Constellations
Assignment - Constellation Design & Explanation
Read the weblink’s white words.
Select a constellation to study from the options on this website that are in yellow font.
Be able to present your constellation to the class by the end of the first week.
Create a constellation of your own.
Tell the story of this constellation. What does it represent? What time of the calendar year does
it show up in the night time sky? What is its relevance to your life?
Assignment – April Evening Sky
Using a paper ruler, measure the distances in millimeters (mm) between the paired objects.
Record your findings using the following SCALE : 1 millimeter equals 1 Astronomical Unit.
Polaris & Nearest Pointer star of URSA MAJOR. ___________________
Polaris & LEO MINOR. _________________________
Polaris & tail of DRACO. ______________________
Polaris & M13 of HERCULES. _____________________
Polaris & LEO’s nose. ___________________
Polaris and Betelgeuse of ORION. ________________
Polaris & Arcturus of BOOTES. ______________
Polaris & Pollux of GEMINI. __________________
Polaris & point of CEPHEUS. _______________
Polaris & middle star of CASSIOPEIA. ______________
Polaris & Sirius of CANIS MAJOR. ________________
Polaris & Vega of LYRA. _________________________
ANTLIA
CANIS MAJOR
CORONA BOREALIS
CAMELOPARDIS
CANIS MINOR
CORVUS
CANCER
CENTAURUS
CRATER
CANES VENATICI
COMA BERENCES
CYGNUS
DRACO
LYRA
SCORPIUS
GEMINI
MONOCEROS
SERPENS CAPUT
HYDRA
OPHIUCHUS
SEXTANS
LEO
ORION
URSA MAJOR
LEO MINOR
PERSEUS
URSA MINOR
LIBRA
PUPPIS
VELA
LYNX
PYXIS
Assignment – April Evening Sky
←PRINT OFF AN EVENING SKY CHART HERE
Using a paper ruler, measure the distances in millimeters (mm) between the paired objects.
Record your findings using the following SCALE : 1 millimeter equals 1 Astronomical Unit.
Polaris & Nearest Pointer star of URSA MAJOR. ___________________
Polaris & LEO MINOR. _________________________
Polaris & tail of DRACO. ______________________
Polaris & M13 of HERCULES. _____________________
Polaris & LEO’s nose. ___________________
Polaris and Betelgeuse of ORION. ________________
Polaris & Arcturus of BOOTES. ______________
Polaris & Pollux of GEMINI. __________________
Polaris & point of CEPHEUS. _______________
Polaris & middle star of CASSIOPEIA. ______________
Polaris & Sirius of CANIS MAJOR. ________________
Polaris & Vega of LYRA. _________________________
Describe what each of these constellations below represent. Write description next to its name.
ANTLIA
CYGNUS
ORION
CAMELOPARDIS
DRACO
PERSEUS
CANCER
GEMINI
PUPPIS
CANES VENATICI
HYDRA
PYXIS
CANIS MAJOR
LEO
SCORPIUS
CANIS MINOR
LEO MINOR
SERPENS CAPUT
CENTAURUS
LIBRA
SEXTANS
COMA BERENCES
LYNX
URSA MAJOR
CORONA BOREALIS
LYRA
URSA MINOR
CORVUS
MONOCEROS
VELA
CRATER
OPHIUCHUS
Assignment – Stars & Magnitudes
Our Sun apparent magnitude of -26.73. Sun would not be as
bright if it was 10 parsecs away. At this distance apparent
magnitude of 4.6. At 10 parsecs the Sun's magnitude is called
the Absolute Magnitude.
Sirius apparent magnitude of -1.47. Only lies 2.64 parsecs away
so it is relatively close. If it was moved to a standard 10 parsecs
away it would be absolute magnitude 1.4, but that’s still 8 times
brighter than our Sun at the same distance.
1 AU is equal to 1.4960x10 meters.
11
1 Parsec is equal to 3.26 light years.
PARALLAX -
Distance = A.U./Parallax
Alpha Centauri – Parallax = 0.74 arcseconds
(For any object in space.)
The formula for calculating Absolute Magnitude within our galaxy is:
M=Absolute magnitude; m = apparent magnitude
Where D is the distance to the star in parsecs.
Example
Barnard's Star lays 1.82 parsecs away and has an observed (apparent) magnitude of
9.54.
m - M = 5((log10 D)-1)
M = 9.54 * 5((log10 1.82)-1)
M = 9.54 - (-3.7)
M = 13.24
If Barnard's Star were to be moved to a distance of 10 parsecs from the Earth it would
then have a magnitude of 13.24.
If we already know both Apparent and Absolute magnitudes, it is possible to calculate
the distance to the star:
d = 100.2(m
- M + 5)
Using Barnard's Star again,
d = 100.2(9.54-13.24+5)
d = 100.26
d = 1.82 parsecs
Calculate the distance in Parsecs from Polaris to the various locations measure in April Evening
Sky Assignment.
Calculate the distance in Light Years from Polaris to the various locations measure in April
Evening Sky Assignment. SEE ABOVE ↑↑↑↑↑↑↑
26 Brightest Stars
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/brightest.html
26 Nearest Stars
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/extra/nearest.html
By Month
Astonomical Unit Travel from POLARIS
Your employer needs you to deliver some Astro Glue to various locations in the April
Evening Sky. Your cargo ship is able to travel 5 A.U.s per liter of rocket fuel. Your ship only uses
the special BLUE fuel found at certain locations. Your fuel capacity is 7 gallons. These locations
are M13, Leo Minor, Sirius, and Castor. Discover the shortest daily route that you could take to
visit all of the ten locations listed in April Evening Sky. Start and End your journey at POLARIS.
Document your journey by filling in the table below.
Trip #
Start
End
Total AU traveled
http://interactivesites.weebly.com/constellations.html