Welcome to the Sky Path Astronomy Project
Next Sky Path Star Party -
Sky Path
This activity was created for an elementary/middle level astronomy unit in conjunction with Orchard Hill Observatory, a local private observatory. The Sky Path Activity Kit is provided by a grant from IBM through the Vermont State Science & Math Fair.
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The Sky Path Astronomy Project will tap into student interest in technology tools to act as an impetus to learn astronomy. This technological perspective will motivate students to develop practices that will shape their understanding of space, and inspire curiosity of science and the universe. Students will map out an interpretive path across the sky, of objects visible at night. The students will present their objects as way-points along a pathway on school grounds that maximize viewing of each object. QR tags will link each way-point to a student created wiki page that will feature pod casts, video, and interactive Google maps designed to educate the public about their particular object and astronomy in general. The culminating activity is a "Local Star Party" where students and members of the local Astronomical Society chapter host the public along the Sky Path with telescopes and binoculars to actually view the objects while they listen and learn about them from the wiki pages.
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At the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to to demonstrate the basic practices of astronomers, and use technology and the tools of astronomy to confidently navigate the night sky. Students will use a magnetic compass to orient themselves, in order to use a planisphere and altitude tracker to competently locate visible objects in the night sky at any time of the year. They will use virtual planespheres and other on-line resources to identify and view visible and deep sky objects. Students will communicate their findings to real astronomers and others in an authentic format that engages and enlightens the public.
Goals:
This project is designed to develop students into amature astronomers and inspire in them an interest in astronomy by teaching students how to use astronomical tools and connecting them to practicing amature astronomers throught the local chapter of the Astronomical Society. Using technology to research, collect and present their projects will increase student interest in the science content.
Prerequisites:
Students should be able to use a magnetic compass to find cardinal direction. They should be able to use computers; it is helpful if they know how to create a pod cast, use google earth and are familiar with other forms of media. Access to the internet is essential, access to a smartphone is more fun.
Outcomes:
Students will be able to to demonstrate the basic practices of astronomers, and use the tools of astronomy to confidently navigate the night sky. Students will use a magnetic compass to orient themselves, in order to use a planisphere and astrolabe to locate visible objects in the night sky at any time of the year. They will use virtual planispheres and other on-line resources and using a Touch to identify and view visible and deep sky objects.
Materials:
equipment:
- Binoculars and/or Telescopes - Astronomical Society
- planispheres
- magnetic compasses
- UV pen lights (optional, more fun)
- green sky laser pointer (optional, more fun)
- Touch, tablet or smartphone (optional, way more fun)
- collection of astronomy books:
materials:
- Astrolabes: straws, coat thread, 1/2" hex nuts, tape, astrolabe printouts.
- Compass Rose Stargazing Mat: large square poster board, string, thumb tack, sharpie, yellow highlighter.
Print outs:
Altitude Tracker - yellow card
Star Wheel - Cover - yellow card
Star Wheel - Basic Constellations - white card
Star Wheel - Coordinates - white card
Weekly Observation Sheet
Azimuth Activity Sheet
Tracking the Sun Activity Sheet
Constellation Comparison Activity Sheet
Virtual Planispheres:
The best one I've found for kids
http://www.skymapper.co.uk/html/mapreader.php?coords=?185,76&point=south&offset=0
Another Virtual Planisphere
http://sid.bisque.com/sid2/
Procedures:
- Direct Observation Activity - The Night Sky
- The Compass Rose Stargazing Mat - The Magnetic Compass
- The Horizontal Coordinate System - The Astrolabe
- Maps of the Sky- The Planisphere
- Finding A Waypoint - The Virtual Night Sky
- Seeing the Point - Binoculars & Telescopes
- Joining the Path - The Star Path Wiki
- Local Star Party - The Astronomical Society
1. Direct Observation Activity - The Night Sky
Students make observations of the night sky for 5 weeks and compare the observations to notice changes in the night sky and moon that help them understand how the movement of the earth effects our view of objects in space. Students observations should increase in sophistication as they progress through the unit to include azimuth and altitude readings for the moon and other note worthy objects, and increased identification of objects.
Weekly Observation Sheet
2. The Compass Rose Stargazing Mat - The Magnetic Compass
Students create a stargazing mat to sit on to make astronomical observations that shows cardinal direction and azimuth readings, or "bearings". Using a magnetic compass, students position the map so the directions of the mat are aligned with the poles of the earth, and describe the horizon view in each direction. In an angle estimation activity, students practice positioning the mat in various locations around the school grounds, where they use it to find the azimuth of nearby objects. Students should include azimuth to describe locations for the moon and other notable objects in their weekly observations.
Compass Rose Stargazing Mat & Azimuth Activity
3. Tracking the Sun - The Altitude Tracker
Students assemble an altitude tracker to find the altitude of objects. Using their aligned Mat and the altitude tracker, students quantitatively track the path of the sun across sky. Students should include altitude for the moon and other notable objects in their weekly observations.
Tracking the Sun & Life Cycle of a Star
4. Maps of the Sky- The Planisphere
Students assemble a star wheel to help them locate and identify stars in the night sky anytime. Students get a better understanding of the effect of the rotation and revolution of the earth when they learn to use a planisphere and observe how the stars appear to move across the sky in predictable patterns. Students should use their planisphere to identify the brightest stars and constellations in their weekly observations.
Planisphere Activity & Winter Constellations
5. Finding A Waypoint - The Virtual Night Sky
Students use online resources, including virtual planispheres and astrophotography collections to select an object in the night sky to research, observe, photograph and present as a way point on the Sky Path interpretive trail. Students should use virtual planispheres and star maps to identify other objects in the night sky, such as planets, in their weekly observations.
Virtual Planisphere Activity & Structure of the Universe astrophotographic slideshow (advanced topic)
6. Seeing the Object - Binoculars & Telescopes, visit to Observatory
Students visit the observatory to see the telescope and learn about how it tracks and captures deep space images. Interested students make plans with the observatory to attempt to photograph their Sky Path way point object. Students should complete a weekly observation using binoculars. Interested students can make additional observations using a telescope.
Seeing the Object, Seeing in the Dark Topics, Life Cycle of Stars Video
7. Joining the Path - The Sky Path Wiki
Student teams build and develop wiki pages that showcase their objects of the Sky Path using various media, including video/photographs taken at Orchard Hill Observatory. Students create presentations for the public and plan the locations of the way points.
Sky Path Wiki
8. Local Star Party - The Astronomical Society
Student teams work with the Vermont Astronomical society to match members and their telescopes to way points on the path and plan the star party in the form of an interpretive path. Students, in conjunction with VAS, host a star party at the school where they present their "Sky Path" to members of the public. QR tags along the path direct visitors to the wiki pages.
Contact the VAS
Extensions:
In addition to bringing telescopes to a star party, the VAS can bring telescopes to your Vermont school during the day with filters for viewing sun spots, and students can visit a large VAS telescope at an observatory in Hinesburg, VT. VAS members have expressed interest in helping students and teachers discover the excitement of astronomy through hands on inquiry projects at observatories around Vermont. The Sky Path project is a structured opportunity for students to learn about astronomy through an authentic community-based activity. Extend the unit to service learning by using the star party to inform the public about light pollution, astronomical events or astronomy topics of interest. Contact VAS or VSSMF for more information. All the activities except the actual visual observation of the objects and the night sky are possible with smartphones, some tablets.
Bibliography
Lesson Plans
http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html specifically http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/teachers/sun_motion.html
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/eds/
http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/lessons/lessons_teacherdeveloped.html
http://www.science-teachers.com/winter_constellations.htm
http://www.science-teachers.com/north_star.htm
http://www.middleschoolscience.com/earth.htm
http://www.middleschoolscience.com/skyobservations.htm
Primary Resources
http://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/explore-the-sky/your-sky-tonight.html to make custom star charts
http://www.gigagalaxyzoom.org/B.html astrophotographic interactive planisphere
http://www.skymapper.co.uk/html/your_sky_now.html simple virtual planisphere and star maps
http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/star_life/starlife_main.html rich interactive astronomy lessons on the life cycle of stars
http://www.ap-i.net/avl/en/download - Virtual moon atlas
http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Download - Stellarium planetarium software
Secondary Resources
http://www.vtastro.org/ Vermont Astronomical Society webpage
http://www.spaceweather.com/
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/naep05.html#appendix
http://www.kidsastronomy.com/solar_system.htm
http://earthsky.org/space/nasas-three-minute-solar-cycle-primer
http://www.go-astronomy.com/constellations.htm
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/
Credits:
Tricia Finkle, M.Ed.
Co-Director, VSSMF
Joe Comeau, Ph.D.
IBM & Orchard Hill Observatory
Member at Large, VAS
Paul Fitzgerald
Folsom Education Center
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