky? In what direction are shadows in mid day? Is it North? East? South? or West? Why does sun seem to rise and set? Because Sun is moving? Earth is spinning? Write down your answers for these questions. Answers are: Horizon, North & Earth is spinning

How Day Sky Works Sun, our day star is so bright that it lights up air, causing it to glow blue on a clear day. As Earth turns, sun seems to rise in morning Due to our turning, sun slowly rolls right. Sun peaks about 1 pm in July, Aug. & Sept. Sun sets near direction West as we turn. 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. As we turn more away from sun, only very thin, very high air still lit & sky gets darker. This time is twilight or dusk, lasts an hour. During dusk, bright planets, stars show 1 st. By end of dusk, bright star groups seen. Just as dusk after sunset, dawn before sunrise.

What about Moon? Our moon is a ball of rock that orbits Earth. Moon ¼ as big as Earth; if Earth a regular globe (1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball. If Earth is regular globe, moon is 30 ft.away As moon orbits us, we see day & night sides In evening, lighted side ‘grows’ for 12 days Then moon is full, shining all thru the night Then in morning sky, moon ‘shrinks’ for 12 days Moon’s lighted shapes change as we see its lighted side and its dark side blends in with the night sky

Just a little bit more about Moon The moon NOT a big cheese ball! (Sorry!) Man/lady/rabbit in moon due to dark plains Dark plains of hard lava, good to land there Over 40 yrs. ago, 1 st men walked on moon Perhaps in 2020’s, manned fly arounds Current rockets can’t carry people, new rockets needed, U.S., China or Russia to try

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 dozen days? A month? Write down your answers to above 3 questions. Answers: Right arm (out), 30 feet, Dozen days

Bright steady points at night? Even the nearest planets appear as * (points) as we see them with our eyes; for even these objects very far away (moon=1 unit). Venus 100x farther. 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

Easy Summer 2012 Planets Early Summer, Saturn & Mars low in W even.sky In morning sky, there’s brilliant Venus & Jupiter Cres. Moon & Mars-Saturn about 7/25, 8/21, 9/18 In mid-August, Mars passes underneath Saturn Cres. Moon & Venus at dawn on 7/15, 8/13, 9/12 Jupiter slowly rises earlier, late even.sky in Sept. Moon & Jupiter – 7/15, 8/12 and 9/7 August only – Mercury seen low in Eastern dawn

Venus at dawn SW S Saturn in SW,W in early evening Spica Best planets to see in summer ‘12 East Saturn Venus

Easy Summer Stars & Groups Evening: Big Dipper to left of North Star 2 lowest Dipper stars point rightward to N. Star Follow Dipper handle outward to golden Arcturus Beyond Arcturus in South is white-blue Spica Above Spica (twinkles) is Saturn(shines steady) Low South - Scorpius (‘J’) & Sagittarius (Tea pot) Bright Vega is top star of Summer Triangle

B. Dipper & N. * on Summer Evenings 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… How to tell a planet from a star? Planet always brighter Planet shines steady Best Evening Planets – early & late summer? (Venus, Jupiter) (Saturn, Mars) Which part of Big Dipper points to N.Star? End of Scoop or Arch of Dipper’s Handle Write down your answers Answers: Pl. steady, Saturn & Mars, Scoop

Frequently asked questions What are falling stars? (Aka shooting stars) Nearly all are pea sized space grit burning up in our upper atmosphere. Only dust left. Can the planets line up like beads on string? No, orbits are tilted but even if they could, pull is extremely weak, compared to moon. What keeps stars, planets floating in sky? There’s no up/down in space. Earth floats too!

Summer 2012 Moon Schedule Early July: Full moon on 3 rd (lava plains) Late July: Cres. 7/21, ½ full 7/25 (craters) Early August: Full moon on 1 st (lava plains) Late Aug.: Cres. 8/20, ½ full 8/23 (craters) 2 nd Aug. Full moon on 8/30 (Blue Moon) Sept. Full moon on 9/29 is Harvest Moon, extra evening moonlight next 4 evenings

When evening moon looks like a ‘D’, the sun is rising along left edge, lighting up the crater rims and mountains. This ‘D’ moon allows you to see craters & mountains with binoculars held steadily or with a small telescope on tripod (better). A week after the moon is full, you can see it In the morning day sky, as a backwards ‘D’. Even during the morning hours, you can see the craters & mountains on moon with binocular or a small telescope. Never look at SUN!

Science Sunday Presentations Compton 224 Sundays, 4 pm pm September “American Mammals” starting 9/9 October “African Mammals” – each Sunday November “Asian Mammals” – No 11/25 show Different Program (last 45 min.) each month Compton Center near Performing Arts Center Limited free literature: Monthly sky map, bookmark/schedule, beginner’s guide to universe After Compton 224 presentation, meet animals in Science Discovery Center, can take photos!

Send any additional questions to…. Bob Doyle Be sure that questions involve basics about sky, moon, planets and stars For questions about 2012, satellites, meteors – come to Sunday shows & talk to Dr. Doyle Free presentations in Compton 224 on Sundays at 4 p.m. Sept. thru May, change monthly at FSU Call (301) request free bookmark, map, schedule be sent to you thru mail

Ways FSU serves Tri-State area Fall Friday Starlab sessions Allegany Schools Special Science Discovery Center tours for school classes, clubs, scouts – call (301) Dr. Doyle talks to clubs, groups as well, no fee New planetarium will resume programs in 2014