Final Take Home Test (due Sunday, 10/21)

You must complete at least one question from each unit.   9/16 total questions must be answered, with most answers taking 1-2 paragraphs.  Each question is worth 15 points.

Submit to me as a shared Google Doc from a Google Drive folder.

UNIT 1

1.  Comment on the evolution of astrology to astronomy over the past 2000 years, using evidence from at least three astronomers.

2.  Explain the significance of the Zodiac, the 88 accepted constellations, and the polar stars to helping us in understanding of Earth's place in the universe.

UNIT 2

3. Why are the phases of the moon a type of time clock?  Give three examples of how this could benefit you in the wilderness if the moon wasn't new and wasn't full.

4. Why bother to study other planets in our solar system and beyond?

5. How does our Sun function and create energy for us to live?  What ramifications does that have for Earth?

UNIT 3

6.  Why is Galileo's telescope and discoveries using it (the moon, the sun, and the moons of Jupiter) such a turning point for science, and what did he find with each discovery?

7.  What have large space telescopes (Chandra, Spitzer, Hubble, SOHO, GOES) told us, and what should be done about such telescopes in the future?

8.  What is the role of ground-based telescopes like SDSS and VLAO in the study of space?

UNIT 4

9.  Tell me about galaxies and their significance in the universe.

10.  What is the role of mass in the life cycles of stars.  Contrast at least two stars in your answer as evidence.

11. When a HR diagram is created of a neighborhood cluster of stars, what is it telling me about that region of space?

UNIT 5

12. How does the concept of spectral lines and red-shifting affectour understanding of planets, galaxies, and the universe as a whole?  Edwin Hubble must be included in your answer.

13. What is the likelihood of discovering alien life, based on our research towards finding new planets, our understanding of the Drake equation, and the interstellar missions we have undertaken?

14. Think of the contributions of Einstein:  E=mc^2, general relativity, special relativity, and the photoelectric effect, and suggest ways each has affect the study of astronomy.

UNIT 6

15. Space is honking big. So is the ability of human beings to understand it.  What critical thinking skills have you gained in this class to help you move forward in your future studies?

16.  Throughout this class, we have experienced the concept of science as a human endeavor, where fallible people do their best to help advance the cause of science, often with surprising benefits.  Skeptics still remain, and a manufactured conflict between some factions in religion and science remains.  What can you do about that as you move into your life as a literate science citizen.

10/16 How do we find new planets?

Please read slides 33-end of PowerPoint five, located a couple posts below.

At the end of this, summarize how we can find other planets.  Also explain to me why planets are dark matter and what the Goldilocks zone is.

Planets are being found all the time:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/121011-diamond-planet-space-solar-system-astronomy-science/

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2120548,00.html

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2106061,00.html

are just a few of the planets found.  But we need to ask, what exactly does it mean?  Is their life out there?  Do we know, or care?

The NOVA Origins video, hour 4, explains many of these quandries.   You may either watch the video or read the following/watch the interactives:

1. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/drake-equation.html
2. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/alien-life.html
3. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/seti-search-et.html
4. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/liquid-of-life.html
5. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/ever-find-et.html

When you get done, I want a 1 1/2 to 2 page summary telling me your thoughts about distance planets, alien life, and the possibility of us encountering the aliens in our lifetime, based upon the Drake equation and the distance between planets.   

Origins of the Big Bang

Universe Begins

Drake Equation

How were these concepts explored in HOUR 1 of Nova ORIGINS

10/10 Special Relatiivty

FYI:   http://www.spaceweather.com

The background

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2

Tutorial 3

Tutorial 4

Tutorial 5

Tutorial 6

GO through each tutorial and then summarize in one or two paragraphs.

Each of these tutorials focuses on a specific concept.  When you get done, you should be able to explain
*the twin paradox
*simultaneity
*length dilation
*time dilation
*special relativity

Hand in the paragraphs and the definitions INDIVIDUALLY when you are finished.

http://what-if.xkcd.com/1/

10/9

Please read through this presentation.  As you do so, I want you to keep a list of questions you have.  Hand them in at the end of the hour.

Then, read this article on Einstein's theory of general relativity.   In it, you will find evidence of the first experiment, and where it took us from there.

Finally, watch this video on atomic clocks, which we depend on in our modern lives.

SDSS

Read the activity found here    (this should take 20 min)


Read the opening paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the Sloan Digital Survey.   (this should take 5 min)

Today, you will be doing a digital scavenger hunt with a partner.  The activity is found here. (this should take 50-60 min, so take your time with the reading)


Note:   the magnitudes are listed using 5 different filters-- u, g, r, i ,z    Each of the filters is tracking different wavelengths.  At this point, just write them down.

You will probably not get all 18 of the questions answered.   That's ok.   Do your best.

Galaxy Intro

How accurate is Eric Idle's song?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_Song


Seeing Galaxies takes some practice, so going to here will be a good start.   It should take about 20 minutes to read through and see the galaxy types.

Next, go to the SDSS database, which took pictures for the first web site.   You will be learning about galaxies, and going through the first 2 exercises and the first 4 questions.  Take the time to collect the data on paper, and hand in what you have completed at the end of the hour.

4 Questions to Answer

Black holes:
http://www.seasky.org/celestial-objects/black-holes.html
http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/understanding-black-holes-universe/6800




Please answer 4 of the following questions.  Each answer should be at least 1/2 page long.  Illustrations, as appropriate, may be included.  Consider this a take-home test.

1.  Will there ever reach a point in astronomy where we can stop spending money on telescopes and NASA?  Consider the issues of space travel, human civilization, and distance and  life cycles of stars.  Provide at least 5 pieces of evidence, not just opinion, for your point of view.

2.  Why is Annie Cannon a revolutionary person in the study of stellar spectra, and is luminosity more closely related to magnitude or absolute magnitude?  What does the catalogue tell us about stars and the universe?

3.  How is the HR diagram related to the formation and life cycle of stars?  What does a HR diagram of a stellar cluster tell us about that area of space?

4.  Compare three end points of a star  (supernova, black hole, white dwarf, or neutron star) and tell me
how to recognize them, and why their original mass doomed them to their fate.

5.  What role does the balance between gravity and pressure play in the formation and life cycles of stars, and how does this affect the formation of elements in the periodic table?

Stellar Life Cycle

Questions to Consider
*what is the life cycle of our star?
*what is the HR diagram?
*what are characteristics of each of the stellar stages?
*how do gravity and pressure affect one another through the life cycle of a star? How does the balance change through each stage?
* What is the main sequence?
* How does the brightness of our star change over its lifetime?
* How does the temperature of our star change over its lifetime?


How is the work of Annie Cannon connected to this system?

Stellar Evolution by mass

The pieces

Stellar Chemistry

10/1 Astro Unit 4

Go to Stellarium and locate 15 stars from the circumpolar constellations. Make a list of

Star name

Constellation

Magnitude

Absolute Magnitude

Distance

Spectral Classification

Data Upload Link

Pictures of CCD(interactive on buildiing a CCD)

CCD Lab

Using the CCD Lab, answer the following.

1.  You want to put together a space telescope.  To start with, you decide you need to check out the metal surface of your CCD.   What surface(s) could you use to detect the following  types of light at 100% intensity (make a table as shown below)?

Surface Metal      x-rays      purple        blue     green   yellow     orange      red
sodium
zinc
platinum
copper
calcium

2.  Now, decide which metal you will use for the primary CCD telescope.   Now, check the wavelength range at various intensities  (10%, 20%, 40%, 80%, 100%) using the table below?    How effective will this telescope be for bright objects?   Dim objects?

Intensity                     10%                20%                  40%                  80%                100%

Wavelength range


3.  Take a look at the values of current for a 75% intensity light on a platinum surfaceand write the current into the table below..

Wavelength vs. Current

100nm       200nm       300nm       400nm        500nm         600nm           700nm



What does the data in #3 tell you about the effectiveness of a CCD for ALL wavelengths of lights?   How would an alloy try to deal with this value?



4.  If you were to construct a space telescope, would you have more than one telescope available on a platform?   Explain your reasoning.


Turn in this sheet INDIVIDUALLY at the end of the hour.9

9/28 Should We?

This is due on 2/23/2012.   The paper (or digital artifact) must be shared individually.   Because of the number of people gone to, well....everything, I have made Friday a workday.


The James Webb Telescope is slated to be deployed in 2018, but......budget cuts may get in the way.

Your ASSESSMENT for this unit is to find out this telescope, compare it to one specific telescope located in space, a specific reflecting or refracting telescope and a specific radio telescope. Your goal is to decide if we need this telescope or not, based on what we already have.

This chart will be worth 20 points.

You will develop an opinion paper that is 5-7 paragraphs and supported with details, including whether or not the James Webb telescope should be built, how this will affect Sun research, how this affect our knowledge of neutrinos, and what we can potentially discover. This essay will be worth 20 points and will be graded as follows:

Thesis statement: 3 points
Supporting details: up to 10 points
Defined conclusion: 4 points
Grammar and Mechanics: 3 points

9/26Discussion of Telescopes

Read this article about the Hubble

Why is going back in distance really going back in time?

Shared space for discussion of telescopes.  Each telescope should include a

a) picture of the telescope
b) year deployed
c) description of wavelengths/spectra study
d) what we have discovered

9/24 Labs and Homework

Lab Assignment:  Complete 4 of the 6 labs on sun dynamics found here.  These are due on Friday.


TELESCOPES
In simplest terms, a telescope is a light bucket. That means it collects some sort of electromagnetic data to share. Today, we are going to look at some of the important telescopes that have been used in astronomy. In each, I would like you to describe the wave range of the telescope, where it is located, and famous people and discoveries spawned by the telescope. After you are done, try to rank the value from 1 (low) TO 12 (highest).

• Mount Wilson
• Very Large Array
• SOHO
• Hubble
• Spitzer
• Chandra   
• COBE
• Galileo's telescope
• Newton's telescope
• GOES-West
• Horn Antenna (Bell Labs)
• __________  your choice

======================
HELIOPHYSICS


SPITZER


HUBBLE


CHANDRA

9/18-19 Unit 3 and the Sun

Group Whiteboard questions:

1. Scan through the first 12 slides.   Then, discuss the statement  "Why is sunlight responsible for life on earth?"   List what evidence you have that supports the statement.
2. Focus on the radius and mass of the Sun and compare it to our Earth and Jupiter.   
3. Finally, look at the differences in temperature between the core and the convection zone, and try to explain it to me using a meaningful analogy.  (Example:  the difference between a tornado and a breeze is like a semi of rice grains compared to a dozen).

====
We watched excerpts from:

Citation (MLA)

  The Sun. National Geographic. 2004
  Learn360. 19 September 2012
  http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=128186

Citation (MLA)

  Secrets Of The Sun. A&E Television Networks. 2007
  Learn360. 19 September 2012
  http://www.learn360.com/ShowVideo.aspx?ID=227115


We took notes regarding:
The Sunspot Cycle
Maunder Diagram
Space Weather



Day 2
Go to the link below. Try looking at a spectra that is 350 degrees, 1000 degrees, and 6000 degrees. What amount of visible radiation is shown in each of those? Why do we have blackbody spectra for stars?

Link:   Black Body Radiation






Complete the sun lab using the sheets provided, and the link shown below

Link:  Sun Lab



Line Spectra Lab

Click to Run

 Investigate screen and experiment with the situations.  Predict what will happen under the following situations:

What will happen when the voltage is increased?
 With the voltage at a given amount, what will happen when the heater percentage is reduced?
If conditions are set so that light is being produced in multiple molecule mode, what will happen in single atom mode? Check your predictions.

 Questions: 1. What condition(s) must be met in order for light to be produced by a discharge lamp?

 2. What event(s) occurs to actually produce the light we see?

 3. Does the spectrophotometer indicate unique spectrums for each gas?

 4. What types of electromagnetic radiation are produced?

 5. How could this phenomenon be used by astronomers?

9/14 Take Home test

1.  Create an artifact that uses a Web 2.0 structure to contrast the following:

• a rocky planet
• a gas planet
• a moon
• an asteroid, Oort cloud object (comet), or Kuiper belt object (plutoid)

Include a table that lists at least 10 variables and any new resources you have found.

2.  Imagine that you are traveling to an uninhabitable part of the solar system.   Describe the protective structures necessary to:

• travel there safely (you can invent up to five things that do not currently exist)
• participate in some form of extreme sport while you are there
• communicate with the Earth (for this, tell me the time lag that would exist)

3.  Use the orrery Solar Space Scope and draw a scaled drawing from the sun for the 8 planets.    To do this, consider 1 AU to be 3 centimeters.

Now, discuss how this would affect the SIZE of the planets, which are not to scale.   If you wish, you can check out 'Scaling the Solar System'  or Exploratorium

4.   Check out the discussion about Pluto as a planet in your notes.

Link 1 (great video, but just reading the transcript will tell you most of this)

New Horizons mission

Pluto is a planet
Pluto is not 

Based on these resources, describe what New Horizons will tell us, whether you think Pluto should or should not be a planet, and 4 arguments to support your view.

9/12-9/13 Jovian moons

Read pp. 162-162, 167-168, 185-186, p. 206, 210-12, 230


Galileo became a heliocentrist largely due to his observations about Jupiter's 4 biggest moons:  Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.  Using his telescope, he observed these moons and their patterns around the planet.  He marked the motion of the moons in terms of Jupiter Diameters as viewed through his telescope.

Set up a Open Office Calc table with the names of the 4 moons at the top and the dates on the left side.

Gather data for at least 30 days using the Jupiter moon position applet a

Create a x-y scatter graph for each moon.

Hand in with you and your partners' names by the end of the period


http://www.teachersdomain.org/asset/ess05_vid_galileomoon/

==========

Diameter of the Moon

9/11 Bits and Pieces

TUNGUSKA


Asteroids:  http://www.pibburns.com/catastro/asteroid.htm 

The Oort Cloud:  http://www.solarviews.com/eng/oort.htm  and structure

Obnoxious Rhett/Link Space Junk video:   http://youtu.be/6Fy7psIuJjc

Space Debris, the NASA version: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/

Orbital velocity is 2300 mph or greater.  What happens when a teeny particle slams into a vehicle at a speed of 2300 mph?


The problem with Pluto....scroll through this video and see what information you can get.

====================

Diameter of the Moon

You and your partner have a choice to make.   Should the first off-Earth settlement be built on the Moon or on Mars?  There are pros and cons to each.

To start, go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Mars
http://marshome.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_the_Moon
http://www.nss.org/settlement/


Now look at some of the missions:

http://planetary.org/explore/topics/the_moon/missions.html
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/programmissions/

Use your Unit 2 readings to help you see if there are:

a) plate tectonics
b) a magnetosphere
c) an atmosphere
d) water
e) gravitational forces
f) minerals
g) temperature extremes
h) group sheet

Sept 5: Retrograde Motion, Kepler's Laws

Complete page 3 of this activity.


Complete this retrograde motion activity

Kepler Law Activity  (what does this tell us?)

Kepler's Law Activity (picture below)

Shared Data

Astrolab

Aug 28

Celestial Coordinates Lab

photo credit: zoomion via photo pin cc






This is one of the labs you need to be able to do for the LAB portion of the class.

To do this lab, you will need to use a series of applets found at NAAP   You may play with them, or use them to answer the questions from the packet below.

You will be answering questions 1-10 from the work packet   If you struggle with something, that's ok, but you need to make sure that you try all ten questions.  This packet DOES not need to be handed in; however, a ONE to TWO page summary of what this is about should be emailed to me at marciaRpowellATgmailDOTcom by Tuesday, 9/4.

IF you get done, you may work on reviewing the constellations and other information that was detailed last Friday regarding the Unit 1 assessment.

Questions?  Text me.

Aug 27

I.  Using Stellarium
II.  Right Ascension/Declination Models and the movement of the Earth/Sun system
III. Magnitude
IV. Distance in Space
V.  Is there a Meaning to the Constellations?

Aug 24 Test Review

Next week, Wednesday, we will have an assessment for Unit 1. This unit has covered measurements of distances, famous astronomers, the 88 constellations, asterisms, etc.

 Here is a sample test from a previous year. The questions related to the Moon will be covered in the second unit. Your test will cover the following material:

 I. The seasons
II. The difference between faith and science
III. Pseudoscience issues, especially astrology vs. astronomy
IV. Right ascension/Declination
V. The Zodiac/Ecliptic
 VI. Famous astronomers
VII. The following constellations to identify by sight: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Casseiopeia, Perseus, Pegasus, Andromeda.
VIII. The following asterisms of Bootes (kite), the Big Dipper, the Northern Cross
IX. Connections between Copernicus and Galileo, Kepler and Brahe X. Newton's law of Universal Gravitation.

 Your task for today. Take the sample test, and see what my questions look like. Contribute 5 questions for the good of the group to a common review sheet found here My tests do not include open notes, so taking the time to process this information is crucial for you. You will have access to a 3 x 5 notecard of 'hints'. We will discuss that on Monday.

Day 4: Galileo and Me

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialogue_Concerning_the_Two_Chief_World_Systems

Video

********************

**************************

Day 3: The Stars and the Seasons

Complete the Reflection Form
Watch the video:


The Stars as Viewed from the International Space Station. from AJRCLIPS on Vimeo.

Can you find Orion or the big dipper or the North Star as the video plays? What else do you notice? What is the vernal equinox?

Day 2: The basics of Astronomy

Guided reading:



Please create a concept map or Linoit to organize your ideas.  Communicate with me digitally @ marciapowellATw-delaware.k12.ia.us

Welcome to Astronomy

Reading 1



Reading 2

Skymaps
GlobeatNIght.org

Final Assignment

Compare two ancient astronomy sites in terms of: *purpose *location *connections to daily living (farming, etc.) *connection to spiritual truth (religion, etc.) *possible construction methods

  Starting Resources
http://www.sir-ray.com/Ancient%20Astronomy.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080328104302.htm
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3003200#.T7aSTEVDySo http://www.catchpenny.org/howbuilt.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRRDzFROMx0 Pyramid

Day 38: The Big Bang and the Expansion

Evaluation
New Mayan Calendar Found...Goodbye Doomsday?
Universe Pictures
A Last Look at Hubble



Discuss Big Bang and Big Ideas

Day 37: Special Relativity

FYI:   http://www.spaceweather.com

The background

Tutorial 1

Tutorial 2

Tutorial 3

Tutorial 4

Tutorial 5

Tutorial 6

GO through each tutorial and then summarize in one or two paragraphs.

Each of these tutorials focuses on a specific concept.  When you get done, you should be able to explain
*the twin paradox
*simultaneity
*length dilation
*time dilation
*special relativity

Hand in the paragraphs and the definitions INDIVIDUALLY when you are finished.

Day 36: Pictures of the Big Bang

Universe Begins

Drake Equation

How were these concepts explored in HOUR 1 of Nova ORIGINS

Day 35: Understanding Galaxies

http://www.galaxyzoo.org/how_to_take_part

Local Group

Day 34: Understanding the Universe/SDSS project

Read the activity found here    (this should take 20 min)


Read the opening paragraph of the Wikipedia article on the Sloan Digital Survey.   (this should take 5 min)

Today, you will be doing a digital scavenger hunt with a partner.  The activity is found here. (this should take 50-60 min, so take your time with the reading)


Note:   the magnitudes are listed using 5 different filters-- u, g, r, i ,z    Each of the filters is tracking different wavelengths.  At this point, just write them down.

You will probably not get all 18 of the questions answered.   That's ok.   Do your best.

Last Week of Work

Today, you (individually) will make a poster that contrasts 2 religious beliefs and a science belief about the beginning of the world. As we have said all semester, science and religion mixing can make the questions we ask more and more unclear, and is done all the time in the media, even though the fundamental purpose of each discipline is different. I am not asking you to choose which is "right" and which is "wrong" here, I am simply asking you to contrast the ideas using two of the passages below. If you use the picture at the right, pay careful attention to the timeline.


Universe SCIENCE data:http://www.universeadventure.org
http://www.universetoday.com

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/univ-flash.html


Universe RELIGION data (if you don't like any of these, use your own research):
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSIndex.html

http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab83

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+2&version=NIV


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1&version=NIV




When you are done, on the back of the poster, please explain to me how well you believe the science and religion shown in these examples mesh, and how politics and societal views shape the arguments.Give three details to support your viewpoint.


Grading Rubric


Student includes at least 5 details about the Big Bang (1-5)
Student compares these details to a religious story (1-5)
Student compares these details to another religious story (1-5)
Student poster is effective, using an attractive visual layout (1-5)
Student paragraph of support is included, with three supporting pieces of evidence (1-9)

==========================

Go to the Hubble Galaxy Hunt activity. Take the time you need to explore, but when you are done, I need you to write a 3-4 paragraph reflection on your impressions, including data, statistics, and size factors.

==========================

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/ward.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/drake-equation.html

Arguments For/Against Aliens

The Golden Record

SETI

Lenticular Clouds

Foo Fighters

Your turn: Use the resources above to support your position on being PRO or AGAINST the possibility of alien life. You must include at least 5 pieces of evidence in your arguments.

Paragraphs 1-2: Your position, and your Evidence.

Paragraph 3-4: Implications for Human Beings

If you choose PRO on the possibility of alien life, you are telling me that you believe life exists outside of your own planet. Answer these questions, in paragraphs 3 and 4?

• Would the governments tell us if there were aliens? Why or why not? Is this a problem for science?
• Should we be sending out signals, like those of the Voyager, to advertise our existence?
• Given the constraints of the Drake equation, how likely is it we will here another civilization's signal?
• Since space is dangerous, how likely is it that aliens will be traveling long distances?
• How do you define 'life' or 'aliens'

If you choose CON on the possibility of alien life, you are telling me that you do not believe life exists outside of your own planet. Answer these questions, in paragraphs 3 and 4?

• Are there other benefits to SETI than finding aliens, or should the program be shut down?
• Why do so many people claim to have seen UFOs? Do you buy the lenticular cloud argument? What about the Foo Fighters?
• Since no other aliens have ever been announced, is the Drake equation even science? Or is it just opinion packaged as science?
• If there are no aliens, why is the universe so darn big??
• How do you define 'life' or 'aliens'?

==========================
Evaluation

Day 33: Starting Chapter 5 with a Black Hole

Black Holes

Black Holes and Relativity


Black Hole Quiz

Icarus and the Black Hole

Day 32: Unit 4 Assessment

Stellar Evolution

The PDF version

Chandrasekhar Limits

One last thought

There is a ton of information on the three sites above, and you will need to use it to show me your individual creativity.     For each option, you must include  a glossary of the following terms that are understandable to a 4th grader

• black hole
• pulsars
• neutron stars
• quasars
• supernova
• red giants
• blue giants
• main sequence
• temperature
• OBAFGKML
• HR-diagram
• Life cycles of stars
• proton-proton chain
• CNO cycle

Option 1:   Write two specific obituaries for a star the mass of the sun and a star of another mass.   Make the obituaries entertaining, but informative.  Connect the ideas of the life cycle to the HR diagram as appropriate.

Option 2:  Create a children's book that tells the life cycle of the Sun and the time involved, as well as sharing things that the sun WON'T become.   Use example photos from the photo gallery found at http://chandra.harvard.edu

Option 3:  Create a 1 minute digital video that explains to me your understanding of two different stellar life cycles.

Grading:

Content accuracy:  10 points
Creativity:  5 points

Day 31: Bringing together Unit 4

The big ideas in the chapter are

• stellar life cycles
• types of evolutionary pathways
• the HR diagram.

Today, we need to find out about 

black holes

supernovas
neutron stars

pulsars

quasars

Take the time to find out about each of the four pathways by using the resources on http://chandra.harvard.edu or Wikipedia.   I need a top ten facts list for the first three, and a decent list for the bottom two.  You will be using this all tomorrow.

Day 30: Patterns in the HR Diagram

Work through the sections on  the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram. Then complete the following questions related to the background
information.

Go To the following document.
Please complete Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11-13 on a sheet of paper and hand indivually.


Where are the nearest stars?

Day 29: Stellar Life cycle

Stellar Life Cycle

Questions to Consider
*what is the life cycle of our star?
*what is the HR diagram?
*what are characteristics of each of the stellar stages?
*how do gravity and pressure affect one another through the life cycle of a star? How does the balance change through each stage?
* What is the main sequence?
* How does the brightness of our star change over its lifetime?
* How does the temperature of our star change over its lifetime?


How is the work of Annie Cannon connected to this system?

Day 28: Unit 4, and the Nature of Star Life Cycles

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Day 23-25 Learning About Telescopes/Assessment

This is due on 5/1/2012.   The paper (or digital artifact) must be shared individually.   Because of the number of people gone to, well....everything, I have made today a workday.


The James Webb Telescope is slated to be deployed in 2018, but......budget cuts may get in the way.

Your ASSESSMENT for this unit is to find out this telescope, compare it to one specific telescope located in space, a specific reflecting or refracting telescope and a specific radio telescope. Your goal is to decide if we need this telescope or not, based on what we already have in the way of telescopes.

Job 1:  

1. Find 3 or 4 resources to learn about the James Webb telescope.  These must be included on the poster instead of a  Works Cited sheet.
2. Compare the projected use of the James Webb telescope to a specific space telescope that is already deployed.  Decide if the Webb telescope is looking for the same wavelengths or objects. What tools do the telescopes share?
3. Compare the projected use of the James Webb telescope to the Mount Wilson, or a backyard reflector/refractor.  Can a ground-based telescope get the same results?  What tools do the telescopes share?
4. Compare the projected use of the James Webb telescope to a radio or microwave telescope (COBE, Horn, VLA).  What are the similarities to the design or purpose of the data collected?  What tools do the telescopes share?
5. Compare the projected use of the James Webb telescope to COBE, or one of the neutrino labs on earth (Homestake, Super-K, Kamiokande).  What do we still need to know about neturinos?  What tools do the telescopes share?
6. Think about costs for all of these things, and the scientific and economic benefits or drawbacks they represent. 

Create a chart similar to this one, adding table columns as needed.  This may be a poster or a powerpoint slide.  The chart itself is worth 20 points.

Job 2:

Develop an opinion paper or powerpoint that is 5-10 slides or paragraphs and supported with details, including whether or not the James Webb telescope should be built, how this will affect Sun research, how this affect our knowledge of neutrinos, and what we can potentially discover. This essay will be worth 20 points

Things to be included on Job 2
Thesis/opinion statement: 3 points
Evidence supporting whether other telescopes can do this job: up to 6 points
Evidence on tools/comparison: 4 points
Evidence supporting your view of the economic and scientific pros/cons : 4 points
Grammar and mechanics:  3 points

Day 23: Photoelectric Effect

Understanding spherical aberration, chromic aberration, and why stars twinkle.

Click to Run

Stars have a stellar fingerprint that is composed of the elements which makei it up. Stars generally have a unique spectra that defines them into a family.   Changing these wavelengths into a digital fingerprint requires the use of the photoelectric effect.

Today we will look at a simulation to investigate what happens. You will need to print it off and hand it in for grading at the end of the period.

Our goal, by the end of the period, is to see how CCDs have replaced traditional photographic films.

Day 21-22: Types of Telescopes

In simplest terms, a telescope is a light bucket. That means it collects some sort of electromagnetic data to share. Today, we are going to look at some of the important telescopes that have been used in astronomy. In each, I would like you to describe the wave range of the telescope, where it is located, and famous people and discoveries spawned by the telescope. After you are done, try to rank the value from 1 (low) TO 12 (highest).

• Mount Wilson
• Very Large Array
• SOHO
• Hubble
• Spitzer
• Chandra   
• COBE
• Galileo's telescope
• Newton's telescope
• GOES-West
• Horn Antenna (Bell Labs)
• __________  your choice

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HELIOPHYSICS


SPITZER


HUBBLE


CHANDRA

Day 19-20: Spectrometry, Part 2

Reading 1
Stellar Spectra Lab 1
The VIREO LAB on Stellar Spectra


 When you get done with these, you will need to complete a one to two page summary (do not just answer the questions).  It may be handwritten.

Starlight
1. Contrast Emission and Absorption Spectra
2.  What element do all stars contain?
3.  Why do we talk about 'stellar fingerprints'?

Star Collection
1. What did you notice about using the telescope regarding speed, ability to slew, ability to get a signal-noise ratio that was 100 or more, and the fine vs. gross adjustments?
2.  Why is RA/DEC important, and what is UTC?
3.  How is technology helpful and difficult as we look at the world of starlight?


Star Analysis
1.  The stellar classification system we use today was developed by Annie Cannon was actually based on her work sorting thousands and thousands of spectra into categories, which then became the stellar atlas.  What do the classification OBAFGKML letters tell us about temperature or brightness of a star?

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Part 2:  Neutrino Reading

Read pp 3, Desperate Remedies 6, 7, Skim 16-22, 27-29

Be ready to discuss neutrinos on Friday, based upon your notes from this reading.


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Part 3 These are your materials for study for the first 45 minutes. Take notes as you proceed, using an outline, mind map, or poster/whiteboard. You will hand these in.





What's a Neutrino?
Neutrino detectors
How Long Would We Have if the sun went out?

Day 17-18: Understanding Types of Spectra/Our Sun

Savage Sun--Day 1
We watched Savage Sun movie exerpts
We took notes regarding:
The Sunspot Cycle
Maunder Diagram
Space Weather




Day 2
Go to the link below. Try looking at a spectra that is 350 degrees, 1000 degrees, and 6000 degrees. What amount of visible radiation is shown in each of those? Why do we have blackbody spectra for stars?

Link:   Black Body Radiation






Complete the sun lab using the sheets provided, and the link shown below

Link:  Sun Lab



Line Spectra Lab

Click to Run

 Investigate screen and experiment with the situations.  Predict what will happen under the following situations:

What will happen when the voltage is increased?
 With the voltage at a given amount, what will happen when the heater percentage is reduced?
If conditions are set so that light is being produced in multiple molecule mode, what will happen in single atom mode? Check your predictions.

 Questions: 1. What condition(s) must be met in order for light to be produced by a discharge lamp?

 2. What event(s) occurs to actually produce the light we see?

 3. Does the spectrophotometer indicate unique spectrums for each gas?

 4. What types of electromagnetic radiation are produced?

 5. How could this phenomenon be used by astronomers?

Day 16: Unit 3

Group Whiteboard questions:

1. Scan through the first 12 slides.   Then, discuss the statement  "Why is sunlight responsible for life on earth?"   List what evidence you have that supports the statement.
2. Focus on the radius and mass of the Sun and compare it to our Earth and Jupiter.   
3. Finally, look at the differences in temperature between the core and the convection zone, and try to explain it to me using a meaningful analogy.  (Example:  the difference between a tornado and a breeze is like a semi of rice grains compared to a dozen).

Day 15: Take Home test

Take Home Test
Make comic strips that comment on 3 of the following.  Rage comics or stick people are just fine. You may use an online comic generator, or draw your own
http://ragemaker.net/index35.php
http://www.chogger.com
http://www.toondoo.com
http://www.pixton.com or others


1.  Why is it so hard to get in or out of the solar system enroute to a ‘new Earth?’
2.  Why don’t we use the phases of the Moon as our planetary clock any longer?  Pick a specific phase of the moon and its location (East, West, or Zenith) to make your point.
3.  Why do we spend money to look at features of other planets besides our own?
4.  What special features do rocky planets have to protect life?
5.  Why is our moon special?
6.  Should we travel in space?
7.  Why is there an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter?
8.  Why do we worry about meteorites and asteroids?
9.  Why do we care about our solar system?
10. How do comets differ from other planetary bodies?

Day 14: Asteroids and Moons

Watch out for asteroids


Take a look at the reading behind Sagan's Tunguska video


Death By Giant Meteor?

Apophis reality

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Galileo became a heliocentrist largely due to his observations about Jupiter's 4 biggest moons:  Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.  Using his telescope, he observed these moons and their patterns around the planet.  He marked the motion of the moons in terms of Jupiter Diameters as viewed through his telescope.

Set up a Open Office Calc table with the names of the 4 moons at the top and the dates on the left side.

Gather data for at least 30 days using the Jupiter moon position applet a

Create a x-y scatter graph for each moon.

Hand in with you and your partners' names by the end of the period

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Diameter of the Moon

Day 13: Oort Cloud, Asteroids, and Renegades

Asteroids:  http://www.pibburns.com/catastro/asteroid.htm 

The Oort Cloud:  http://www.solarviews.com/eng/oort.htm  and structure

Obnoxious Rhett/Link Space Junk video:   http://youtu.be/6Fy7psIuJjc

Space Debris, the NASA version: http://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/

Orbital velocity is 2300 mph or greater.  What happens when a teeny particle slams into a vehicle at a speed of 2300 mph?


The problem with Pluto....scroll through this video and see what information you can get.

Day 13: What is special about the Gas Giants

You have 45 minutes.   Tell me how the gas giants and comets differ from the rocky planets in terms of

• winds
• atmosphere composition
• rings vs. magnetosphere
• distance from the earth
• density
• number of moons
• orbital path.

Then, explain WHY you think these conditions happened, based on the fact that the solar system all formed at the same time.

Links of Note:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_giant

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys301/lectures/gas_planets/gas_planets.html

http://www.universetoday.com/33506/gas-giants/

Day 12: Mars/Moon or Bust

You and your partner have a choice to make.   Should the first off-Earth settlement be built on the Moon or on Mars?  There are pros and cons to each.

To start, go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_Mars
http://marshome.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization_of_the_Moon
http://www.nss.org/settlement/


Now look at some of the missions:

http://planetary.org/explore/topics/the_moon/missions.html
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/programmissions/

Use your Unit 2 readings to help you see if there are:

a) plate tectonics
b) a magnetosphere
c) an atmosphere
d) water
e) gravitational forces
f) minerals
g) temperature extremes

Use the solar system orrery to determine the distance between the Earth and the Moon and the Earth and Mars.

Finally, take a look at the life and health risks involved in being an astronaut

http://sciencenetlinks.com/science-news/science-updates/astronaut-health-risks/
http://science.howstuffworks.com/bathroom-in-space.htm
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/23/147294191/why-astronauts-crave-tabasco-sauce
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2011/09/astronaut-issues-point-to-problems-for-future-space-exploration/

Make your decision, and be prepared to support it with at least 5 reasonable arguments/evidence.  Create a powerpoint and upload to Google Docs (share it with me) or email it to me.