Reach for the Stars
2004 Planetarium Practicum TAK

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

(PP) = Planetarium Practicum
(SS) = Slide Show


Planetarium Practicum:

[Sunset occurs when upper limb of Sun disappears below ...]

1. Horizon - (CS) imaginary line where sky appears to meet land

[define twilight: 30 min. before sr/after ss]

2. Venus - (VP) evening- [or morning] star
3. Mars - (VP) robotic rovers recently discovered evidence of water on the most Earth-like body in the Solar System
4. Waxing Gibbous - (MP) What is the current Moon phase?

[heading north]

5. Big Dipper - (A) well-known asterism
6. Ursa Major - (C) constellation, NOT asterism
7. Mizar & Alcor - (*) double- (binary) star (in U.M.)
8. Polaris - (*) moderately bright star, a.k.a. North Star

[show meridian]

9. 39d N - (CS) What is our latitude?
10. Cassiopeia - (C) name of constellation

[tweak daily motion]

(PP) 11. Andromeda Galaxy - (DSO) M31

[heading south]

12. Orion - (C)
13. Betelgeuse - (*)
14. Red Giant or Red Super-Giant - star color/star type?
15. Rigel - (*)

[begin recording answers top-right column]

(PP) 16. Hyades - (DSO) open cluster
17. Aldebaran - (*)
(PP) 18. Pleiades - (DSO) M45, a.k.a., Seven Sisters
19. Capella - (*) Brightest * in Auriga
20. Sirius - (*) brightest * in the night sky
21. Canis Major - (C)
22. Procyon - (*)
23. Pollux - (*) one of "twin stars"
24. Sickle - (A) name of asterism, NOT constellation!
25. Regulus - (*)
26. Jupiter - (VP)
27. Arcturus - (*) follow the arc to...
28. Bootes - (C) kite-shaped shepherd

[show ecliptic; daily motion to SEP-OCT]

29. Sagittarius - (C) sign of the Zodiac, a.k.a., the teapot; Milky Way is steam rising from the teapot
30. Pegasus - (C) constellation includes the asterism known as the "Great Square"

[coves up; power-on PC & large-screen display]
Slide Show:

31. Crab Nebula - (DSO) M1, remnant of supernova [Taurus]
32. Orion Nebula - (DSO) M42 [Orion]
33. Beehive (Cluster) - (DSO) M44 [Cancer]
34. Whirlpool Galaxy - (DSO) M51, Van Gogh's "Starry Night" [Canes Venatici, in the "no man's land between Bootes & the Big Dipper]
35. Ring Nebula - (DSO) M57 [Lyra]


--
[Leftovers:]
Scorpius (Antares)
Capricornus
Cygnus (Deneb), Lyra (Vega), Aquila (Altair)
==
[items cut from 2003 PP:]
? 10. Little Dipper - (A) asterism
? 17. Taurus - (C)
24. Castor - (*) other one, "twin stars"
= 25. Leo - (C)
= 29. Denebola - (*)
? 48. Corona Borealis - (C) semi-circle or comma-shape
? 49. Spica - (*) brightest star in Virgo
2. Twilight (dawn/dusk) - (CS) 30 min. before sr/after ss
5. Zenith - (CS) imaginary point directly overhead
6. Meridian - (CS) N-S line passing thru point directly overhead
? 7. Noon (midday) - (CS) What time is it?
x 2. Summer Triangle - (A) morning sky is preview of next season; asterism with three bright stars
9. Mercury - (VP) planet closest to Sun
x 15. Dubhe - (*) a.k.a. pointer stars
x 16. Merak - (*)   "       "      "
x 21. Milky Way Galaxy - preceding constellation embedded w/in fuzzy band of light
25. Saturn - planet (VP)
43. Cancer - (C)