2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
B3 Astronomy Club - Activities For Starting One In Your School
Presenter: Paul Fitz-Gerald
Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School
pfitzgerald@ivanhoegirls.vic.edu.au
Do your students ask you astronomical questions? Do you have some astronomically far
out questions of your own? I do, so my solution was to start up an Astronomy Club. In
this session I’ll be sharing my experiences and a variety of activities with you that could
be used to help you start an Astronomy Club at your school. All that’s required is your
interest and enthusiasm.
Introduction:
How it all started with the 2012 Transit of Venus.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
PC Software
Cost
US$99
Voyager*
http://www.carinasoft.com/
(online
download)
Cost
Free
Stellarium*
http://www.stellarium.org/
Apps
Cost Sky Safari 4 Pro*
$41.99 http://www.southernstars.com/products/skysafari/
Cost
$7.49
Luminos*
http://wobbleworks.com/luminos/
http://www.youtube.com/user/wobbleworksluminos
Cost
$1.99
Stellarium Mobile*
http://www.stellarium.org/
Cost
$2.99
Satellite Safari
http://www.southernstars.com/products/satellite_safari/index.html
Cost
$0.99
Moon Globe
Cost
$1.99
Dark Sky Finder
http://finddarkskies.com/
Cost Observer Pro
$10.49 http://observerpro.com/
Cost
$0.99
Scope Nights
http://eggmoonstudio.com/
* Desktop style planetarium.
Other handy/interesting apps include: Aurora Forecast, 3D Sun and Exoplanet.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Astronomical Societies & Internet Forums
Astronomical Society Of Victoria
http://www.asv.org.au/
ICEinSPACE
Australian Amateur Astronomy
http://www.iceinspace.com.au/index.php?home
Astronomical Suppliers
Andrew's Communications
http://www.andrewscom.com.au/site-section-10.htm
BINTEL
The binocular and telescope shop
http://www.bintel.com.au/
Telescopes In Schools Program
University of Melbourne
http://telescopesinschools.wordpress.com/
Excursions
Mt. Burnett Observatory
http://mtburnettobservatory.org/index.php/about3/history
Melbourne Observatory
http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/visit-melbourne/attractions/melbourne-observatory
Melbourne Planetarium
http://museumvictoria.com.au/planetarium/
Competitions
Australian Gemini School Astronomy Contest
For Students and Amateur Astronomers
http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/contest/
Australian Astronomy
http://astronomy.org.au/professional/awards-grants/prizes/
David Malin Awards (Astrophotography)
http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/news_events/astrofest/DMA/
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
iTelescope
http://www.itelescope.net/itelescopenet-south/tag/australia
ASTRONOMY – Research Based Science Education
http://www.noao.edu/education/arbse/arpd
Equipment
Sunspotter
A safe way to view the brilliant light of the sun. Using
a series of mirrors the device projects a bright 9mm
solar image onto a 127mm viewing screen by a
powerful 62mm diameter objective lens. View eclipses
and transits plus more…
Code: 1205001 $198.00+GST
http://www.serrata.com.au/resources/Advertising/Flyer
-2-Feb-2013.pdf
Eclipse Glasses
These glasses are absolutely safe for direct solar
viewing of solar eclipses, sun spots and other solar
phenomena.
The glasses meet the 2012 Transmission Requirements
of EN 1836:2005 & AS/NZS 1338.1:1992 for Eclipse
filters (Queensland Directive).
Age: Only to be used under adult supervision.
http://www.profbunsen.com.au/shop/item/solarview-glasses
Books & Magazines
The Backyard Astronomer's Guide – Alan Dyer
The Deep Sky Imaging Primer – Charles Bracken
Australian Sky & Telescope
http://www.austskyandtel.com.au/
Sky At Night Magazine & BBC
Beginner's Guide To Astronomy ($7.50)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beginners-guide-toastronomy/id562868559?mt=8
Sky At Night Magazine & BBC
Complete Guide To Astrophotography
http://www.skyatnightmagazine.com
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Potentially Useful Websites
General
http://science-notebook.com/astronomy01.html
The Science Notebook – Astronomy – Exploring the Night Sky (Activities)
http://nightskyonline.info/
Paul Floyd's Astronomy & Space Website
(This Australian site has a lot of interesting activities and information)
http://www.docdb.net/tutorials/southern_star_wheel.php
http://www.docdb.net/index.php
http://www.docdb.net/tutorials/concards.php
Deep Sky Observer's Companion – the online database
(Lots of valuable resources here!)
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/letsgo/familyfun/Star_Deck.html
http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/mshepard/star_deck/star_deck_uses.htm
Star Deck – An Astronomical Card Game
Sundials
http://users.hartwick.edu/hartleyc/sundial/sundial.html
(A sight for designing a vertical gnomon sundial for any location combined with
equation of time correction curves)
http://sundials.org/
(The North American Sundial Society – lots of good sundial links)
http://www.angelfire.com/my/zelime/sundials.html
(Sundial construction site, including a hand dial (NH though))
http://www.mysundial.ca/tsp/tsp.html
(Another good sundial construction site with explanations)
http://www.shadowspro.com/en/index.html
(Windows program that designs a sundial for your location)
http://www.sundials.co.uk/equation.htm
(A site that explains the difference between solar and clock time)
http://jgiesen.de/Divers/Sonnenuhr/eot.html
(Equation of time information compared to a sundial)
http://www.timezone.com/library/tmachine/tmachine0004
(Article on measuring time)
http://www.minasi.com/dolog.htm
(Calculating the length of the solar day)
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Potentially Useful Websites ctd.
Aboriginal Astronomy
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~mmichie/astronomy.htm
(Indigenous Astronomy web-links page)
http://sa.apana.org.au/~paulc/loreaussie.html
(Aboriginal astronomy by Paul Curnow)
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/research/AboriginalAstronomy/literature/Herrmann2006.pdf
(The Sky in the World View of Indigenous Australians by Dieter B. Herrmann, Berlin)
YouTube clips
http://www.clipconverter.cc/
Clip converter enables you to convert a YouTube clip into an mp4, avi or mov file.
http://www.transitofvenus.com.au/HOME.html
2012 Transit of Venus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0
Powers of 10 video clip – from the very small to the very distant!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rUfJG4yWLg
Cosmic Voyage – The scale of the Universe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisdfag6WIQ
Secrets Of The Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve71yBqRtcE
The Universe S01E10 – Life And Death Of A Star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjYA5rtUzk
The Hypernova of VY Canis Majoris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8CgDGhYKe8
Scale of Earth, Sun, Rigel, and VY Canis Majoris. [full zoom at the end]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlfGtkRJy6U
The Definitive Guide To The Milky Way Galaxy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roYen9gbUTM
Research-Based Science Education -- Dr. Travis Rector (University Of Alaska)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iExTuZ2LfoE
The Aesthetics of Astronomy – Dr. Travis Rector (University Of Alaska)
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Organising Viewing Nights
20 February 2014
Term 1 - Astronomy Club Observation Nights
For all interested Astronomy Club members our first
viewing night for this year, weather permitting will be:
*Friday 28 February, from 8:30pm until late.
Or if the weather is inclement
*Saturday 1 March, 8:30pm until late.
Yarrambat
Picnic Area
The venue will be the Yarrambat
Picnic Area of the Plenty Gorge Park
in South Morang.
The turn off into the park from Yan
Yean Road is on the left just after
Laurie Street (on the right) and before
Jorgensen Avenue (on the left) if you
are travelling north towards Yan
http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/plenty- Yean.
gorge-parklands/accessibility/yarrambat-park
For those of you with a GPS the
coordinates of the picnic area are:
37o37'15"S and 145o08'05"E.
There will be two telescopes set up, one for visual observing and one for
astrophotography. If you'd like to work towards getting your telescope license please
join me at the park to set up the telescopes at 7:00pm.
What to bring:
• warm clothes: woollen jumper, coat, beanie (just in case it's a cool evening).
• torch (with red cellophane over it so as not to spoil your night vision).
• your planisphere.
• binoculars/telescope if you have one.
• nibblies and a drink bottle.
• Canon or Nikon DSLR camera and an 8GB or 16GB USB memory stick.
The picnic area has electric BBQs, a picnic shelter and toilets.
Please note that students will need to make their own way to and from the park.
Also, given the public nature of the venue I would ask that parents stay and spend the
night with their daughters.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Items I need to bring:
• basic first aid kit.
• toilet paper.
• gelsan (hand wash).
• hand towel.
Viewing list:
Northern Sky
• M42 – the great nebula in Orion.
• NGC 2024 – the Flame and Horsehead nebulae in Orion.
• NGC 2237 – the Rosette nebula.
• Jupiter and Galilean moons.
• VY Canis Majoris – the largest known star.
Links in with the following YouTube clips mentioned above:
The Hypernova of VY Canis Majoris
Scale of Earth, Sun, Rigel, and VY Canis Majoris. [full zoom at the end]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VY_Canis_Majoris
• Double star ADS 5951 (HR 2764)
Primary star: SAO 173349
Companion star: SAO 173353
Coordinates: RA 07h 17m 13.14s, Dec -23o 20' 38.0"
• M41 – open star cluster in Canis Major
Southern Sky
• PNV J13544700-5909080 (Nova Cen 2013, V1369 Cen) is a bright nova in the
constellation Centaurus. It was discovered on 2 December 2013 by Australian amateur
astronomer John Seach. Its coordinates are:
R.A. 13h 54m 45.34s and Dec. −59° 09′ 04.2″
As of December 14, 2013 it peaked at about magnitude 3.3[4] being the brightest nova
of this millennium.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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Viewing list ctd:
Southern Sky
• NGC 3372 – the Eta Carina nebula.
• NGC 4755 – the Jewel Box cluster.
• Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kent)
This is a triple star system including the next nearest star to our own Proxima
Centauri. Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B are easily resolved, and with careful
navigation Proxima Centauri can also be observed – even with binoculars using the
instructions provided in the following link.
http://aswa.info/articles/proxima-centauri.html
• NGC 3372 – Eta Carina Nebula
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Sample Competition Entry
2013 Australian Gemini Astronomy Contest: Student Division
http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/contest
ENTRY FORM
Student(s) or Group Name: Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School Astronomy Club
Year 7 Students:
Year 8 Students:
Year 9 Students:
Year 10 Students:
Isobel Harris, Dasha Auer, Danielle Zhang
Ellen Lui, Angela Mitropoulos
Olivia Ireland
Alicia Cognian, Cara Faulkner, Alexandra Bradstreet, Charlotte
Duke, Mikaela Johnson, Anita Karapanos, Katrina Karapanos
Year 11 Students: Sunny Xu
Name of Primary Contact:
Mr Paul Fitz-Gerald
(This should be a teacher or similar adult.)
School:
Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School
School Mailing Address:
123 Marshall Street
Ivanhoe, Victoria
3079
Contact Phone Number:
(03) 9490 6222 (School) 0458 257 171 (Paul Fitz-Gerald)
(Please include area code.)
Contact E-mail Address:
pfitzgerald@ivanhoegirls.vic.edu.au
Name of Object:
NGC 7038 (AM 2111-472)
Coordinates of Object:
R.A. 21h 15m 07.51s
Dec. -47o 13' 13.80"
(Right ascension and Declination.)
How did you hear about the Contest?
(Contest flyer, teacher workshop, contest website, word of mouth, other? These details will help us plan our advertising for the next
contest.)
• I (Paul) first heard about the Australian Gemini Astronomy Contest for students from
the Telescopes in Schools project coordinator in Victoria, Dr Jacinta Den Betsen in
August 2012.
• We first heard about the competition from Mr. Fitz-Gerald at the start of this year at
one of our Astronomy Club meetings at lunchtime.
________________________________________________
Contest Rules Reminder
1. Entry deadline is 10 May 2013.
2. Maximum two entries per school.
3. Object coordinates must conform to both of the following standards:
a) Right Ascension must be between 16 hours and 24 hours;
b) Declination must be between -60 degrees and 0 degrees.
4. Submissions will be judged on aesthetic merit and scientific interest.
See contest website for full details: http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/contest
Submit both pages of this form:
as an e-mail attachment to geminicontest@mso.anu.edu.au [Recommended],
or by fax (Attn: Dr. Christopher Onken; (02) 6125 0233),
or by mail (Gemini Contest, c/o Dr. Christopher Onken, Mount Stromlo Observatory,
Cotter Road, Weston Creek, ACT 2611).
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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2013 Australian Gemini Astronomy Contest: Student Division
http://ausgo.aao.gov.au/contest
Name of Contact:
Mr Paul Fitz-Gerald
Object #2 Name:
NGC 70381 (AM 2111-472)
Why should your object be observed?
(Please keep your answer confined to this page and use 12-point font.)
Image 1: NGC 7038
(DSS at CADC
coordinates)
Image 2: NGC 7038
Our preferred view.
RA 18h 05m 16.80s
Dec -19o 51' 00.0"
R.A. 18h 05m 13.00s
Dec. -19o 50' 40.0"
Image 3: NGC 7038
An image of the galaxy
that we found on the
internet.
For our second object we chose the spiral galaxy NGC 7038. We like spiral galaxies
because of their shape and colour and because they show us what our galaxy looks like.
NGC 7038 is a little bit different than our galaxy because it has three spiral arms and
not two. From the website Mr Fitz-Gerald showed us we found out that it is rare for
galaxies to have more than two spiral arms. When we looked on the internet for pictures
of spiral galaxies with three arms we hardly saw any and we couldn't find much to read
about them either. But we did come up with quite a few questions about this galaxy and
hope that a picture of NGC 7038 taken by the Gemini telescope might help scientists to
answer them for us.
What caused the galaxy to have three arms? Because of the odd number of arms how
does the galaxy stay balanced? Will the galaxy form another arm on the other side to
balance things out? Or will the third arm go back into the arm that it looks like it comes
out of so that there will only be two arms?
Because this galaxy is almost face on we could get a good picture of the whole galaxy
that might help scientists, and then us, to understand what is going on.
1
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/SPGA_Atlas/SPGA11.html
http://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/objsearch?objname=AM+2111472&extend=yes&out_csys=Equatorial&out_equinox=J2000.0&obj_sort=RA+or+Lon
gitude&zv_breaker=30000.0&list_limit=5&img_stamp=YES
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1985A%26A...142..401S
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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Astronomy Club
Activity Booklet
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Activity #01 – Making A Planisphere
In this activity you will be make your own moveable star chart or planisphere like the one shown below.
Once it is made you will be able to use it to help you to identify the different stars and constellations that
can be seen with the naked eye in Melbourne at anytime during the year.
To make the planisphere you will need to use the following pieces of equipment:
Scissors, craft knife, ruler and glue stick.
Follow the directions provided on the template and ask your teacher for help if you are not sure what to
do. Enjoy! 
The plans for the planisphere you made can be downloaded from the following website:
http://www.docdb.net/tutorials/southern_star_wheel.php
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Activity #02 – Finding South Using The Southern Cross
Finding South With The Southern Cross
Method #1
• Imagine a line drawn through the long arm of the
Cross, and continued for a distance equal to four
times the length of the Cross. Where this line
ends is the South Celestial Pole.
Method #2
• Imagine a line drawn between Achernar and the
pointer nearest the Cross. Half way along this
line is the South Celestial Pole.
Using The Southern Cross To Tell The Time
 Face South and rotate this card so that the date
is at its highest point and its centre covers the
South Celestial Pole.
•
The Southern Cross itself acts as the hour hands
to give us an approximate time.
•
The Cross is at its highest point at midnight on
April 1st, and for every month later it is at its
highest point two hours earlier. (ie on May 1 st
it is at its highest point at 10 pm)
•
With the current month at the top of this card
locate the position of the Southern Cross and
read off the card to estimate the time.
•
With practice you should be able to estimate
the time to the nearest half hour.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Activity #03 – Making An Astrowatch
The Astrowatch given to you in this workshop was built based upon the instructions in the following
articles:
The Australian Scout Handbook 1973 Edition
And
Building A Portable Sundial by Michelle B. Larson
The Physics Teacher Vol 37 Feb 1999 pages 113 & 114
TPTvol37Feb99p113 and TPTvol37Feb99p114.
It should be noted that the instructions in Michelle Larson’s article are for the Northern Hemisphere so I
have adapted them for the Southern Hemisphere. I used a latitude of 40 o for calculating the hour angles.
The refinement I made to the design was to incorporate a magnetic compass into the watch’s base, set
with a magnetic declination of 12o East (Melbourne’s is actually 11o 39’). This means that on the
Astrowatch face, 12 Noon will be aligned with geographic north. This will help to improve the
Astrowatch’s accuracy in telling the time. Figure 1a shows this.
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Melbourne’s time zone is GMT + 10 hours (ignoring daylight savings time in either Australia or the UK).
It is based on Pt. Hicks in Victoria whose Longitude is approximately 150 o East (149 o 16′ East). Given
that the Earth completes one 360o rotation about its axis in 24 hours it follows that the Earth rotates
through 15o every hour. So Melbourne is about 5o or 20 minutes behind Pt. Hicks in Solar time. This
means that your watch in Melbourne will be 20 minutes ahead of your sundial.
It is also worth mentioning to your students the effect that the equation of time will have on your dial’s
time. However, given the small size of the Astrowatch, and its ‘rustic’ construction it would be
inappropriate to include any adjustments to the measured time due to it.
So when using your Astrowatch to tell the time, keep in mind that in Melbourne you will need to add on
20 minutes to your dial time and allow for Australian daylight savings time.
For nocturnal timekeeping I used the information in the 1973 Australian Scout Handbook without
alterations.
Templates for the watch’s two faces can be found on the next page.
The more care you take in the watch’s construction, the greater the accuracy with which you can use it to
tell the time. I’ve taken one on camp with Year 9 students and Cub Scouts and they were always amazed
when I could use it to accurately tell the time to within 20 minutes of the actual time. Don’t expect any
greater accuracy than about 30 minutes using the Southern Cross though, particularly with such a small
dial.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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6
8
4
6
SCP
2
2
8
2
8
4
6
SCP
6
6
4
6
SCP
8
2
4
8
2
4
6
8
4
4
6
SCP
8
2
4
8
2
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Activity #04 – Moon Observations
This activity is designed to help you make some
observations of your own and from them draw
some conclusions about the moon’s appearance
and its motion through the sky. You can use
binoculars or a telescope if you have one.
However, naked eye observations will be more
than adequate to complete this exercise.
Please do not refer to any books, computer
programs or phone apps. Instead consider
yourself to be an ancient/amateur astronomer
who is doing this for the very first time.
All of your analysis/conclusions should be based
upon your own observations.
Aboriginal moon phase rock carving at Ngaut Ngaut, SA
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/research/AboriginalAstronomy/
Use the following chart and descriptions to assist you with your observations.
Describing the Moon’s phases.
Crescent Moon
when we can see only a sliver of the moon's illuminated disk (the side of the moon
facing us)
Full Moon
when the moon's disk is light because the Earth is between the sun and the moon
Gibbous Moon
when we can see roughly three-quarters of the moon's disk
Half Moon
(also called quarter moon) when we can see one half of the moon's disk (this is onequarter of the entire moon's surface)
New Moon
when the moon's disk is dark (and invisible to us) because the moon is between the
sun and the Earth
Quarter Moon
(also called half moon) when we can see one half of the moon's disk (this is onequarter of the entire moon's surface)
Waning Moon
when the moon seems to be getting smaller, going from full to gibbous to half to
crescent to new
Waxing Moon
when the moon seems to be getting bigger, going from new to crescent to half to
gibbous to full
Over the next five weeks you will need to make regular observations of the moon’s position in the sky
and of its appearance.
To assist you with your observations you could consult the newspaper for the moons rise and set times.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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Directions to students:
Step 1
As part of your observations you will need to record the date, time and location of each observation. In
the appearance circle in the centre of the diagram sketch your view of the moon to show how much of it
is illuminated.
On the inner ring of circles shade the circle that you think best corresponds to the Moon’s position is in
the sky relative to the Earth (at the centre of the diagram) and Sun. On the outer ring of circles shade the
circle that you think best corresponds to the Sun’s position relative to the Earth and Moon.
Below is an actual observation provided as an example for you.
N
Date: April 24th 2010
Time: 5:40 pm (sunset)
NW
NE
Location: Mill Park
Shape name: Waxing Gibbous
• Moon’s position
• Sun’s position
W
E
(inner ring)
SW
(outer ring)
SE
S
N
Date:
Time:
NW
NE
Location:
Shape name:
W
• Moon’s position
• Sun’s position
E
(inner ring)
SW
(outer ring)
SE
S
N
Date:
Time:
NW
NE
Location:
Shape name:
W
• Moon’s position
• Sun’s position
E
(inner ring)
(outer ring)
SW
SE
S
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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Activity #05 – Star Observations
In this activity you are going to look at a variety
of stars so that you can see that not all stars are the
same. You can use binoculars or a telescope if you
have one. However, naked eye observations will
be more than adequate to complete this exercise.
Use the planisphere you made in the Activity #01
to help you locate each of your chosen stars.
Depending on the time of year that you make your
observations some of the stars may not be visible
until quite late at night or early in the morning. If
that is the case, don’t worry, as there are plenty of
stars to look at! 
A list of stars for you to look at has been provided
on the last page of this activity.
A photograph of the constellation Scorpius showing the star
Antares at the heart of the scorpion.
http://www.sas.org.au/astrophotography/Greg%20Bock/Greg%20Bock.htm
Directions to students:
Read all parts of this activity, including the
questions at the end before performing your
observations. From the list of stars provided you
will need to find and observe ten of them, decide
what colour they are, and enter your observations
in the table on the next page. As part of your
observations you will need to record the date, time
and location of your observations.
(Hint: Before going out to look at the stars you will need to
find and identify them on the star chart of the planisphere
you made in Activity #01 – your teacher will show you how
to find them using the celestial latitude and longitude
coordinate system of Declination and Right Ascension R.A.)
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Date:
Time:
Star observation colour record sheet
Star name
Location:
Colour (select one and shade the box)
Blue
White
Yellow
Orange
Red
Questions
Question 1
Do all stars have the same colour?
Question 2
Why do you think that stars have different colours?
Question 3
What colour is our Sun?
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
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Questions 4, 5 and 6 relate to the observed motion of the stars in the night sky.
Question 4
a) In which part of the sky do you see stars rising above the horizon? North, South, East or West.
b) In which part of the sky do you see stars setting below the horizon? North, South, East or West.
Question 5
a) In which direction do the stars in the northern half of the sky appear to move during the night?
Clockwise or anti-clockwise?
b) In which direction do the stars in the southern half of the sky appear to move during the night?
Clockwise or anti-clockwise?
Question 6
Are there any stars that never dip below the horizon? In which part of the sky are they found?
Northern sky or southern sky?
Conclusion
Write a brief summary of what you have learned from this activity.
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Star’s historical
name
Star’s designation
Constellation & its
abbreviation
Altair
α-Aquilae
Aquila
Capella
α -Auriga
Arcturus
Right
Ascension
Declination
Aql
19h 51m
25s
+08o 54’ 11”
Auriga
Aur
05h 17m
39s
+46o 00’ 37”
α -Bootis
Bootis
Boo
14h 16m
16s
+19o 07’ 23”
Sirius
α -Canis Major
Canis Major
CMa
06h 45m
44s
-16o 43’ 53”
Procyon
α -Canis Minoris
Canis Minor
CMi
07h 39m
59s
+05o 11’ 37”
Canopus
α -Carinae
Carina
Car
06h 24m
14s
-52o 42’ 16”
Rigil Kentaurus
α 1-Centauri
Centaurus
Cen
14h 40m
37s
-60o 53’ 19”
Hadar
β-Centauri
Centaurus
Cen
14h 04m
46s
-60o 26’ 04”
Menkent
θ-Centauri
Centaurus
Cen
14h 07m
28s
-36o 25’ 51”
Acrux
α 1-Crucis
Crux
Cru
12h 27m
20s
-63o 10’ 15”
Bcrux
β -Crucis
Crux
Cru
12h 48m
30s
-59o 45’ 33”
Gacrux
γ-Crucis
Crux
Cru
12h 31m
54s
-57o 11’ 05”
Achernar
α -Eridani
Eridanus
Eri
01h 38m
11s
-57o 10’ 17”
Vega
α -Lyrae
Lyra
Lyr
18h 37m
23s
+38o 47’ 47”
Betelgeuse
α -Orionis
Orion
Ori
05h 55m
53s
+07o 24’ 27”
Rigel
β -Orionis
Orion
Ori
05h 15m
10s
-08o 11’ 19”
Fomalhaut
α -Piscis Austrini
Piscis Austrinus
PsA
22h 58m
21s
-29o 33’ 08”
Antares
α -Scorpii
Scorpius
Sco
16h 30m
12s
-26o 27’ 31”
Aldebaran
α -Tauri
Taurus
Tau
04h 36m
40s
+16o 32’ 03”
Atria
α -Trianguli Australis
Triangulum Australe
TrA
16h 50m
03s
-69o 02’ 55”
Spica
α -Virginis
Virgo
Vir
13h 25m
53s
-11o 13’ 42”
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Activity #06 – Sidereal or Star Day
The aim of this activity is to use the apparent motion of the stars in the night sky in order to measure how
long it takes for the Earth to complete one 360 o rotation about its axis – a sidereal day.
The sidereal or star day is the time it takes for the Earth to complete one rotation about its polar axis with
respect to the 'fixed' stars. By fixed, we mean that we treat the stars as if they were attached to an
imaginary celestial sphere which is at a very large distance from the Earth.
A measurement of the sidereal day is made by noting the time at which a particular star passes the
celestial meridian (i.e. the line that runs from true North to true south and passing directly overhead) on
two successive nights. On Earth, a sidereal lasts for 23 hours 56 minutes 4.091 seconds, which is slightly
shorter than the mean solar day which is measured from noon to noon and is about 24 hrs in length.
Our usual definition of an Earth day is 24 hours, so the sidereal day is 4 minutes faster. This means that a
particular star will rise 4 minutes earlier every night, and is the reason why different constellations of
stars are only visible at specific times of the year.
http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/S/Sidereal+Day
http://stevekluge.com/geoscience/images/siderealsynodic.html
Equipment
• Sidereal scope
(you will need to make one using the instructions
at the back of this booklet)
• Tripod
• 24-hour stopwatch
• Planisphere
Caution:
At no time should the sidereal scope
be used to look directly at the Sun!
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Discussion
From your previous observations of the night sky answer the following questions.
Question 1
In which direction do the stars in the southern half of the sky appear to rotate about the South Celestial
Pole (SCP)?
Question 2
If you are facing north, in what direction do the stars appear to move?
Measuring the length of the sidereal day.
Method
Step 1
Use the planisphere to choose a suitably bright star in the appropriate part of the sky and at a time you
want to make your observations.
Step 2
Set up your sidereal scope on a tripod*, as shown in Figure 1a. Rotate the cap with the clear plastic circle
so that the black texta line is as near to vertical as you can get it. Adjust the position of the scope so that
your chosen star appears to the right if you are facing North, or to the left if you are facing South of the
black line, as shown in Figure 2a, when viewed through the eyehole.
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
* If you don’t have a tripod you can tape your scope to a pole or another suitable object. Figure 1b.
However, you will probably need someone to help you attach the scope whilst you are spotting the star!
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2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
Step 3
Once you scope is set up with your chosen star in view. At the texta line occludes (blocks out) the star, as
shown in Figure 2b, start the stopwatch. It is crucial to the success of the experiment that the sidereal
scope is not knocked or moved whilst the experiment is running. So be careful not to put your eye against
the scope while you are viewing the star.
Step 4
On the following night come out 10 to 15 minutes earlier than the previous night and start watching for
your star to appear in your scope. Remember not to knock or touch your scope! When the texta line
occludes the star stop your stopwatch and record the time.
If the sky is overcast and your cannot record the passage of your chosen star, leave the stopwatch
running, and try again the next night. You will need to start viewing an extra five minutes earlier for each
successive night that you cannot view the star.
Enter your results in the appropriate spaces below.
Results
Start Date:
Finish Date:
(approximate)
(approximate)
Start Time:
Finish Time:
Elapsed Stopwatch Time:
Calculations
Sidereal Day Length:
Page 28 of 29
2014 STAV/AIP VCE Physics Teachers Conference, Session B3: Astronomy Club – Activities For Starting One In Your
School
Other activities the girls would like to do include:
•
Other solar systems
•
Higgs Boson
•
Observing nights
•
Observing Sunspots
•
Dark matter and dark energy
•
Antimatter
•
Life on other planets
•
What is Curiosity up to on Mars?
•
Anti-matter
•
How big is the Earth? (Eratosthenes)
•
How big is the Sun?
•
How big is the Moon?
•
How far away is the Sun? (Venus transit)
•
Astrophotography
•
Telescopes & telescope making
•
Sci-Fi movies
•
Guest speakers
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