Constellations
We can see different constellations during different months of the year. What Earth patterns causes this?
Earth's orbit around the Sun
It is the closest star to our planet.
If your back is to the south with your shadow pointing directly north and is very short. Is the sun high or low in the sky?
High in the sky.
Earth's rotation on its axis.
True or False: Francis goes outside at 9 PM during December and sees the constellation Taurus. When Francis goes back outside at 9 PM in June, he sees Taurus in the same position in sky.
False.
Georgia looked through her telescope at night and found Vega. Vega is twice as wide as the Sun, but through her telescope Vega looks tiny. Why is this?
Since Vega is light years away from the Earth it appears smaller than the Sun even tho it is much larger than the Sun.
What causes shadows to follow the pattern that they do each day?
The Sun appearing to be in a different position in the sky because of the Earth's rotation.
How could you model the Earth's rotations with a globe and flashlight? (Globe as the Earth and flashlight as the Sun)
By rotating the flashlight around the globe.
By orbiting the globe around the flashlight while the flashlight is still.
By spinning the globe around its axis and keeping the flashlight in the same place.
By spinning the globe around its axis and keeping the flashlight in the same place.
Describe the locations of Earth, the Sun, and Orion in December when we can see Orion at nighttime.
The Earth will be in the middle between the Sun and Orion.
Are you looking at the light being produced by stars right at that moment when observing them at night?
No, light takes time to travel. Since these stars can be millions of light years away, it may take their light millions of years to reach us.
When arriving to school the Sun is slightly above the horizon in the east. Where would your shadow be pointing?
Towards the west.
Because of Gravity, what happens to a tennis ball when you let go of it?
Gravity pulls it towards the center of the Earth, so it will fall to the ground.
If the Sun is in the middle between the Earth and Sagittarius, will you be able to see Saggittarius during nighttime?
No, we will be facing Sagittarius during the daytime when the Sun blocks out light from other stars.
Will a star that is 16 light years away from Earth or a star 20 light years away be brighter in the sky? Why?
A star that is 16 light years away from Earth will appear brighter in the sky because it is closer to the Earth.
There is a stick stuck in the ground and the shadow is pointing towards the east with a long shadow. Describe where the Sun must be in the sky (which direction and if it's high or low in the sky)
The Sun will be in the west and will be low in the sky.
Tina goes outside at 8PM and sees the big dipper. How will the big dipper change when she goes back outside the same night at 10PM.
The stars will be the same distance from each over. They will be in a different position in the sky because of Earth's rotation.
True or False: There are months when we cannot see certain constellations at all during the night. Why or why not?
True, because of the Earth's orbit around the Sun the Earth will be in different positions in space over the year. This means during certain months we will be facing certain constellations and the Sun at the same time.
Why is the Sun the only star that we can see during the day time?
Since the Sun is the closest and brightest star to us, its intense light blocks the light from other stars.
What changes about Shadows each day that we use to tell time?
They point in different directions over time and will change their length.
Keep the flashlight in the same place while having the basketball orbiting around the light. The baseball will also be orbiting around the basketball.