Observing the Night Sky from Lincoln Hills

Transcription

1 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Night Sky from Lincoln Hills Presented by Ron Olson 1

2 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Objective Learn how to locate and identify objects in the night sky using your naked eye, binoculars, and small telescopes 2

3 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Observing Session Rossi Lane Sat Mar 8 Assistance from LHAG members Meet at 6 PM Weather permitting April 2 Meeting Looking For Galaxies, Nebulae and Star Clusters 3

4 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Objectives To learn how the sky moves To learn what kind of objects you can see To learn how to locate objects in the sky using: Star Charts IPAD / Iphone / Android Astronomy Apps Star Hopping 4

5 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What do they look like? Spring Observing Targets 5

6 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What do they look like? Spring Observing Targets 6

7 How Do Stars Move? Celestial Sphere Stars don t move (much) 7

8 Celestial Sphere 8

9 How Do Stars Move? Celestial Sphere Stars don t move (much) Earths orbit around the Sun Sky changes throughout the year 9

10 Earth Orbit - November Earth November 10

11 Earth Orbit - January Earth January 11

12 How Do Stars Move? Earth s Rotation Sky changes throughout the day and night North Celestial Pole Polaris the North Star Polaris always in the same location 12

13 Polaris 13

14 How Do Stars Move? Earth s Rotation Sky changes throughout the day and night North Celestial Pole Polaris the North Star Polaris always in the same location Rising and Setting Circumpolar - never sets Some southern hemisphere stars never rise Others rise in the East, set in the west 14

15 North Celestial Pole (NCP)

16 Star Trails around Polaris W E N 16

17 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What do they look like? Spring Observing Targets 17

18 North

19 Little Dipper Asterisms Big Dipper North

20 What can I see in the night sky? Stars Asterisms An easily identified grouping of stars Often part of a larger constellation figure Informal names Constellations Entire sky divided into 88 jigsaw puzzle pieces Each constellation figure is contained within it s constellation boundary Formal names 20

21 Ursa Minor Constellations Ursa Major North

22 Little Bear Big Bear North

23 Ursa Minor Constellations Ursa Major N

24 Ursa Minor Ursa Major N

25 N

26 What can I see in the night sky? Stars Asterisms Constellations Star Clusters 26

27 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Star Clusters Groups of hundreds to thousands of stars Generally have a common origin, so many of the stars are of similar brightness Star clusters make for great observation, with telescope or binoculars 27

28 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Star Clusters Open Clusters Lie within our galaxy generally associated with the spiral arms Relatively young (10 s of millions of years old) Globular Clusters Are spherically shaped Located in a spherical halo around our galaxy Very old (billions of years old) 28

29 Open Star Cluster Perseus Double Cluster Photo: Sky and Telescope 29

30 Globular Star Cluster M13 Hercules Cluster 30

31 What can I see in the night sky? Stars Asterisms Constellations Star Clusters Double Stars Optical Double Stars Binary Stars 31

32 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Double Stars Optical (apparent) Double Stars Chance alignment of stars that lie at different distances Binary (physical) Double Stars Gravitationally bound to each other 32

33 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Double Stars Albireo in Cygnus is an Apparent Double 33

34 Double Star Albireo 34

35 Alcor/Mizar double star in Ursa Major - Alcor Photo: Sky and Telescope Mizar 35

36 North Alcor/Mizar

37 What can I see in the night sky? Stars Asterisms Constellations Star Clusters Double Stars Moon Planets 37

38 The Moon maria terminator highlands 38

39 Waxing Phases FQ

40 Jupiter and it s moons Jupiter 40

41 Saturn 41

42 What can I see in the night sky? Stars Asterisms Constellations Star Clusters Double Stars Moon Planets Comets Nebulae Galaxies 42

43 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Galaxies and Nebulae Early astronomers called any fuzzy -appearing object a Nebula We now know some fuzzy objects can be star clusters or galaxies Messier Objects e.g. M42 Great Orion Nebula 43

44 M42 - Great Orion Nebula

45 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What do they look like? Spring Observing Targets 45

46 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Where is it in the sky? Star Chart Basics Locating North Using a Star Chart ipad / iphone / Android Astronomy Apps Star Hopping 46

47 Star Chart Basics Star Charts provide a map of stars and other celestial objects in the sky For specific latitude (Lincoln = 39º N) Drawn for specific dates/times Bi-monthly charts provide sufficient accuracy for most purposes Popular astronomy magazines have monthly centerfold Star Charts 47

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51 11 PM in early Mar 10 PM in late Mar

52 How to use Star Charts Basic Star Chart Orientation Outside edge is horizon (where the sky meets the ground) Center is the zenith (directly overhead) 52

53 Horizon Directly Overhead (Zenith) N

54 How to use Star Charts Basic Star Chart Orientation Outside edge is horizon Center is the zenith (directly overhead) Orient chart with direction you are facing at the bottom Distance above the horizon towards the center is the height 54

55 Direction Height N

56 Directly Overhead Direction Height Facing North Halfway Up

57 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Where is it in the sky? Star Chart Basics Locating North Using a Star Chart Planispheres Star Hopping 57

58 What direction is North? Facing North East is on your right - where the sun rises West is on your left - where the sun sets Polaris, the North Star is directly in front of you 58

59 North

60 Polaris - The North Star Cassiopeia Big Dipper Little Dipper North

61 W The Big Dipper Polaris the North star N

62 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Where is it in the sky? Star Chart Basics Locating North Using a Star Chart IPAD/IphoneIphone Astronomy Apps Star Hopping 62

63 How do I find The Winter Triangle? Locate the asterism The Winter Triangle on the Star Chart Betelgeuse Sirius Procyon 63

64 The Winter Triangle Betelgeuse Procyon Sirius S

65 How do I find The Winter Triangle? What direction do I look? Rotate the Star Chart so that the horizon below The Winter Triangle is at the bottom Southwest Face the direction at the bottom of the chart (Southwest) 65

66 The Winter Triangle Procyon Betelgeuse Sirius SW

67 How do I find The Winter Triangle? How high do I look? Estimate approximately how high The Winter Triangle is above the horizon 67

68 The Winter Triangle Directly Overhead Procyon Betelgeuse Sirius SW

69 How do I find The Winter Triangle? How high do I look? Estimate approximately how high The Winter Triangle is above the horizon About 1/4 up between the horizon and directly overhead (the zenith) Look Southwest above the horizon about 1/4 the distance between the ground and directly overhead 69

70 9:00 PM Zenith X Jupiter

71 More Star Charts Planets/Moon Planets at mid-month month position Moon at specific dates Only planets in good viewing position shown Sky & Telescope and Astronomy magazines Monthly Star Charts in magazines Online Star Charts 71

72 Astronomy Magazine Monthly Star Chart Astronomy Magazine centerfold Jupiter Moon

73 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Where is it in the sky? Star Chart Basics Locating North Using a Star Chart ipad / iphone / Android Astronomy Apps Star Hopping 73

74 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills ipad / iphone / Android Astronomy Apps Mobius Sky Map iphone, ipad Google Sky Map - Android 74

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77 star names constellations planets deep sky objects comets horizon equatorial grid manual 77

78 Stars, Constellations and Messier Objects 78

79 Astronomy Apps Observing using the Astronomy App 79

80 Horizon 80

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87 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Where is it in the sky? Star Chart Basics Locating North Using a Star Chart ipad / iphone / Android Astronomy Apps Star Hopping 87

88 Big Dipper Arc to Arcturus Arcturus NE

89 Bootes Arcturus NE

90 What will I actually see? Naked Eye View Starry Night program shows view similar to what your eye will see with your naked eye Real sky view will be similar to starcharts but much larger 90

91 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What do they look like? Spring Observing Targets 91

92 Facing Southwest (SW) Winter Triangle Constellations 92

93 SW 9:00 PM

94 Orion s belt Orion SW 9:00 PM

95 Orion SW 9:00 PM

96 M42 - Great Orion Nebula SW 9:00 PM

97 Procyon Winter Triangle Betelgeuse Sirius SW 9:00 PM

98 Canis Minor Procyon Winter Triangle Betelgeuse Sirius Orion Canis Major SW 9:00 PM

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101 Gemini SW 9:00 PM

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103 Gemini Taurus SW 9:00 PM

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105 Facing Southwest (SW) Star Cluster M45 Pleiades (Subaru, 7 Sisters) 105

106 Gemini M45 The Pleiades Taurus SW 9:00 PM

107 Pleiades Open Star Cluster 107

108 Facing Southwest (SW) Planets Jupiter Moon 108

109 Planets - Moon Moon S SW

110 1 st Qtr Moon

111 Planets - Moon Jupiter Moon S SW

112 Jupiter and its moons 112

113 Observing Tips Start at sunset Look for brightest stars to appear first Look West early, East later Everything looks much larger in the real sky The Moon New or 3rd Qtr Moon best for dim objects Check the paper for moon phase/rise/set times Looks great in binoculars! More accurate Star Charts Set for desired date and time Online at Sky and Telescope/Astronomy magazine website Monthly charts include planets IPAD/Iphone/Android Astronomy Apps 113

114 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Topics: Star motion What kinds objects can you see? Where is it in the sky? What does it look like? Spring Observing Targets 114

115 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Spring Observing Targets Finding the North Star Polaris (the North Star) Ursa Major (The Big Dipper) Ursa Minor (Little Dipper) Cassiopeia The Winter Triangle Betelgeuse, Sirius, Procyon Constellations Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor The Great Orion Nebula (M42) 115

116 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Spring Observing Targets Solar System Jupiter The Moon Double Star Alcor / Mizar Star Clusters (use binoculars) M45 Pleiades (Open cluster) (Seven Sisters, Subaru) M44 Beehive Cluster (Open Cluster) 116

117 Lincoln Hills Astronomy Group Observing the Sky from Lincoln Hills Spring Observing Targets More Constellations Taurus (the Bull) Gemini (the Twins) Auriga ( pointed hat of the Charioteer) Leo (the Lion) More Bright Stars Arcturus (Arc to Arcturus) Aldebaran (eye of the Bull) Regulus (in Leo) Capella (in Auriga) Pollux, Castor (in Gemini) 117