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Frostburg State Planetarium presents Fall 2009 Sky Sights for Primary Grades & Beginners by Dr. Bob Doyle Next Version: Early Nov.2009

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 seen at night? Easy Fall 2009 Planets Best Stars & Star Groups Seen on Fall Evenings 3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied Fall ’09 Moon Schedule, Planet Table, * Table Planetarium Schedule for School Yr.

Horizon & Directions When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe ! The Horizon is line between ground and sky. Horizon has 4 directions – 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 each 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 turns so 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 mid day(1 p.m. now, cold noons) 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, easily seen 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 as can’t see its night side

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, more moon landings 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 points we see 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 Fall 2009 Planets Evenings, Jupiter very bright steady point Moon near Jupiter 9/2, 9/29, 10/26 & 11/23 First number is month number / 2 nd is date Venus very bright at dawn, slowly dropping Moon near Venus on 9/16, 10/16 & 11/15 As Venus lowers, Mars higher & brighter Venus & Saturn close at dawn on 10/13

Easy Fall Stars & Groups Evening: Big Dipper low in N, holds soup! Rightmost Dipper * point to North Star. Early fall, Dipper’s handle arcs to Arcturus Sorry, Little Dipper very dim, seldom seen Vega brightest evening star, high in West Vega part of Summer Triangle, seen all fall In Southeast Big Square/Baseball Diamond

Big Dipper & N. Star in Fall

Summer Triangle in West Altair, Deneb & Vega

Arc to Arcturus using Dipper’s Handle

Venus & Mars in Fall Dawn Sky

Let’s review once more… How to tell a planet from a star? Planet always brighter Planet shines steady Brightest Evening, Brightest Morning Planet? (Venus PM, Jupiter AM) (Jupiter PM, Venus AM) 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, Jup. PM, Ven.AM, 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!

Fall 2009 Moon Schedule Early Sept: much even. moonlight, full 9/4 Mid Sept: Dawn sky moon & Venus/Mars Late Sept: Growing even. Moon & Jupiter Early Oct: Full on 3rd (Harvest Moon) Late Oct: Growing even. Moon & Jupiter Early Nov: Full on 2 nd (Hunters’ Moon) Late Nov: Growing even. Moon & Jupiter

Fall 2009 Bright Planet Table Sept: Bright Jupiter seen all thru evening Venus splendid in E. Dawn, Mars S. Dawn Oct: Jupiter in S. Dusk, W at midnight Venus lower in E. Dawn, Mars in early AM Nov: Jupiter SW Dusk, Mars E. late even. Venus very low in SE Dawn, Saturn higher Farther planets too dim, Merc. early Oct. dawn

Bright Fall *’s & Groups Sept. & Oct. even: Big Dipper low in N Sept. – Nov. even: Summer Triangle in W Sept. even: Dipper Handle arcs to Arcturus Early Fall even: White-blue Vega hi in W Late Fall even: Tiny dipper (7 Sisters) in E also Golden star Capella in Northeast Fall Dawn Skies feature winter evening stars

FSU Planetarium Shows (free) Tawes 302 Sundays, 4 pm,7 pm Sept: “Earth & Moon from Other Planets” Oct: “Bare Eye Sky Gazing” Nov: “Telescopic Sky Exploring” Dec: “Christmas & Seasonal Feasts” Different Program (last 45 min.) each month Tawes Hall near FSU Clock Tower, Lane Center With convenient free parking, hand. access Limited free literature: Monthly sky map, bookmark/schedule, beginner’s guide to universe Late comers not admitted, come 10 min.early

Send any additional questions to…. Bob Doyle Be sure that questions involve basics about sky, moon, planets and stars For questions about 2012, Sun out of order, collisions – 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 (301) for road directions to Planetarium Call (301) request free planetarium bookmark, map, schedule be sent to you thru mail

Other ways FSU Planetarium serves the Tri-State area Friday Starlab sessions Allegany Cty. Schools Special FSU Planetarium programs for Tri-State schools – free, call (301) and leave message of desired date & time Free Special programs arranged for special groups, clubs, scouts, etc. – call above # Dr. Doyle talks to clubs, groups as well, no fee FSU Planetarium has served area for 40 years