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PRESHOW
Pasco County StarLab
Training
Mark Butler
Environmental Education
Resource Teacher
Curriculum & Instruction
Tonight's Agenda
• Introduction
• Instructional Ideas
– Constellations
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Constellation Education
Star Finders/Dipper Finders
“Constellation Creation”
“The Changing Sky (Circumpolar Constellations)”
– Lunar Phases
• Moon Matriculation
• “How does the moon change phase?”
– Tides
– StarLab Setup & Takedown
• Safety
– Operating Procedures
• Common Misconceptions
Activity
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN
A 5TH GRADER?
Please click on the “StarLab
Pretest” and quietly answer as
many questions as you can.
Constellation
The Connection
Education
What did the ancient people
use stars (patterns of stars)
for?
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Navigation – sailing, travel
Seasons – when to plant and harvest
Preserve myths, traditions, etc
Group the brighter stars into
patterns, - constellations
Patterns of stars
Boundaries
http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/
Constellation
• One of the 88 named Regions of sky
defined by the International
Astronomical Union (IAU)
• Identified with the officially
recognized Patterns of Stars that lie
within the boundaries of the region
What are the 88 Constellations?
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14 men and women
9 birds
19 land animals
2 insects
10 water creatures
2 centaurs
1 head of hair
1 serpent
1 dragon
1 flying horse
1 river
29 inanimate objects, include scientific instruments (Microscopium,
Telescopium)
Activity
CONSTELLATION
CREATION
Please take out your Constellation
Creation Activity
ORION
CANIS
MAJOR
LEO MAJOR
TAURUS
CASSIOPEIA
Asterism
• A generally recognized smaller/cuter
pattern of stars that is not one of
the officially recognized
constellations
• Whether or not a region of sky is
named after it – yes: constellation;
no: asterism
4/13/2015
17
What are Circumpolar
Constellations?
Circumpolar Constellations
• A Constellation that NEVER rises or sets as seen
at a certain latitude
• Six circumpolar constellations seen in Pasco (28º
N, 82º W)
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Ursa Major – Larger Bear
Ursa Minor – Smaller bear
Cassiopeia – Queen
Cepheus – King
Draco – Dragon
Camelopardalis – The Giraffe
Circumpolar Constellations in Pasco
Ursa Major
Cepheus
Cassiopeia
Ursa Minor
Draco
Camelopardalis
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www.acmecompany.com
ACTIVITY
THE CHANGING SKY
(CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS)
Please take out your sun and
Cassiopeia drawing.
Follow Me!
Resources
• Workshop CD
• Pasco StarLab Moodle Site
• Websites:
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http://eec.pasco.k12.fl.us/EECs/StarLab.html
http://earth.google.com./sky
http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu
• Especially http://amazingspace.stsci.edu/tonights_sky/index.php
– http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/learnsky.html
• Books
– Constellations Dot-To-Dot
– Astronomy & More (StarLab Manual)
Lunar Phases
NEW MOON
• 1ST PHASE
– No light to illuminate moon (as long as it is
above or below the earth and sun)
SUN
SUN
SUN
WAXING vs WANING
• When parts of the moon begin to be
seen after a New Moon, the moon is
said to be WAXING.
• When parts of the moon begin to
disappear after a Full Moon, the moon
is said to be WANING.
WAXING CRESCENT
• 2nd PHASE
– Some light to illuminate a small portion of
the moon
SUN
SUN
SUN
FIRST QUARTER
• 3rd PHASE
– Enough light to illuminate half of the moon
SUN
SUN
SUN
WAXING GIBBOUS
• 4th PHASE
– Enough light to illuminate most of the moon (a
little is blocked by the Earth)
SUN
SUN
SUN
• 5th PHASE
FULL MOON
– Enough light to illuminate ALL of the moon (as
long as it is above or below the earth and sun)
SUN
SUN
SUN
LUNAR ECLIPSE
• If the moon is in line with the earth and
sun then a LUNAR ECLIPSE occurs.
– The Earth casts its shadow on the moon
SUN
SUN
SUN
WANING GIBBOUS
• 6th PHASE
– Enough light to illuminate most of the moon (a
little is blocked by the Earth)
SUN
SUN
SUN
THIRD QUARTER
• 7th PHASE
– Enough light to illuminate half of the moon
SUN
SUN
SUN
WANING CRESCENT
• 8th PHASE
– Some light to illuminate a small portion of
the moon
SUN
SUN
SUN
NEW MOON –the lunar cycle is
complete
• 1ST PHASE
– No light to illuminate moon (as long as it is above
or below the earth and sun)
SUN
SUN
– If not then……
SUN
SOLAR ECLIPSE
• If the moon is between the Earth and sun
and in line with both then a SOLAR
ECLIPSE occurs.
SUN
SUN
• The moon casts its shadow on the earth
SUN
Teaching Tides
http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/tides/menu_tide.swf
Overview
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Components
Setup and Takedown Procedures
Entry & Exit Procedures
Operational Procedures
Safety
StarLab Components
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Lamp
Lamp Case
Canister
Duffle Bag
Blower/Fan
Canister Case
Curriculum
Guide
11. Accessory Box
Constellation Canister
Greek Mythology Canister
Native American Mythology Canister
Plate Tectonics Canister
Celestial Coordinates Canister
• A full projection of 3000 stars are displayed here against a background
of the celestial coordinates, the ecliptic and the galactic equator. Right
ascension is marked in 1 hour intervals, declination at 10° intervals,
with processional axis plus or minus 13,000 year increments.
Extremely useful for angular measurement, location of faint celestial
objects and spherical geometry.
• Applications: Physics, telescope use, positional astronomy, celestial
navigation and precession at the junior high through college level.
StarLab
Accommodations
• Standard Dome
– 11ft Ceiling
• 10ft possible
– Area
• 18’ x 21’
– Floor
• Carpet
– Room
• Noise
– Minimal
• Light
– NA
• Temperature
– Normal
– Electricity
Safety Procedures
• No open flame or point heat source such as an incandescent light
bulb, radiant heater in or near the dome.
• No smoking in or near the dome.
• No food or drink inside the STARLAB.
• Never leave projection cylinders lying loose on the floor.
• Always set up the STARLAB indoors.
• Instructor is first in and last out.
• Always make sure that there is a clear path out of the STARLAB in
the event of an emergency.
• Never set up the dome so that it is on the edge of a stage where
individuals might fall off.
• Always show occupants how to quickly exit underneath the dome
wall in the event of an emergency.
• Do not use the entrance tunnel to evacuate the dome in the event
of an emergency.
Emergency Procedures
• Have all visitors stand up and move toward
the center of the dome.
• Grasp the edge of the dome fabric directly
opposite the side of the STARLAB where the
inflation and entrance tubes are located.
• Lift the fabric up and over the visitors so the
dome flips over onto itself.
• Exit the collapsing dome.
StarLab Setup
• 10 to 30 minutes
– if completely packed up
• Check for Squares!
Projector Setup
• Use Storage Box
• Cover Cords
• Be prepared
– Have all canisters
ready
Tips to Entering & Exiting
• Stay Low and Go Slow
• Teacher is first in & last out
– 2 Teachers is ideal
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Have a flashlight and use it
5 second rule
Accessory lighting?
Carpet Squares?
Tips For Inside the Dome
• Stay Put
• Dark Vision
– Warn students before
switching canisters or turning
on a light
• Don’t block fan input
Things to watch for
• Vertigo
• Claustrophobia
• Myctophobia/Nyctop
hobia/Scotophobia
• Inappropriate
Behavior/Clothing
• Sharp Objects