Introduction to Astronomy Syllabus

July 13-26, 2008
Hank Bouchelle
Starwalk Planetarium, New Castle, DE
 
Syllabus/Overview

Texts: 1. Seasonal Star Charts and Glow-in-the-Dark Star Finder*, Hubbard Scientific Co.
ISBN# 0-8331-1802-1
2. 365 Star Nights* by Chet Raymo, Simon & Schuster ISBN# 0-671-76606-6

*Please purchase these before the course begins and bring them with you.

Format
This participant-centered course provides a variety of investigations and activities relating to the understanding and teaching of astronomy. No previous knowledge of astronomy or math is assumed, but teachers at all grades and knowledge levels will gain a better understanding of the subject and its pedagogy. The major components of the course will be, but are not limited to: observations of the sky at night and during the day, participation in activities that a teacher can use with his or her own classes, and enrichment sessions to deepen an understanding of topics in astronomy.

Schedule
The College of the Atlantic requires a minimum number of contact hours for each of its courses. However, we have flexibility scheduling our time, within certain limits. The weather and other interesting and unpredictable phenomena (e.g., comets, alien invasions) can exert an influence. As time grows closer, feel free to contact the instructor with questions. Initially, we may plan on the following:

Daily Schedule
9:00 a.m. Begin the day, review daily schedule; questions, discussion, and comments regarding the previous
day. Daytime observing, learning activities, activities for classroom use, enrichment sessions.
11:45 Lunch
12:45 p.m. Activities, daytime observing, discussion, explication
2:15 *Comment forms, close if observing at night (9:00 p.m. at various locations)
3:45 *Comment forms, close, if no nighttime observing

Observations
During the day, we will observe the path of the Sun across the sky and the daily changes in that path to observe the cause of the dance of the seasons. We will observe the spectra of differing light sources to learn how astronomers determine the nature of stars. We will observe the Moon in the daytime sky to explore and predict lunar phases. We will make observations of a rectified globe, an extremely simple device that makes possible accurate observations about the whole of Earth, at any time of day, any day of the year.

At night we will observe the Moon, visible planets, constellations, stars of different types and, perhaps, a meteor shower; measure our latitude; and use several telescopes to observe various objects. At least one observing session will be dedicated to taking photographic slides of constellations, permitting participants to create a set of slides to take home to use for lessons on constellations, the relationship between temperature and color, and/or the colors of stars.

Activities
Here is a representative sampling of the activities in which we will engage in this course. They are intended to be illuminating about the nature of the universe and of scientific inquiry, and of the observable sky. They are likely to be of use to you with your students.

Determining local noon
While Polaris, the North Star, offers an excellent way to determine north, an object casts a shadow nearly exactly north at "local noon” for any location - and during daylight.

Light and stars
An exploration of the relationship between temperature and light color and the use of a diffraction grating that provides a method of determining the composition of stars.
 
Mt. Nose
An activity that reveals and demonstrates the motions of Solar System objects, explains the cause and meaning of "morning and evening stars," and the apparent positions of planets.
 
Moon phases
Modeling the lunar motions that create the phases, building a "Moon dial” that demonstrates and predicts the phases, and activities to make the reason for the phases compelling for students.
 
The Planisphere
Earth's revolution around the Sun causes the constellations visible in the night sky to change in a way that corresponds to the date. An easily constructed planisphere reveals in detail the location of the constellations.

Enrichment Sessions
Enrichment sessions are discussions of topics related to astronomy and are intended to deepen our understanding. Here is a representative sample:
Earth's seasons
Light and Optics
The Sun as a Star
Atoms and Spectra
Stellar Evolution
Cosmology

Field Trips:
Observing sessions including, perhaps, Otter Cliffs and Cadillac Mtn.
Dinner meeting.

Participants should bring:
Three-ring binder, organizer or folders for materials
Spiral notebook for reflections and notes
Flashlight
An old blanket or beach towel (one you can lay on the ground for comfortable observing)
And, if possible:
Binoculars, telescope and/or digital camera (we will experiment with taking pictures of stars and
constellations)
Simple hand calculator
Materials, ideas, or lessons you would like to share

The sky during our session
In general:
Mercury is a morning star, barely visible before sunrise
Venus becomes an evening star in July. By the 15th it sets 40 minutes after sunset.
Mars and Saturn may be visible low in the west-northwest after sunset.
Jupiter is at opposition on the 9th, rising at sunset and visible all evening.
July 14 - The Moon is at apogee, its most distant from Earth.
July 18 - Full Moon
July 25 - Last Quarter ("half”) Moon

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