1Which hemisphere has no pole star?
South hemisphere- you can only see half the sky, the same exact stars every night
2Where is the best place to be an astronomer?
Equator- you can see the whole sky over the course of a year
3When does the sun come up in the northern hemisphere?
It comes up the 21 of March and sets the 21 of September
4Why does no one in our galaxy know we exist?
We can't send information fast enough
5How many constellations are there?
88
6Of the 88 constellations, how many are zodiacs?
13
7What makes a zodiac a zodiac?
They stand out because objects move through them
8What is the brightest star?
Sirius
9Asterism
a pattern of stars
10plants= what?
wandering stars
11Who defines constellations today?
IAU
12Orion the Hunter
Pursued the Pleiades (7 sisters), constantly pursuing them in the night sky. He was killed by a scorpion- when Orion sets, Scorpio rises.
13What is the line that goes through the 12 zodiacs?
Ecliptic
14What are the axis' called of a star map?
Right ascension (goes by hours, starting at 0h, 23h 22h all the way back to 0h) and declination (-30, -20, -10, 0, 10, 20, 30)
15How are stars classified?
By brightness and greek letters in a constellation
16Brightness is classified on a what scale? Invented by who? (not the modern version)
A magnitude scale, first invented by Greek astronomer Hipparchus. The brightest stars are the first magnitude
17What magnitude can the human eye see down to? What about telescope?
Human eye can see to the 6th magnitude, telescopes can see down to the 30th magnitude.
185 magnitudes= ?
100 times in brightness. The scale goes into the negative numbers, the sun is -26.7. The brightest star is Sirius at -1.45. The HIGHER the number, the fainter the star
19What is the best starting point to find your way in the northern hemisphere?
Pole star (Polaris)- it's the only star that does not change position in the sky.
20Where is the pole star located?
Halfway between plough (big dipper) and the constellation Cassiopeia. These never set and can be seen on any clear night. Merak and Dubhe in the little dipper also point beyond almost exactly to the Pole Star about four times the distance between them.
21What does ursa minor make?
A bear
22Zenith
Highest point in the sky, directly above you
23All stars appear to ______ around the pole star?
Rotate
24Any particular observer can see _____ the sky at any one time.
half
25Characteristics of the night sky at the north pole:
stars do not rise or set, they go around the horizon. The sun comes up and goes round the horizon for 6 months, then sets for another 6 months. Half the sky can NEVER be seen.
26Characteristics of the night sky at the equator:
The stars come straight up in the sky. The pole star is on the horizon. The only place on the earth where the whole sky is visible (through out a year)
27What are zenith and nadir?
Zenith is the highest point above you, the nadir is the opposite, its the lowest point.
28Characteristics of the night sky in the northern hemisphere:
The stars appear to rise in the east. They come up at an angle. Get to their highest point when they are due south- called culmination and it's best for observing. They set in the west. The sun appears higher in the sky in the summer and days are longer. The sun appears lower in the sky in the winter and the days are shorter.
29Which way do stars appear to move based on the cardinal direction you are looking?
North: the star appears to rotate around the pole
East: the stars appear to come up at an angle
South: the stars get to their highest point in the sky (observer meridian)
30Observer meridian
Best to observe stars when they've passed this line, it's said they culminate. It is the brightest it will be
31What are the three types of skies on the globe?
Circumsolar (top), seasonal sky (middle portion), invisible sky (bottom. you have to move to be able to see it)
32How do you determine the direction of north?
Locate the pole star, draw a line down to the horizon, and head that way
33What is the latitude?
Angle between the star and horizon