Format
1.) Greetings and introduction to the night sky.
2.) We will learn skygazing guidelines (clear, dark skies; dark adaptation; light pollution) and begin facing north to identify patterns visible throughout the year;
3.) We will flow through the sky in various directions, depending on the season, to locate the rise and set of constellations.
4.) During the tour, we briefly explore some of the mythology behind the stars. We prominently use Greek stories because that is what the International Astronomical Union uses for consistency. However, some stories from other cultures are used to illustrate that no one interpretation of the sky is “correct”.
5.) Conclusion at sunrise, leaving time for questions and answers.
Objectives
Participants will:
1.) Get a basic introduction to the seasonal night sky.
2.) Become familiar with at least one or two constellations that they can find for themselves in the actual sky.
3.) Explore the connections between human civilization and constellations.
4.) Understand significance of viewing conditions (light pollution) to encourage participants to mitigate excessive lighting in their area.
5.) Be inspired to explore constellations and objects beyond what is included in the tour.
Standards Alignment
National Standards
ESS1A 3-5 -- The universe and its stars
ESS1A 6-8 -- The universe and its starsNGSS:
5-ESS1-1 Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from the Earth.
5-ESS1-2 Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
State Standards
Nebraska College and Career Ready Standards for Science:
SC.5.11.3.B Support an argument that differences in the apparent brightness of the sun compared to other stars is due to their relative distances from Earth.
SC.5.11.3.C Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in the length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.