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Backyard Astronomy

Backyard Astronomy. In the mystical moist night air, Looked up in perfect silence at the stars. - Walt Whitman. The Sun. Rises in the “east” and sets in the “west” Sunrise exactly in the East only at equinoxes (21 March and 22 September)

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Backyard Astronomy

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  1. Backyard Astronomy In the mystical moist night air, Looked up in perfect silence at the stars. - Walt Whitman

  2. The Sun • Rises in the “east” and sets in the “west” • Sunrise exactly in the East onlyat equinoxes (21 March and 22 September) • Most northern rising and settingat summer solstice (21 June) • Most southern rising andsetting at winter solstice(21 December)

  3. The Sun • Follows a high arc across the sky in summer • Follows a low arc across the sky in winter • Surrounding stars change with seasons • Follows annual path across the sky • Ecliptic • Why is it cold in winter and hot in summer?

  4. The Stars • Not visible in the day because of atmosphere • Have fixed positions on the celestial sphere • Patterns — constellations • Stars near the North Star • Trace circles around the North Star • Stars far from the North Star • Rise and set • High arcs if nearer north • Low arcs if farther south

  5. The Celestial Sphere • An imaginary sphere surrounding us • The “inverted bowl” or dome of sky — a visual and conceptual model. • All heavenly bodies appear to be fixed on it • Rotates slowly • Once a day • A little shiftedeach day • The same everyyear

  6. Celestial Sphere

  7. Celestial Coordinates • East-West - Latitude - Declination • North-South - Longitude - Right Ascension • Celestial Poles • North CP is close to NorthStar (Polaris) • SCP has no major marker nearby

  8. Celestial Equator and Poles

  9. Constellations 1 The graphics are from Constellations by Motz and Nathanson. ORION THE HUNTER

  10. Constellations 2 • One of the best ways to get started as a backyard astronomer is to learn the constellations. • Find north…use a compass if necessary! • No fancy equipment needed! • Needed: star chart, dim-flashlight, dark location. • Big Dipper is probably most famous star grouping. • Asterism - easily recognized group of stars • Big Dipper is part of Ursa Major (Great Bear) • Pointer stars to Polaris (North Star) • No “South Star”

  11. Motion of the Sun

  12. Planetary Motion 1

  13. Planetary Motion 2

  14. Retrograde Motion

  15. The Moon • Rises ~50 minutes earlier each day • Goes through a cycle of phases • New • Waxing crescent • Half (technically, First Quarter) • Waxing gibbous • Full • Waning gibbous • Half (technically, Third Quarter) • Waning crescent

  16. Moon Phases

  17. Eclipses • Regular enough to be predicted by ancientpeoples • Solar • Moon comes between Earth and Sun • Lunar • Earth’s shadow falls on Moon

  18. The End

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