Share the Skies Trainers: Karen Busher and Barbara Beard

Overview The nation’s first statewide initiative that enables students and teachers to study astronomy in real time during the daytime without leaving the classroom Developed by the VDOE, New Mexico Skies, Software Bisque, and Virginia Tech’s Institute for Connecting Science Research to the Classroom Students access and control research-grade telescopes to explore Australia’s night skies via the Internet

Our Fellow Trainers

Why Study Astronomy Makes science come alive Great hobby Opens up new career choices Promotes 21 st Century skills

Why Ancient Cultures Studied Astronomy Determine seasons of the year Establish calendars Make predictions –First astronomers were religious priests

Telescopes New Mexico Skies Mayhill, NM National Radio Astronomy Observatory Green Bank, WV

Backyard Astronomy Naked Eye –See Magnitudes up to +6 The brighter the object, the lower the number assigned as a magnitude –Use red cellophane over flashlight to aid night vision Binoculars Spotting Scopes Amateur Telescopes

Prior to Using VDOE Telescope Research what you plan to view Google Sky via Google Earth –

VDOE Telescope Pingelly, Australia

Weather Display

More of Weather Display

Logon for Scheduling Find Objects in the Sky Click on a name below or type in an object name:  Mu VirginidsMarsAlkaidKochabFind Mu VirginidsMarsAlkaidKochab  SaturnSpicaAlphardEltanin Center and Zoom Result: SaturnSpicaAlphardEltanin  CastorStar chart based on TheSky by Software Bisque CastorTheSkySoftware Bisque

Reserve

Defaults You can change your defaults at your discretion Start off with 1 to 2 exposures

Never click the Browser Back button when you see the Back to Sky Chart link on a page.

Different Catalog Identification

Date/Time/ Location: Choose Your Horizon: (direction you are facing) Set Your Field Of View: (amount of sky visible) Display Options: Fri, Apr 25, :00:00 PM + - ~ Rocky Mount, VA Edit+-~ Edit  Overhead Overhead  North North  South South  East East  West West  Naked Eye - 100° Naked Eye - 100°  Binoculars - 50° Binoculars - 50°  Finder - 10° Finder - 10°  Small Telescope - 2° Small Telescope - 2°  Equatorial Grid  Constellation Lines  Constellation Borders  Object Labels Current Chart Coordinates: Azimuth: AltitudeRight Ascension: Declination Field of View: 180° 00' +38° 11' 12h 58m -14° 46' 101° Find Objects in the Sky Click on a name below or type in an object name:  Mu VirginidsMarsAlkaidKochabFind Mu VirginidsMarsAlkaidKochab  SaturnSpicaAlphardCenter and Zoom Result: SaturnSpicaAlphard  CastorEltanin Star chart based on TheSky by Software Bisque CastorEltaninTheSkySoftware Bisque Your Sky Tonight

Resources Lesson Plans Read FAQs before using the telescope the first time.

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