Download changing constellations

TEACHER
RESOURCE
PLANETARIUM
STARDOME OBSERVATORY & TIES ON...
TIVI
FACTS, RESOURCES AND AC
CHANGINLGATIONS
CONSTEL
why we see
This resource is to explain
ing the year.
dur
s
different constellation
stars and
Finding and identifying
ht sky can be difficult
nig
the
in
s
ion
llat
ste
con
learn to recognise
ht
mig
and confusing. You
the upside down
and
s
ulu
Reg
the bright star
lion after sunset
constellation of Leo the
g for them the next
during Easter. But lookin
be fruitless, and
will
rise
morning before sun
ust.
Aug
in
all
at
ear
they won’t app
r sunset
afte
sky
Looking out at the night
rpius
Sco
of
ion
llat
in winter the conste
e months
thre
but
,
sky
tern
eas
dominates the
west.
the
s
toward
later it is high overhead
large
the
by
ed
inat
The sky in summer is dom
ich
wh
,
ast
the
nor
the
in
on
constellation of Ori
r.
late
s
three month
is found low in the west
set, the Southern
Looking south after sun
in the sky in
h
hig
ud,
Cross stands pro
near the horizon
n
dow
ide
ups
is
winter, but
during summer.
positions
So, what is going on? The
ause each day
bec
r
yea
the
ing
change dur
n 2.5 million
the Earth moves more tha
the Sun (or
und
aro
kilometres as it orbits
stars
The
it).
orb
full
a
about 1/365th of
dually
gra
ht
nig
mid
at
ds
hea
above our
g a full cycle in
change each night, makin
one year.
kes an extra
The Earth therefore ma
tion to the stars
rotation each year in rela
s is called
Thi
.
compared with the Sun
a sidereal day
ere
wh
e,
tim
sidereal (‘star’)
shorter than our
is just under 4 minutes
24-hour solar day.
llations activity
The Discovering Conste
of constellations
reveals the yearly cycle
seen at night.
SCIEN
CONTE CE
NT/
CURRIC
ULUM L
STARS,
INK
CO
AND TIM NSTELLATIO
NS
E. S
AND OB HARING IDEAS
SERVAT
IO
ABOUT
NS
TIME
THE STA AND
RS.
MIDNIGHT
M
ID
N
IG
HT
360°
360°
EARTH
O
RB
IT
NOON
N
O
O
N
SUN
A solar day (midnight to midnight) is about 4 minutes longer
than a sidereal (star) day (Earth turns 360° circle).
her resource...
Check out thishttot
p://stellarium.org/
Stellarium:
TS
N
I
O
P
N
O
I
S
S
U
C
DIS
e the
Do the planets meov
same way as th stars?
Do astronomers
use solar time or
sidereal time?
STARDOME.ORG.NZ
09 624 1246
ACTIVITY
PLANETARIUM
STARDOME OBSERVATORY &
G
N
I
R
E
V
O
C
S
DI
S
N
O
I
T
A
L
L
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CONST
of the
the yearly cycle
s to document
aim
ould
ity
sh
tiv
ns
ac
io
is
at
Th
e observ
ross the sky. Th
e,
tim
ch
ea
stars moving ac
n
rectio
g in the same di
be made lookin
.
st
or we
i.e. north, east
nset.
an hour after su
ght sky at least
ni
e.
se
n
ca
u
Observe the
yo
rns
of the star patte
a
or
r
pe
Draw a diagram
pa
h
ap
gr
it useful to use
You might find
.
ok
bo
maths exercise
y two weeks
a week or ever
ce
on
ity
tiv
ac
e
Repeat th
consistency try
of night. To keep
e
tim
tion,
e
m
sa
e
at th
m the same loca
observations fro
e
th
to
rm
nt
rfo
rta
pe
po
to
r, it is im
sential. Howeve
ght
but this isn’t es
same time of ni
e
th
at
n
io
ct
re
di
e
m
sa
face the
m.
for each diagra
st
llations from ea
ssion of conste
re
og
pr
l
e
m
ua
co
ad
be
gr
The
the year will
the sky during
uth
ss
ro
so
g
ac
in
st
ok
we
Lo
.
to
observations
e
siv
es
cc
su
l
tia
ith
apparent w
e south celes
circle around th
a
e
ak
m
ill
).
w
s
the star
Night” resource
inding North at
pole (see our “F
n find monthly
ar chart (you ca
st
e
lin
on
or
d
y/
Use a printe
rg.nz/astronom
tp://stardome.o
ght sky
ni
e
starcharts at ht
on
ph
t
ar
harts/) or a sm
s.
resources/star-c
in your diagram
e constellations
th
y
.
tiv
app to identif
ete this ac ity
ll year to compl
fu
a
e
ke
m
ta
sa
ill
e
w
th
,
it
Ideally,
second year
is activity for a
y
th
sk
ue
e
in
th
nt
in
co
es
u
If yo
same plac
ill appear in the
constellations w
.
es
progress
as the new year
H
T
N
O
M
H
C
A
E
R
FO
IONS
T
A
L
L
E
T
S
N
O
C
R
JO
A
THE M
email at
Have any questions? Dropme.usoran
g.nz
education@stardo
STARDOME.ORG.NZ
09 624 1246