Major Theme: The shores of the great cosmic ocean.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe how the Earth’s rotation about its axis and revolution around the Sun affect our perception of celestial motions as seen from different places on Earth.
- Explain why there are different seasons throughout the year.
- Describe the factors that create the phases of the Moon.
- Understand the astronomical conditions necessary for solar and lunar eclipses.
- Sketch the alignment of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun during eclipses of the Sun and the Moon.
- Describe the daily motions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars relative to the horizon.
- Describe the seasonal positions of the sun – at sunrise, noon, and sunset – relative to the horizon.
- Describe the motions of the sun, moon, and planets relative to the stars of the zodiac.
- Define the ecliptic and tell how to find its approximate position in the sky.
Outline:
The Visible Sky
- The Celestial Sphere coordinate system (Declination and Right Ascension)
- Constellations
- Angular measurement
- Motion of stars from the Earth’s poles and away from the poles.
The Motions of the Sun and Moon
- The tilt of the Earth’s axis and the seasons.
- The Equinoxes and Solstices.
- Precession of the Equinoxes
- Lunar orbital motion
- Changing Phases of the Moon
- Visible face of the moon.
- Solar and Lunar Eclipses
Early Astronomy
- Anasazi Sun watching: Ancient Pueblo Calendars
- Babylonian Sky watching
- Greek Models of the Cosmos
- Claudius Ptolemy: The Geocentric Model
Activities & Assignments:
- Unit Notes
- Seasons tutorial
- Lunar Phases tutorial
- Lecture Tutorials: (see the green classroom workbook)
- Position
- Path of the Sun
- Predicting Lunar Phases tutorial
- Lab #2: Seasons Investigation Lab
- Night Lab #3: Lunar Mechanics Lab
- Start the Semester Lab (observing the moon)
- Textbook reading:
Extra Stuff:
Time Lapse Sky Shows Earth Rotating Instead of Stars
Listen to AstronomyCast Episode 227
