Homework 2. Due Friday February 13, 2004.

1. The first part of your home is to write a summary of the conclusions reached by your group during the MOG exercise. To access the descriptions from the explorers, telegraph engineers, bankers, smugglers, commercial scientists, and clock makers go to http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~pfrancis/astr1002/sky_roleplay.htm.

2. This homework exercise is designed to give you familiarity with the Starry Nights Software which comes with your textbook. If you own a computer, install the Starry Nights software on your machine. If you don’t own a computer, the software is installed on the machines in SC 113. The following instructions will be for a Mac. The software is very easy to use and should be transparent for the PC. So boot up Starry Nights and here we go.

  1. Under the Go menu select "Set Home Location". In the latitude box type 44029' and in the longitude box type 93001'. These are the latitude and longitude of Northfield. On the bar at the top set the time to 11:30 p.m. and set the date for February 10. Make sure that the year is 2004.
  2. Under the Constellations menu select "Astronomical" and "Labels". The outlines of constellations should appear along with the names. Use the arrow keys to navigate around the sky. Under the Guides menu select "Zenith/Nadir".

    3. a) Which constellations can you see to the North?

    Little Dipper (Ursa Minor), Draco, Cepheus, Casseopia, Big Dipper (Ursa Major)

    b) Which constellation(s) is (are) near the zenith?

    Lynx, Auriga, Gemini, Cancer
  3. Under the Sky menu select "Planets" and "Messier". Under the Labels menu select "Planets" and "Messier".

    4. a) Which of the naked eye planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) are above the horizon? In which constellations are these planets?

    Mars is between Aries and Pieces.
    Jupiter is in Leo.
    Saturn is in Gemini.

    b) Which constellation is the moon in?

    The moon has not yet risen but is between Virgo and Libra.

    c) Which Messier Object is in the constellation Cancer? Double click on this object and information about the object should appear. What kind of object is this Messier object? Which Messier Object is in the constellation Taurus?

    M44 The Beehive cluster is in Cancer--this is an open cluster.
    M45 The Pleiades is in Taurus--this is an open cluster

Note that these Messier objects are very good binocular objects. Many people think that you need a telescope for astronomy–I actually prefer binoculars, because of their wider field of view, for many objects. If you have a chance take a look at M45 (the Pleiades) through binoculars–it’s spectacular!