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Astronomy
Taught by Mr. Miller
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 Main Lesson Book Entries
  1. Cover Page
    • On black construction paper with your chosen constellation in white accurately portrayed
    • Title of the block, your name, date, and class, teacher’s name
  2. Table of Contents
  3. Your poem about the stars
  4. Introduction to astronomy – what is it?  Why do we study it?
  5. Scale of the Solar System and Planetary Information
    • Drawing of each planet (in order!) with details and scale information
  6. The Celestial Sphere
    • Use both diagrams with labels and short written paragraphs to explain and define the following:
      • Horizon
      • Zenith
      • The North Celestial Pole
      • The South Celestial Pole
      • The Celestial Equator
      • The Celestial Meridian
  7. Two systems for mapping the heavens (diagram, define and explain)
    • Objective, observer independent (useful at any time and place)
      • Right ascension (and relation to Earthly Longitude)
      • Declination (and relation to Earthly Latitude)
    • Subjective, observer dependent (upon time and place)
      • Altitude
      • Azimuth
  8. The motion of the stars (drawings and explanations)
    • Terms: Culmination, Circumpolar Stars
    • For 45 degrees N latitude (Portland):
      • Partial sky views looking N (with drawing and explanation of the star Polaris), looking S, looking E, and looking W
    • For the equator (0 degrees latitude):
      • Full 3D drawing of entire sky view
    • For the North Pole (90 degrees N latitude):
      • Full 3D drawing of entire sky view
    • For the South Pole (90 degrees S latitude):
      • Full 3D drawing of entire sky view
  9. Explanations of the Solar Day (24hr) and Sidereal (star) day – (23hr 56min 4sec)
    • Drawing and explanation of why the Solar Day is longer than the sidereal day - include our ratios and calculations!
  10. Motion of the Sun in the sky:
    • Terms, with drawings and written explanations:
      • The Ecliptic
      • Constellations (88 total cover the entire sky)
      • The Zodiac (with all 12 constellations and their names and symbols)
      • Vernal (Spring) Equinox
      • Autumnal Equinox
      • Summer Solstice
      • Winter Solstice
    • Motion of Sun in the sky over one day at 45 N latitude (drawings, including Celestial Equator, Ecliptic, and Path of Sun in Sky over the day) for:
      • Vernal (Spring) Equinox
      • Autumnal Equinox
      • Summer Solstice
      • Winter Solstice
    • Motion of the Sun in the sky over one day at 90 N latitude - the North Pole -(drawings including Celestial Equator, Ecliptic, and Path of Sun in Sky over the day) for:
      • Vernal (Spring) Equinox
      • Autumnal Equinox
      • Summer Solstice
      • Winter Solstice
  11. Explanation of the Seasons
    • Geocentric view – description of seasons and position of sun in sky and rising point, length of day
    • Heliocentric view – drawing of Earth in various positions of orbit around Sun with explanation why seasons occur
      • Direct sun-rays vs. glancing sun-rays
    • Explanation, with drawings of:
      • The Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer
      • The Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle
  12. The Precession of the Equinoxes – drawing and explanation and consequences for our “North Star”
  13. The Moon Phases – Heliocentric and Geocentric comparison with drawing and explanation, with angles between sun and moon indicated for all phases.
  14. Eclipses:
    • Description of Sun and Moon relative sizes from geocentric perspective
    • Geocentric and Heliocentric comparison with drawings and explanation
      • The Partial Lunar Eclipse
      • The Total Lunar Eclipse
      • The Partial Solar Eclipse
      • The Total Solar Eclipse
      • The Annular (Solar) Eclipse
  15. The Moon: Synodic and sidereal periods - show calculations for determining sidereal period.
    • Explain consequences for the motion of Moon relative to the stars
  16. Astronomy History
    • Ancient Greeks – Eratosthenes - Sun-centered model
    • Aristotle and Ptolemy – Earth-centered model
    • Copernicus – Sun-centered model
    • Galileo’s Discoveries
      • Phases of Venus (with drawing)
      • Craters on Moon
      • Sunspots
      • Moons of Jupiter
      • Negative consequences for the Aristotelian/Ptolemaic model and its support for the Copernican
    • Kepler's Tree Laws
      • 1 - Orbits of planets are ellipses with the Sun at one foci
      • 2 – Line between planet and Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times
      • 3 – Period of orbit of planet squared equals cube of semi-major axis (average distance from the Sun
  17. Your Myth for your chosen constellation (you may place your drawing of your chosen constellation with your myth or as the cover page for your MLB
  18. All worksheets should be included at the end of your main lesson book.
 

 

H o m e w o rk
DATE ASSIGNMENT
DUE
Monday, Sept. 17
  • Finish Motion Worksheet
Tues. Sept. 18
  • Finish Motion of Sun in Sky Worksheet
  • MLB: Path of Sun in Sky for 45 N at:
    • Spring Equinox
    • Summer Solstice
    • Fall Equinox
    • Winter Solstic
MLB Check: Thurs Sept. 20
  • MLB: Path of Sun in Sky for 90 N at:
    • Spring Equinox
    • Summer Solstice
    • Fall Equinox
    • Winter Solstice
Tuesday, Sept 18
  • Poem about the stars/sky/heavens
WED Sept 26
  • MLB: Seasons: Geocentric and Heliocentric Explanations with drawings
MLB Check: Thurs Sept. 20
  • MLB: Precession of the Equinoxes
Wednesday, Sept 19
  • MLB: Tropic of Capricorn/Cancer and Arctic/Antarctic Circles
MLB Check: Thurs Sept. 20
  • MLB: The Moon's Phases - Geocentric and Heliocentric
  • MLB: Eclipses (Geocentric and Heliocentric)
    • Sun: Total, Annular, Partial
    • Moon: Total, Partial
Thursday, Sept 20
  • Moon Worksheet
Friday, Sept. 21
  • MLB: Angle bewteen moon and sun for all moon phases
Friday, Sept 28
 
  • MLB: Moon's sidereal and solar periods with calculations
Friday, Sept 21
  • MAIN LESSON BOOK CHECK ON MONDAY
  
  • MLB: Astronomy History: Eratosthenes, with calculations for earth's circumference
Friday, Sept 28
  • Retrograde Motion Worksheet
Monday, Sept 24
Monday, Sept 24
  • MLB: Astronomy History: Ptolemy, Copernicus, and Galileo
  • Poem about the Stars
  • Start your Myth
Friday, Sept 28
Tuesday, Sept 25
  • MLB: Astronomy History: Kepler, with his three laws explained in detail
Friday, Sept 28
Wednesday, Sept 26
  • Finish all MLB assignments
  • Study for Final Exam on Friday
  • Bring Sack Lunch for OMSI tomorrow
Friday, Sept 28
Thursday, Sept 27
  • Finish all MLB assignments
  • Study for Final Exam tomorrow
Friday, Sept 28
Friday, Sept 28
  • none, last day of class!
 

 
Email Mr. Miller: spiritself AT gmail DOT com