1. A tour of the Night Sky: Astronomy Made Simple
Dr. Nathan Miller
UWEC Department of Physics & Astronomy

2. Goals of class: 1. Learn how stars, sun, moon and planets move through the sky 2. Understand how Copernicus and Co. ( ) used that alone to figure out the way the solar system is put together

3. Things you would study in a medieval university:
The Trivium:
Grammar
Rhetoric
Logic
The Quadrivium:
Arithmetic
Geometry
Music
Astronomy (Note: Not a trivial subject!)

4. Hogwarts classes Herbology Potions Charms Muggle Studies
Care of Magical Creatures
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Astronomy

5. Points of Light in the Sky

7. A picture of 6 planets:
Jupiter
Mars
Saturn
Venus
Mercury

8. Two large sources of light

9. Moon, Venus, Spica

14. Practical Astronomy: The Motions of the Stars

15. Understanding the Motion of the Stars using the Celestial Sphere

18. Note: The celestial sphere is not at some specific location
Note: The celestial sphere is not at some specific location. It is just an imaginary sphere used to discuss the locations of and angles between the stars.

19. Atlas holding a celestial globe (Roman copy of 200 BC Greek original)

23. Is right where it was before Is directly above where it was before
You go out and look at a star just above the eastern horizon. Compared to the position of a tree in the distance, an hour later, the star:
Is right where it was before
Is directly above where it was before
Is above and to the left of where it was
Is above and to the right of where it was
Is below where it was
Is below the horizon

26. How long was this camera exposure. A. 3 hrs B. 8 hrs C. 12 hrs D
How long was this camera exposure? A. 3 hrs B. 8 hrs C. 12 hrs D. 20 hrs

27. Could you (from Eau Claire) make a photo showing complete circles. A
Could you (from Eau Claire) make a photo showing complete circles? A. Yes B. No C. No way to tell

29. Exercise 1: Planisphere: Star Motions

30. Celestial Navigation:

31. From ancient times
To recent times

32. To orient yourself and fix your location, want: 1
To orient yourself and fix your location, want: 1. Cardinal directions 2. Latitude 3. Longitude

33. YOU ARE HERE

34. Celestial Navigation: Determine your location on earth by measuring the elevations of stars above the horizon This works because at the same moment in time, every location on earth sees a unique view of the sky.

35. Instruments: Mariner’s Astrolabe: Sextant:

36. Step 1: Use Polaris to locate due north

37. Step 2: Measure angle of Polaris above your horizon Height of Polaris above the horizon = your lattitude

39. Is right where it was before Is directly above where it was before
AT THE EQUATOR: You go out and look at a star just above the eastern horizon. Compared to the position of a tree in the distance, an hour later, the star:
Is right where it was before
Is directly above where it was before
Is above and to the left of where it was
Is above and to the right of where it was
Is below where it was
Is below the horizon

40. Person Standing at North Pole

42. Zodiacal Constellations: 12 constellations on dotted line on the planisphere. They tell you which direction you are looking out into space

43. Exercise 2: Stars Around the World Exercise 3: Celestial Navigation