ASTRONOMY PRE ASSESSMENT 3/20/2012 5th

ASTRONOMY
Star Naming

Modern Astronomy
Study of the known Universe beyond our Atmosphere

UNIVERSE One

Rotated

The totality of everything

Good Virtual Planetarium Programs

Stellarium Cartes Du Ciel

A study in PERSPECTIVE We are living things on the planet

EARTH Our star,

365 days Which Rotates about its axis every Which Revolves around our star every SOL
Is an average sized / powered star. With Many satellites revolving around it. Milky Way Core Revolves around the every 240 million years

24 hours

Milky Way Galaxy

Member of a local cluster of galaxies

Difficulties of Teaching/Learning Astronomy

Incorrect Prior Knowledge Topics are of magnitudes that most students have difficulty grasping cognitively Topics are sometimes VERY

Video Notes
Narrated By:
Timothy Ferris

TOPICS TO WATCH FOR: WHAT ARE THE BIG IDEAS?

COSMOLOGY

Order Study of
Study of the nature of the Universe

Including history,

Difficult, due to limitations of evidence. Borders on religious study

COSMOLOGY

Myths/ Legends /

HOMEWORK

WRITE A SUMMARY OF YOUR CREATION MYTH

IN THE BEGINNING...
Humankind tried to explain the world in a manner that they could understand. They made up explanations based on their experiences The stories for the explanations often used stars in the sky COSMOS: 7 9:00 15:00

COMPARING MYTHS
MAKE A VENN DIAGRAM 2 or 3 myths Show SHARED TRAITS of the Myths & Unique aspects of the Myth

Astrology Study of the stars Belief that the astronomical occurrences have a direct impact on Human events. Zodiac Circle of Animals CONSTELLATIONS:

 PURPOSE. Studied the Heavens for a

Telling stories Telling Time

Main objects of Study:

Sun Moon Stars ?Earth?

Ancient Astronomy
Ancient Greece
500 BC

Pythagoras

Height of Classical Greek Science.

Deduced Earth was a SPHERE Earth is a Perfect place, requiring a Perfect Shape. Interpreted Earth was a SPHERE Shadow of a eclipse is always a spherical Arc Travelers south saw new constellations

Aristotle

Ancient Astronomy
Alexandria Greek-founded city in

Egypt

Great Library Center of Learning for the ancient world.

Eratosthenes

Found an account of a well to the south that had NO shadow on the summer solstice. He knew that on the same day, there WAS a shadow in elexandria. COSMOS 1 30:30

 = tan (A/O)
-1

360 = Circumference Angular Distance Between (experimental Distance Between value) (true value) % error = 100 true value

Angle of Sun at Kalamazoo () Angular Distance between Overhead & Kalamazoo

= = 42.32 -

Circumference of the Earth

% ERROR (find true value from Mr. K)

ACTUAL Circumference

TRUE VALUE = 24,901miles 40,074,274 m COMPUTE % ERROR On the Back, Write an explanation of what you believe your sources of Error might be

 .4% Error Due to construction of wall or well Sun was not DIRECTLY overhead at the well. A few degrees off Distance walked ??? His number was lost when Library was burned. Arabs saved text, rediscovered in 1500s

Eratosthenes

Computational Astronomy ANGULAR MEASURE

INDIRECT EVIDENCE ALGEBRA GEOMETRY

Objects at great distances, we cannot measure directly Ratios and comparisons between knowns and unknowns The universe has som regularity of form Triangulation Spheres, Circles, Ellipses

Eratosthenes pt. 2
Compute the Circumference of an Unknown circlegiven Distance between 2 points and a sun angle

After each group has computed for Circumference, we will CONSTRUCT the circle and measure TRUE

Eratosthenes Reasoned that 2 different angles of shadow MUST mean that there was a curve to the Earth Reasoned that the curve could be that of a SPHERE. Mathematically KNEW that the RATIO of the arc distance to the whole sphere MUST be the same as the RATIO of the

THE PLAN
FINISH MEASURES & COMPUTATION CUT OUT ARC Bring to front to tape together Compute Error Answer Error Analysis Question Hand into basket.

known to determine the Unknown

He knew the arc. Dist & Angle He assumed this ratio would be the same for the full sphere. Could mathematically infer the Circumference. OUR EXAMPLE
I will Measure DIAMETER, & use C= d ALSO will attempt to use string to measure TRUE Circumference

 The closer to an object, the ______ it appears. Larg We can measure the ANGLE er We MAY be able to find Distance THEN we can find the WIDTH or DIAMETER of the object

Using ANGULAR SIZE to determine true size

The Moon Illusion

Effect: the moon APPEARS larger when near the Horizon

The Moon Illusion

Effect: the moon APPEARS larger when near the Horizon

Cause: Object appear larger in seen in conjunction with a VANISHING POINT

Construction of a Clinometer
Purpose: To measure angles above the Horizon. Construction:
Specialized Protractor Sight tube. Gravity Indicator.
<1 m string Washer or nut Straw Cut out

Clinometer Lab
Follow Lab procedures 26 For Object 1 Do analysis & Conclusion for Object 1 Get Work Checked Follow Lab procedures 26 For Object 2
(Average & %Error)

BEFORE SCIENCE:
MYSTICISM / GODS:
Phenomena were explained through gods and hocus-pocus

God, the Geomete r

Cosmology pt 2

Backbone of NightCosmos VII:

What explained the world before science?

COSMOS: CHAOS: IONIA:

SCIENTISTS: Who & What

2 Competing Ideas

CHAOS:

COSMOS:

Idea that the World was totally unknowable and unpredictable. RANDOM - Religion Idea that the World was Ordered and predictable ORDER Science TO KNOW

IONIA

IONIA: loose collection of city-states scattered around the Aegean Sea, Birthplace of SCIENCE! Chased there, NOT an easy place to live. To stay alive, people had to experiment & invent Merchants and Tradesmen experimented

THALES of Miletus: FIRST true scientist -Well traveled Greek-Explained the world WITHOUT gods -Earth Made from Piled Mud by water Thales ANAXAMANDER: First recorded ever to DO an experiment measured time THEODORUS: Architect, artist, Inventor ore smelting & casting. water level, a carpenter's square, lock and key turning lathe. Anaxamander Conceived of EVOLUTION

EMPEDOCLES:

Conceived the idea of invisible matter, air, water pressure

DEMOCRITUS: First to Describe the indivisible ATOM Conceived of planets like ours in the sky Democritus Figured galaxies & Milky Way as many small stars

SILENT QUESTION
VOLVERETo Turn Around (something Rotate: to spin on ones own else) Axis Revolve: turn in orbit around ROTATIORolling
COMPARE & CONTRAST: ROTATION to REVOLUTION

SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

Used in ALL Sciences Used to Solve Problems &Answer Questions Hypotheses are QUESTIONED!!!!!

AGAINST the scientific method:

Philosophers, who would THINK
about a problem until they decided what the most Logical explanation for something was, and they were right-

assumed

still, it WAS an attempt at Cosmos

Cosmology pt 2 How is the Universe set up? 2 competing ideas:

GEOCENTRIC Earth is the center of the

Reasoning:
Universe

Everything in the sky Appears to be revolving

 Reasoning cont...

The Faster an object moved, the closer to earth it must be. Planetia have their own spheres of movement. Stars are in fixed

Geocentric Universe

 Reasoning cont...

Questi on?
Do all the objects / spheres revolve around Earth? Or

Geocentric Universe

 Reasoning cont...

Aristotle liked this

Problem:
theory.

Geocentric Universe

Unexplained forces? Why are some stars brighter / bigger? Why all planets/Sun /Moon on the same plane? ECLIPTIC Line showng the path of the sun in the

Heliocentric Universe
Aristarchus of Samos Used Eratosthenes Earth Circumference and the Shadow during Lunar eclipses to determine Moons Diameter. Suggested that the SUN is the center of revolutionary motion. Used Moon and Earth sizes to Estimate Sun Distance and Size of the Sun. Was WAY OFF.

Locating Stars pt1

Celestial Sphere An imaginary globe around the Earth. Used to determine star locations First Model used to understand the universe We NOW understand that they are different distances from us, but still works for our reference.

 A tool for showing what stars will be in the sky on any particular day & time.

Planispher e

Using the Planisphere

Assumes a viewing location of 40 North
We are close enough (42)

Must be held above the head and looked at from below.

(Notice East and west)

LOCAL REFERENCE MEASURES ALTITUDE

HORIZON = 0 N=0 E=90 ZENITH = 90 S=180 W=270
Angular inclination above the Horizon

AZIMUTH

Angular distance from North Measured clockwise

COMPARED TO THE CELESTIAL SPHERE

LOOKING AT PLANETS

We must be able to imagine both GEOCENTRICALLY

S
DRAW UNIVERSE HELIOCENTRICALLY

Celestial Coordinates DECLINATION

Celestial Equator

RIGHT Angular ASCENSION Difference from Measured in

HOURS and minutes

Equator = 0 Celestial North Star = Meridian=0hr 90 Like Celestial Like Celestial Longitude LATITUDE

HOMEWORK:

DRAW heliocentric and Geocentric Universe According to this night sky

RIGHT ASCENSION / DECLINATION PRACTICE

Na R.A. m e

Equa Zodia Polar torial cal

Dec
Na R.A. m e

Dec

Na R.A. m e

Dec

Equatorial Orion Cetus Canis Major Hydra Aquila Cygnus Pegasus Andromeda Lepus Hercules

Pick one of Each.

ZODIACAL Virgo Leo Cancer Gemini Taurus Aries Pisces Aquarius Capricornus Sagitarius Scorpius Libra

CIRCUMPOL AR Draco Ursa Major Ursa Minor Perseus Cassiopei a

Greek Alphabet OR use assigned name

HOMEWORK
Reading CH 1 Section 1 Grab Review Sheet Coordinate Assignment: 10-15 minutes Friday to

HIPPARCHUS
FIRST STAR CATALOGUE 1025 STARS

Retrograde Motion
Backward Walk Each planet moves compared to the Celestial Sphere.

Occasionally, the planet will

From East to West

FIRST 15 - 25 Min.
Discuss Material Coverage
Preview, 2-1, 1-1, 2-2, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4

FINISH CONSTELLATION COORDINATES ANSWER RETROGRADE LAB QUESTIONS

Ptolemys Universe
Alexandrian Greek To explain retrograde motion, suggested EPICYCLES
Each planet orbits around an empty point on its sphere. EARTH is just OFF center

Better at predicting planet

Problem with Ptolemaic Universe

It violates a key scientific principle: Occam's razor: aka lex parsimoniae Ptolemy made SO many modifications to
Other things being equal, a simpler explanation is better than a more complex one.

Heliocentric
explanation of
Earth Revolves around Retrograde Sun FAST Mars Revolves around Sun SLOW When on planet LAPS another, our perspective shifts.

The LOCAL stars locations change at a different rate that the LOCAL sun location. The SUN returns to a spot in the sky
Every 24 hours

Heliocentric explanation of nightly Star Shift

A STAR returns to a spot in the sky

Return to Geo v Helio

Rotation v. Think BIG Revolution ?How long for Earth to REVOLVE

once? ?How Many Degrees along the orbit does Earth shift each Day? ?How long for Earth to ROTATE once?
360 365 days 1/ Day NOT 24 HOURS 24 hr = NOON to NOON. BUT, we have shifted 1 on the orbit. 24 hours 361 1440 minutes 361 4 minutes / 365.25 DAYS

SIDERIAL vs SYNODIC DAY

SIDERIAL DAY=
Amount of time it takes for a star to return to a local point. 23 Hr, 56min, 4sec Amount of time it takes for the sun to return to a local point.

SYNODIC DAY=

Another thing Rotation Explains...

All rotating objects wobble PRECESSION As it precesses, the point on the celestial sphere the pole points to changes. North Star changes very slowly 21,000 yrs for full wobble Earths TILT doesnt

Heliocentrism
WHY It NEVER TOOK OFF:
Went against THEOLOGY Most scientists agreed that stars would be at different distances from Earth. If the Earth changed Position in relation to those stars, they SHOULD appear to change location relative to each other.

PARALLAX
When observed from 2 different locations, a near object shifts greater angularly than a distant one. Using trigonometry, we can find the distance to that object.

Using Parallax to find distance

BASELINE (b): Distance between 2 observation points : Change in angle to apparent location of Star in Question : Other angle d: Distance to the Star in Question

Finding Distance Using Parallax

.5b d= tan

NEED:
NOTEBOOKS + 1 lined paper to hand in

Misperception and Misconceptions

People have told you wrong information about the universe. You have made stuff up to understand the universe. UNLEARNING is the hardest type of learning.

3 QUESTIONS?
WHAT CAUSES THE SEASONS?

WHAT CAUSES THE PHASES OF THE MOON? WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?

Result from a confluence of events / Factors

Earths Rotation is Tilted

THE SEASONS:

23.5

to the plane of the ecliptic (Earths Orbital Plane) SO WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?

WHEN LOOKED AT FROM ABOVE ( NORTH POLE) EARTH ROTATES COUNTERCLOCKWISE

EARTH REVOLVES COUNTERCLOCKWISE

 SUMMER=

Seasons

Period of the year where the sun is most directly overhead Period of the year where sun is least overhead.

WINTER=

Technically starts on the day where sun is to its TROPIC LINE

Heating up or cooling down happens slowly, so Temperature extreme days = 2 months later

SPRING & FALL=

Period of time where the sun is Overhead at the

SUN ANGLE the The more directly overhead

sun is, the Greater the intensity energy is transferred to the Earth.

LOW SUN ANGLE = WEAK HEATING

HIGH SUN ANGLE = STRONG HEATING

 DEC 21

SUN OVERHEAD?
-

MAR 21 JUN 21

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN 23.5 S

EQUATOR
-

SEPT 21

TROPIC OF CANCER 23.5 N

EQUATOR
-

KALAMAZOO:

HOMEWORK

1-18 SKIP 7&11

DAY LENGTH

DAY LENGTH
The Hemisphere inclined TOWARD the sun receives more hours of DAYLIGHT. Greater Time lit=More time to convert sunlight to heat.

DAY LENGTH SOLSTICES:

EQUINOXES:

Greatest / Least amount of Solar Time Sun rises the Farthest North / South

Where is the sun overhead? Where is observer? Find the difference. 90-difference= noon sun angle

 Video Seasons / Sun Angle FINISH SEASONS LAB PACK

(GRAPH)

PHASES OF THE MOON

The Cause:
Earth Rotates 361/ 24 hours (Counterclockwise) Moon Revolves around Earth / 29.5 days (Counterclockwise) NOTICE:
Moon Rotation
360 Rotation / 1 Revolution Moon ALWAYS has the same side facing Earth.

VISIBLE MOON
ONLY of the moon will be lit at any 1 time. Depending on WHERE the moon is in relation to the sun, we see different Parts.

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

NEW MOON: WHAT DO WE SEE?
Dark side of the moon

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

+5 to -5 Declination from the ecliptic If it was ON the ecliptic=
eCLIPSE

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

WAXING CRESCENT: WHAT DO WE SEE?
RIGHT edge of the moon lit

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

45 to the LEFT of the moon

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

FIRST QUARTER: WHAT DO WE SEE?
Right HALF of the moon lit quarter??? Because we see of the moon

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

90 to the LEFT of the moon

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

WAXING GIBBOUS: WHAT DO WE SEE?
All but the left edge of the moon lit

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

135 to the LEFT of the moon

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

FULL MOON: WHAT DO WE SEE?
A full side of the moon, all that is lit As much of the moon we can see:

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

180 , in opposition with the sun

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

WANING GIBBOUS: WHAT DO WE SEE?
All but the RIGHT edge of the moon lit

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

135 to the RIGHT of the moon

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

THIRD QUARTER: WHAT DO WE SEE?
Left HALF of the moon lit quarter??? Because we see of the moon

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

90 to the RIGHT of the moon

WHERE ARE THE PHASES?

WANING CRESCENT: WHAT DO WE SEE?
LEFT edge of the moon lit

WHERE IS THE MOON COMPARED TO SUN?

45 to the RIGHT of the moon

ECLIPSES
Solar
Moon Blocks Suns visible disk Can only happen during NEW MOON Still Visible:
Suns CORONA
Solar ATMOSPHERE

Very Brief
Moons shadow is small Earth Rotates Quickly

 Partial
Some sun is still visible (in the Penumbra)

Totality
No part of Solar Disk is visible (in the Umbra)

Annular
Only the outer Ring of Sun is visible.

eclipses
Lunar
Earth Blocks Sunlight from reaching the Moon Can only happen during a FULL MOON Still Visible Blood Moon
Sunlight passes through our atmosphere Blue light is scattered Reddish light passes through to Moon

Lasts several Minutes

Earths shadow is BIG compared to moon

Why Eclipses dont happen all the time

Moons Orbit is tilted 5 degrees to the Ecliptic The NODE need to be hitting a FULL or NEW to have a chance to Eclipse 2x / year

LAST 30 min
FINISH LAB PACK(s) PHASES SEASONS PARALLAX RETROGRADE RA / DEC

PLAN FOR THE DAY

CHECK / DISCUSS PRACTICE COMPUTATION - READING ASSIGNMENT CORRECTIVES

Grade Your Homework for CORRECTNESS

(Every wrong answer =-1 to score.)

Universe
Made of MATTER & ENERGY MATTER:
Atoms of Elements made of
Protons, Neutrons and Electrons.

ENERGY:
4 known forces
Electromagnetism Gravity Weak Nuclear Force Strong Nuclear Force

Unknown Universe
Dark Matter
Invisible Sources of gravity Possible Neutrino source

Big Bang
Concept that the Universe started as one small point of reality, and is expanding. Expansion is speeding up

Dark Energy
Antigravity pushing galaxies apart