Sky Sights for Middle School & Intermediates

1. About this presentation…. • Is free to be used by students, teachers & public. Please acknowledge it is from FSU. It can also be copied and downloaded. • Is written in Microsoft Power Point that can be read by a number of computer systems. • If you find any needed changes, please contact Dr. Doyle at rdoyle@frostburg.edu

2. Frostburg State Planetarium presents July-Sept. 2014 Sky Sights for Middle School & Intermediates by Dr. Bob Doyle Next Edition: October 2014

3. Big Topics Treated • Horizon, Finding directions, Sunrise/Sunset • How Day Sky Works, Twilight AM & PM • Moon basics, It’s Origin Why its varying shapes? • Bright points seen at night? Easy Summer Planets • Best Stars & Groups Seen on Summer Evenings • 3 Built in Mini Quizzes with answers supplied • Summer ‘13 Moon Schedule & Star tables • Fall ’13 Presentation Schedule & related info

4. Horizon & Directions • When looking at sky, we may view ½ of universe! • Horizon surrounds us, the sky/ground boundary • At top of sky is zenith, 90 degrees from horizon • From North to right, East, then South and West. • Sun rises in East, face sunrise, left is North • Midday shadow N (1pm July – Sept.) • Sun sets nearly in West, face sunset, right is North • Can use Big Dipper’s pointers to find N. Star

5. Sunrise & Sunsets? • Earth’s daily rotation makes it look as if sun rises each morning & sets each afternoon • Time of sunrise, sunset varies thru year • Earliest sunrise & latest sunset in June • Latest sunrise & earliest sunset in late Dec. • Longest days when sun highest, farthest N • Shortest days when sun lowest, farthest S • Change in sunrise/sunset reduced closer to equator • Change in sunrise/sunset increased near poles

6. Let’s review these ideas • What point in sky is farthest from horizon? • Is it Celestial Pole? Zenith? Nadir? • Which direction recipe WON’T work? • S. Side of tree with moss? Shadow in mid day? • Place where biggest changes with seasons? • Polar Regions? Mid Latitudes? Equator? • Write down your answers for these questions. • Answers: Zenith, Mid day shadow, Polar regions

7. Interesting facts about day sky • Noon sun 400,000 x brighter than full moon • Day Sky max. polarization 90 deg. from sun • Maximum sunlight energy in early summer • Sun peaks around 1 pm April - October • Maximum sunlight energy in late June • To find North, face where sun goes down and extend your right arm out, points North.

8. Twilight or Dusk? • When sun disappears from our view, the air overhead is still ‘seeing’ sun and glowing. • When sun 6 dg. below horizon, turn on lights • When sun 18 dg. below horizon, sky darkest • To see faint star groups, sun must be 12 dg. below • Arctic Circle cities have no darkness in June • Equatorial places have shortest twilights • Our twilights last about 90 min. at dusk & dawn

9. What about Moon? • Our moon is 2160 miles across, ¼ Earth’s width • Moon ¼ as big as Earth; if Earth a regular globe (1 ft.wide), moon is a tennis ball. • Earth-moon distance about 30 x Earth’s width. • As Earth, Moon lit by sun with day & night halves • As Moon orbits Earth, see varying part of day side • After line up with sun, moon waxes (grows) 14 d • After full moon, moon wanes (shrinks) 14 days • Moon phase cycle 29.5 dy, approx. month length

10. Just a little bit more about Moon • Moon rocks reveal moon matter from Earth! • Moon due to planets colliding, debris hurled • Moon formed from ring of orbiting debris • Early moon closer, much stronger tides • Moon slowly spiraling out, lengthen our day • Earth has 1st natural moon from sun, 6th largest moon in solar system

11. Another review of ideas.. • As you face sunset, what points North? • Back of Head? Right arm (out)? Left ear? • If Earth 1 ft. wide, how far away is moon? • Is it 10 feet? 30 feet? 100 feet? 300 feet? • How long does moon ‘grow’ or ‘shrink’? • Is it A week? A half month? A month? • Write down your answers to above 3 questions. • Answers: Right arm (out), 30 feet, A half month

12. Bright points we see at night? • Even the nearest planets appear as * (points) as we see them with our eyes; for even these objects far away Venus at closest 100x farther than our moon • To tell a planet from a star, all night stars twinkle and planets usually shine steady. • Also satellites (especially Space Station) shine steadily as creep eastward across sky • Night stars are distant suns, really, really far away compared to our planet neighbors. • If Earth penny size, moon 22” away, sun 730 ft. away (6.3 ft. wide), nearest star is 37,000 mi.away

13. July-September 2014 Planets • Mars & Saturn low in SW early summer even. • Venus at in eastern dawn slowly drops lower • In August, Jupiter seen in E dawn, slides by Venus • Jupiter & Venus appear close in mid August • Mars, Saturn & moon close July 7, Aug. 4 & 31

14. Summer Even. Stars & Groups • Evening: Big Dipper in NNW with handle on top • Two lowest scoop * point rightward to North Star • Dipper’s handle arcs to golden star Arcturus • High is bright white-blue star Vega • Vega is the brightest star in Summer Triangle • On moonless nights, Milky Way near Triangle • Low in S: Scorpion (‘J’) & Sagittarius (Tea pot)

15. Big Dipper & N. Star, Sum.Even. North Star Pointers

16. Big Dipper’s handle arcs to golden * Arcturus Arcturus

17. Summer Triangle on Summer Evenings Vega Vega Vega Facing E, early summer Facing S, Mid summer Facing W, Late summer

18. Sagittarius & Scorpion low in South on summer evenings See “Tea Pot” and letter “J”

19. Let’s review once more… • What two evening planets this summer? • Are they (Mars, Saturn) or (Venus, Jupiter) • Name two very bright evening summer stars. • Are they (Arcturus, Vega) or (North Star, Orion) • Special sight seen on moonless summer evenings? • Is is (Northern Lights) or (Milky Way)? • Write down your answers, Correct answers are (Mars, Saturn), (Arcturus,Vega) (Milky Way)

20. Summer’14 Moon Schedule • Early July: ½ full moon in evening sky • Mid July – Full Moon on the 12th • Late July : ½ full morning moon on 18th • Early Aug: ½ full moon on August 3rd • Mid Aug: Full Moon on the 10th • Late Aug. Waning (shrinking) in AM hours • Early Sept.: ½ full evening moon on 2nd • Mid Sept.: Full Moon is 9/8 “Harvest Moon” extra evening moonlight

21. Frequently asked questions • What are shooting or falling stars? • Pea sized space grit impacting upper atmosphere and bursting into flame. • What if planets aligned (as beads on string)? • They can’t as orbits are not in 1 plane. But even if they could, their pull very weak next to our moon. • Why study other worlds? won’t ease our problems • By understanding other worlds, better know Earth • Your questions are welcome at our public programs.

22. Sunday Fall ‘14 Programs • Presented at 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. in Media Learning Center (MLC) -1st floor of CCIT • In Sept. 7,14,21 & 28 “Dark of the Moon” • Oct. 5,12,19 & 26 “Baked, Oasis & Frozen” • Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 “Life among Giants” • Dec. 7, 14 & 21 “Holy Land in 1st Century” • Science Discovery Center Tours follow

23. Send any questions to…. • Bob Doyle email rdoyle@frostburg.edu • Be sure that questions involve basics about sky, moon, planets, stars and Museum animals • For questions about Pluto, Asteroids, Comets – talk to Dr. Doyle after MLC Sunday shows • Sunday Space programs at 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. • start Sept.7, change monthly • Call (301) 687-7799 to request free bookmark, schedule sent to you through mail