Homeschool Astronomy Outline
Direct mailto:Steve@UPWallers.net Updated 1/23/05
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Strategy. 3
Teams figure
out how to research the topics. 3
Teams will
present information to the rest of the group as 2 minute presentations. 3
Session
Meetings. 3
Observatory
Sessions. 3
Resources. 3
Movie/video
suggestions. 5
Jan. 31st
- Session 1: Constellations and Time. 6
Introduction
and discussion. 6
Team 1
Constellation names. 6
Team 2
History. 6
Team 3 Time. 7
Team 4
Finding Non-Zodiac Constellations. 7
Submit
e-notes for Homeschool Astronomy Website. 7
Feb. 4th
or 5th - Observatory Session 1. 8
Build
timelines. 8
Find
constellations. 8
Make up new
constellations based on observations. 8
Feb. 7th-
Session 2: Astronomical History. 9
Team 1
Ancient (up to 500 B.C. ), Classical World (499 B.C.-500 A.D.) & Middle
Ages (500-1400 A.D.) 9
Team 2 The
Renaissance (1461-1600) 9
Team 3 Age of
Reason (1601-1750) & The Enlightenment (1700-1790) 10
Team 4 Modern
Astronomy. 10
Feb. 14th-
Session 3: Eyes, Binoculars, Telescopes and “Seeing” 11
Team 1 Night
Vision. 11
Team 2 How
Telescopes Work. 11
Team 3
Different Types of Telescopes. 11
Team 4 How
Binoculars work. 11
Feb. 19th
or 20th - Observatory Session 2: Using Telescopes and
Binoculars. 12
What to
bring: 12
Telescope
Fundamentals. 12
Geometry of
circles. 12
Feb. 21st-
Session 4: Locating Things in the Sky. 13
Team 1
Celestial Sphere. 13
Team 2
Ecliptic. 13
Team 3 Local
Coordinates. 13
Team 4 Where
are the constellations in the celestial sphere?. 13
Feb. 28th
- Session 5: Stars, Galaxies and More. 14
Team 1
Astronomical Terms. 14
Team 2
Describe Astronomical Objects. 14
Team 3
Describe Astronomical Motions. 14
Team 4
Extraterrestrial Life. 15
Mar. 4 th, 5 th or 6 th - Observatory Session 3: Locating Things in the Sky . 17
Record sightings and details in log books. 17
Make sketches. 1
Mar. 7th
- Session 6: Magnitude and Messier Objects. 16
Team 1
Magnitude and diameter of objects. 16
Team 2
Messier’s story. 16
Team 3 Winter
evening Messier objects. 16
Team 4 Winter
morning Messier objects. 16
Mar. 18th,
19th or 20 th - Observatory Session 4: Find Messier
objects in telescopes. 17
Record
sightings and details in log books. 17
Make sketches. 17
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Books/Videos at the library/Home/internet
Research and take notes
Document sources
Create word processor notes
Include hyperlinks to internet resources
Develop examples, print graphics, invent demonstrations and use experiment
ideas
Bring books and other resources to show what you used for research
Teams plan their presentations over telephone or at informal meetings
Teams assemble at town classes to coordinate resources, brainstorm a presentation
and rehearse
Limit: 2 minutes per team
Develop models to demonstrate or explain their topic to the rest of the
group
Print out Word processor notes and share with team for their astronomy
binder
Each session starts at the Peter White Public Library promptly at 1:00 PM. Arrivals are welcome after
12:30 PM. If you are late, we start without you.
Each session starts at the Rock promptly
at 7:30 PM. Arrivals are welcome after 6:30 PM. Allow 45 Minutes from the Dead
River Bridge to get to the Rock. If you are late, we start without you.
Team Presentations
They do presentations in teams
Use graphics, demonstrations, role plays
Verify information by observations whenever possible
Students
Binders for notes and resources
Computer
E-mail (parent addresses are OK)
Internet access
Word processor
Printer
Steve
Timeline Banner paper
Human timeline
1 mm (folded) = 1,000,000 years (unfolded)
Astronomy timeline
How long in meters?
Build Homeschool Astronomy Website
Course outline
Sky charts online (Print in Landscape Mode)
Team photos
Presentation e-notes
Non-fiction, living history and documentary
G – general audience
At the PWL
Great intro to astronomy
G – general audience
At the PWL
Living History
Most at the PWL, some at Blockbuster
G – general audience
Science videos by Carl Sagan. Lots of topics.
Awesome astronomy at high school and college level, mixing facts with
comedy. Fast paced.
Worthwhile fiction and historical fiction
Contact
(Fiction based on possible fact)
PG13 - mild bedroom scene
A fictional but mostly accurate movie about SETI (the federal Search Extra
Terrestrial Intelligence program) astronomy, religion.
The Dish (True story –
comedy)
PG13 - ?
At the PWL
Great movie about the landing on the moon
PG13 - ?
At the PWL
The true story about the hazards of space flight to the moon
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Explain how the program will work
What do they know about astronomy?
What would they like to know?
Mix team “stars” for best team performance
Describe the Zodiac Constellations
Why are the called the “Zodiacal constellations”?
How are they different from the non-zodiac constellations?
Math: Mile
How many feet in a mile
Name something 1, 5, 10 miles away
How many miles across the United States
The diameter of the earth
The circumference of the earth
Miles to the moon
Diameter of the moon
When were constellations named and by who?
How did stars get chosen for a constellation?
Show pictures of the constellation characters
Some interesting mythological stories
Northern vs. Southern Hemisphere constellation names. Why different?
Math: Astronomical Unit
What is an AU a measure of?
How many miles in an AU?
How many AUs from the Sun to Jupiter?
Provide visual example
100 years ago - describe
1,000 years ago - describe
1,000,000 years ago - describe
1,000,000,000 years ago - describe
How long is human history?
When were the dinosaurs alive
What is the oldest evidence of life?
How old is the earth?
How old is the solar system?
How old is the universe?
Winter evening constellations
Winter morning constellations
Circumpolar Constellations
The moon and the Zodiac, how are they related to each other?
Math: Light Year
How is it measured
How many miles
How many astrological units
How far away is the star nearest to the sun in light years?
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Evening
Morning
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Early Astronomers – What did they think and why?
Thales (624-547 B.C., Ionian)
Pythagoras (569-475 B.C., Ionian)
Aristotle (384-322 B.C., Greek)
Aristarchus (310-230 B.C., Greek)
Hipparchus
(190-120 B.C., Greek)
Ptolemy
(85-165 A.D., Greek)
What did they know/believe about astronomy in different parts of the world
Europe
Asia
Chinese
Middle East
Arabs
Native Americans
Middle and South America
Celestial Navigation
What is it?
How does it work?
What did he think
Astronomy vs. astrology
Circular orbits
What happened to his ideas
Inventor of Telescopes
What were early telescopes like?
Pictures?
What did he contribute to astronomy?
Tycho’s Star
What did he think?
What happened to his ideas
What did he contribute to astronomy?
Ellipitical orbits
Kepler’s Star
What did he contribute to astronomy?
Gravity
Planetary motion
Edwin Hubble (1889-1953, American)
What did he contribute to astronomy?
Examples from Hubble scope
Where is it?
How is astronomy practiced today
NASA
Radio telescopes
Wide array telescopes
Space flight
Mir SS and ISS
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What is “night vision”?
How long does it take to activate night vision?
What is “visual purple” and "visual orange”?
How many colors do you see during night vision?
Why do astronomers use red filters in their flashlights?
Focal length
Focal plane
How do you focus a telescope?
How do you change the power of a telescope?
What’s more important in a telescope, power or brightness?
Refractor
Reflector
Dobsonian
Schmidt/Cassegrain
Equatorial mount
Altitude/Azimuth mount
Why two sets of lenses? Why not monoculars?
How powerful are binoculars?
What is good and bad about powerful binoculars?
How bright are different binoculars?
What is “field of view”?
Which binoculars are good for astronomy?
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Binoculars
Telescopes
Basic scope principles
Using Equatorial Vs. Altitude/Azimuth mounts
Eyepieces
Power Vs. resolution
Mirror images
Image erectors
Filters
Moon
Sun
Viewing the moon
Viewing the sun
Circular measurements
Degrees
Minutes
Seconds
Telescope setting circles
Triangulation
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What is it?
Where is it?
How is it organized?
Where does it begin?
How do we use it?
Where in the sky is the celestial equator?
Why do we need to know about it?
What is it?
Where is it?
Where is it in the sky?
How is it different from the celestial equator?
Is it always in the exact same place in the sky?
Why do we need to know about it?
How is it different than celestial coordinates?
Define terms
Meridian
Zenith
Declination
Right Ascension
Altitude
Azimuth
How do you find them?
How and wow and Hhy are stars named with
Greek letters?
Do constellations move?
How? How fast?
Which way?
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Solar System
How big?
What is its shape?
When did we learn most about it?
Milky Way
How big?
What is its shape?
When did we learn most about it?
Universe
How big?
What is its shape?
When did we learn most about it?
Planets
Binary stars
Star clusters
Globular cluster
Nebulae
Emission
Planetary
Galaxy
Gravity
Where is it?
What does gravity do in space?
Ellipsis
What is it?
How are they shaped?
Where do they occur?
Why not circles?
Demonstrate an ellipsis
What are the possibilities?
What kinds of distances are involved?
What do people believe?
How do you separate fact from fiction?
Mar. 4 th, 5 th or 6 th - Observatory Session 3: Locating Things in the Sky
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What is “magnitude”
Absolute
Apparent
How are deep sky objects measured
Stars
Other objects
Who was Charles Messier (1730-1817, French)
Where and when did he live
What did he do? Why?
What kind of telescope did he have?
Why do we need to know about him and his work?
What can we see?
Where are they?
How far away are they?
What can we see?
Where are they?
How far away are they?
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