Reach for the Stars
2003 Planetarium Practicum TAK

(CS) = Coordinate Systems
(MP) = Moon Phase
(VP) = Visible Planets
(*) = Stars
(C) = Constellations
(A) = Asterisms
(DSO) = Deep Sky Objects

1. Horizon - (CS) imaginary line where sky appears to meet land
x 2. Summer Triangle - (A) morning sky is preview of next season; asterism with three bright stars
3. Twilight (dawn/dusk) - (CS) 30 min. before sr/after ss
4. Venus - (VP) evening- or morning star
5. Mars - (VP) the red planet
6. Zenith - (CS) imaginary point directly overhead
7. Meridian - (CS) N-S line passing thru point directly overhead
8. Noon (midday) - (CS) What time is it?
9. Mercury - (VP) planet closest to Sun
10. Waxing Crescent - (MP) What is the current Moon phase?
11. Big Dipper - (A) well-known asterism
12. Ursa Major - (C) constellation, NOT asterism
13. Mizar - (*) double- (binary) star (in U.M.)
14. Alcor - (*)   "       "       "
x 15. Dubhe - (*) a.k.a. pointer stars
x 16. Merak - (*)   "       "      "
17. Polaris - (*) a.k.a. North Star
18. 39d N - (CS) What is our latitude? (show meridian)
19. Little Dipper - (A) asterism
20. Cassiopeia -  (C) name of constellation
x 21. Milky Way Galaxy - preceding constellation embedded w/in fuzzy band of light
22. Andromeda Galaxy - (DSO) M31
--
[heading south]
23. Orion - (C)
24. Betelgeuse - (*)
25. Red Super-Giant - star color/star type?

26. Rigel - (*)
27. Orion Nebula - (DSO) M42
28. Taurus - (C)
29. Hyades - (DSO) open cluster
30. Aldebaran - (*)
31. Crab Nebula - (DSO) M1, remnant of supernova
32. Saturn - planet (VP)
33. Pleiades - (DSO) M45, a.k.a., Seven Sisters
34. Capella - (*) Brightest * in Auriga
35. Sirius - (*) brightest * in the night sky
36. Canis Major - (C)
37. Procyon - (*)
38. Pollux - (*) one of "twin stars"
39. Castor - (*) other one, "twin stars"
40. Leo - (C)
41. Regulus - (*)
42. Denebola - (*)
43. Cancer - (C)
44. Jupiter - (VP)
45. Beehive Cluster - (DSO) M44
46. Arcturus - (*) follow the arc to...
47. Bootes - (C) kite-shaped shepherd
48. Corona Borealis - (C) semi-circle or comma-shape
49. Spica - (*) brightest star in Virgo
50. Whirlpool Galaxy - (DSO) M51, Van Gogh's "Starry Night"