ASTRONOMY 2

THIRD HOUR SESSION “D”

NAME

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTIVITY:  Constellation Charts: Part II – Ecliptic, Seasons, Precession

DATE

 

ID#

 

1.   What are the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates for the star ________________ in the constellation of _________________ ?

 

 

2.   Other than stars, name three other types of celestial objects plotted on the charts.

 

 

 

 

3.   What is the name of the star at RA = __________ and Dec =___________?  From the chart legends, what type of star is it and what is its magnitude?

 

 

 

 

 

4.   Name three constellations found on the ecliptic.

 

 

 

 

5.   Which constellation will the Sun occupy during the next _______ ? And for the ________ that follows this ________ , which constellation will the Sun occupy?

 

 

6.  Which constellation does the Sun occupy on the date of _______________?

 

7.   Near what line should you find the Moon or the planets?

 

8.   Other than the Sun, which very bright stars are  near the meridian at noon  on __________?

 

 

9.   For an object located at the following coordinates:______________, can you see this object in the evening or morning sky on _____________________?

 

10. If _____________ is in opposition on_______________, what constellation does it occupy?

 

 

11. The following are the coordinates of Mars the latter part of 2005 and beginning of 2006. Plot Mars on your SC001. What type of motion is being exhibited by Mars?

 

 

Date

RA

Dec

Date

RA

Dec

September 1

03h      03m   

+14°      25'    

December 1

02h      24m   

+15°      08'    

September 15

03h      19m  

+15°      40'  

December 16

02h      22m    

+15°      29'    

October 1

03h      26m   

+16°      29'    

January 1

02h      33m   

+16°      43'     

October 16

03h      18m    

+16°      37'  

January 15

02h      50m  

+18°      09'    

November 1

02h      58m    

+16°      08'    

January 31

03h      16m   

+20°      00'    

November 16

02h      38m  

+15°      29'  

 

 

 

 

 

12. Estimate the date of Mars’s opposition from the plot you made in the previous problem.

 

13.  In what year was the star Thuban considered the North Polar Star?