For your concept maps – please draw!

For your concept maps – please draw!

Objects are located on the celestial sphere in units of: • Miles • Kilometers • Light years • Parsecs • Degrees

The angular size of your fist, held at arms length, is about: • 1 degree • 10 degrees • 5 inches • 10 inches

The apparent size of the moon in the sky is: • About ½ degree • About 5 degrees • About 10 degrees • About a mile • About 2000 miles (1/4 the earth’s diameter)

What makes Polaris a special star? • It is the brightest star in the sky • It is always directly overhead, no matter where you are • It is near the axis about which the sky turns • Its azimuth (direction) is always due north • C andD

When an astronomer describes the altitude of something in the local sky, he or she means: • How high something is in the sky, in units of miles or kilometers • How high something is in the sky, in units of degrees • The direction toward something– north, south, east, or west

During the year the Sun appears in front of different groups of stars. What are these called? • Circumpolar stars • Circumsolar stars • The constellations of the zodiac • The tropical constellations • Solstice stars

When an astronomer describes the azimuth of something in the local sky, he or she means: • How high something is in the sky, in units of miles or kilometers • How high something is in the sky, in units of degrees • The direction toward something– north, south, east, or west

Why are different stars seen in different seasons? • The tilt of the Earth’s axis • Stars move during the year • As the Earth orbits the Sun we see the Sun in front of different constellations • Because that’s how horoscopes work • Precession

Why are the Moon and planets seen only in the constellations of the zodiac? • The planets all revolve in the same direction around the Sun • The planets all orbit in nearly the same plane, and the zodiacal constellations are in that plane. • The constellations in the zodiac are the oldest, and the planets have been known from ancient times • None of the above reasons

When it is summer in the United States, in Australia it is: • Winter • Summer • It is always summer in Australia

What causes the seasons? • In summer the (whole) Earth is closer to the Sun • In summer the tilt of the Earth’s axis makes the part of the Earth we are on closer to the Sun • In summer the Sun is up for more hours • In summer the Sun climbs higher in the sky so its rays hit the ground more directly • C and D

If the tilt of the Earth’s axis to its orbital plane was 40 degrees, instead of 23 ½, but its distance from the Sun remained the same, what would happen to the seasons? • They wouldn’t change much • They would become less extreme–winter and summer would be more alike • They would become more extreme–winter colder and summer warmer • The whole Earth would get colder • The whole Earth would get warmer

What makes the North Star special? • It was the first star to be cataloged by ancient astronomers. • It lies close to the north celestial pole and is therefore very useful for navigation. • It is the brightest star in the entire sky. • It is the brightest star in the northern sky. • It is visible from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

Because of precession, someday it will be summer everywhere on Earth at the same time. • Yes, precession will naturally circularize the Earth’s orbit. • Yes, precession will eventually reduce the Earth’s axis tilt. • Yes, precession will make summers occur at the same time, but in what is now the northern spring and southern fall. • Yes, but it would take tens of thousands of years, longer than current human history, for this to occur. • No, precession only changes the direction in which the North Pole points, and has nothing to do with the seasons.

In the northern hemisphere When is the Sun directly overhead at noon? • March 21 • June 21 • July 21 • Never

January 13th, 2012 ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What causes the eclipses LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Be able to describe the phases of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. WARM UP: Define the following: Nebula, Open Cluster and Globular Cluster AGENDA • Who is going to be mid-terming next week • Warm up • Quiz • The Greeks and Astronomy • NOTE: I WILL BE HERE NEXT WEEK BUT NOT THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY FOLLOWING MIDTERMS

January 13th, 2012 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: . Teacher led Questions on student’s understanding of today’s lesson. VOCABULARY: Solstice, Equinox, Milankovitch Cycle seasons, phases, eclipses, penumbra, umbra, synodic, sidereal . PRACTICE: Seasons, Path of the Sun, Phases of the Moon. ASSIGNMENTS: Seasons NOTES: Quiz Friday, Phases of the Moon

January 12th, 2012 ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What causes the eclipses LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Be able to describe the phases of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. WARM UP: What is the EM (electromagnetic) spectrum? How does it affect where scientists place their telescopes? AGENDA • Warm up • Quiz • When you finish the quiz please take the next set of notes and staple the • Discussions: • Eclipses

January 11th, 2012 ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What causes the eclipses LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Be able to describe the phases of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. WARM UP: Why is looking at a star, let’s say Gleise 451 – 20 light years away, like looking back in time? Make sure you are specific. AGENDA • Warm up • Quiz • Discussions: • Eclipses

January 10th, 2012 ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What causes the phases of the moon LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Be able to describe the phases of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. WARM UP: Barnard’s Star is 6 l.y. away. It takes light from the Sun 8.3 minutes to get to us. How many A.U.s is Barnard’s Star? How many kilometers? AGENDA • Warm up • Go over last quiz. • Discussions: • Phases of the Moon and Task Analysis • 3) Quiz – 4th and 6th

January 9th, 2012 ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What causes the phases of the moon LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Be able to describe the phases of the moon as it revolves around the Earth. WARM UP: If the sun is the size of a grapefruit in Washington, D.C. what size would the Earth be? Where would it be distance-wise in meters from the Sun? Where would the closest star be located on this scale. AGENDA • Warm up • Discussions: • Phases of the Moon and Task Analysis

Perihelion Inferior Conjunction Aphelion Opposition Conjunction EARTH Superior Conjunction

For your concept maps – please draw!