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Pasco County StarLab Training

Mark Butler

Environmental Education Resource Teacher

Curriculum & Instruction

Tonight's Agenda• Introduction• Instructional Ideas

– Constellations• Constellation Education• Star Finders/Dipper Finders• “Constellation Creation”• “The Changing Sky (Circumpolar Constellations)”

– Lunar Phases• Moon Matriculation• “How does the moon change phase?”

– Tides– StarLab Setup & Takedown

• Safety

– Operating Procedures• Common Misconceptions

ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER?

Activity

Please click on the “StarLab Pretest” and quietly answer as many questions as you can.

The ConnectionConstellation Education

What did the ancient people use stars (patterns

of stars) for?• Navigation – sailing, travel• Seasons – when to plant and

harvest• Preserve myths, traditions, etc• Group the brighter stars into

patterns, - constellations

Patterns of stars

http://www.astro.virginia.edu/class/oconnell/astr130/im/

Boundaries

Constellation

• One of the 88 named Regions of sky defined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU)

• Identified with the officially recognized Patterns of Stars that lie within the boundaries of the region

What are the 88 Constellations?o 14 men and women o 9 birds o 19 land animals o 2 insects o 10 water creatures o 2 centaurs o 1 head of hair o 1 serpent o 1 dragon o 1 flying horse o 1 river o 29 inanimate objects, include scientific instruments (Microscopium,

Telescopium)

CONSTELLATION CREATION

Activity

Please take out your Constellation Creation Activity

ORION

CANIS MAJOR

LEO MAJOR

TAURUS

CASSIOPEIA

04/19/23 17

Asterism

• A generally recognized smaller/cuter pattern of stars that is not one of the officially recognized constellations

• Whether or not a region of sky is named after it – yes: constellation; no: asterism

What are Circumpolar Constellations?

Circumpolar Constellations

• A Constellation that NEVER rises or sets as seen at a certain latitude

• Six circumpolar constellations seen in Pasco (28º N, 82º W)– Ursa Major – Larger Bear– Ursa Minor – Smaller bear– Cassiopeia – Queen– Cepheus – King– Draco – Dragon– Camelopardalis – The Giraffe

Circumpolar Constellations in Pasco

• www.acmecompany.com

Ursa Major Ursa Minor Cassiopeia

Cepheus Draco Camelopardalis

THE CHANGING SKY (CIRCUMPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS)

Please take out your sun and Cassiopeia drawing.

Follow Me!

ACTIVITY

Resources• Workshop CD• Pasco StarLab Moodle Site• Websites:

– http://eec.pasco.k12.fl.us/EECs/StarLab.html– http://earth.google.com./sky– http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation– http://amazing-space.stsci.edu

• Especially http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/tonights_sky/index.php

– http://www.synapticsystems.com/sky/learnsky.html

• Books– Constellations Dot-To-Dot– Astronomy & More (StarLab Manual)

Lunar Phases

NEW MOON

• 1ST PHASE– No light to illuminate moon (as long as it is

above or below the earth and sun) SUN

SUN

SUN

WAXING vs WANING

• When parts of the moon begin to be seen after a New Moon, the moon is said to be WAXING.

• When parts of the moon begin to disappear after a Full Moon, the moon is said to be WANING.

WAXING CRESCENT

• 2nd PHASE– Some light to illuminate a small portion of

the moon SUN

SUN

SUN

FIRST QUARTER • 3rd PHASE

– Enough light to illuminate half of the moon

SUN

SUN

SUN

WAXING GIBBOUS • 4th PHASE

– Enough light to illuminate most of the moon (a little is blocked by the Earth)

SUN

SUN

SUN

FULL MOON • 5th PHASE

– Enough light to illuminate ALL of the moon (as long as it is above or below the earth and sun)

SUN

SUN

SUN

LUNAR ECLIPSE • If the moon is in line with the earth and

sun then a LUNAR ECLIPSE occurs.– The Earth casts its shadow on the moon

SUN

SUN

SUN

WANING GIBBOUS • 6th PHASE

– Enough light to illuminate most of the moon (a little is blocked by the Earth)

SUN

SUN

SUN

THIRD QUARTER • 7th PHASE

– Enough light to illuminate half of the moon

SUN

SUN

SUN

WANING CRESCENT

• 8th PHASE– Some light to illuminate a small portion of

the moon SUN

SUN

SUN

NEW MOON –the lunar cycle is complete

• 1ST PHASE– No light to illuminate moon (as long as it is above

or below the earth and sun)

– If not then……

SUN

SUN

SUN

SOLAR ECLIPSE • If the moon is between the Earth and sun

and in line with both then a SOLAR ECLIPSE occurs.

• The moon casts its shadow on the earth

SUN

SUN

SUN

Teaching Tides

http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/labs/tides/menu_tide.swf

Overview• Components

• Setup and Takedown Procedures

• Entry & Exit Procedures

• Operational Procedures

• Safety

StarLab Components

1. Lamp2. Lamp Case3. Canister4. Duffle Bag5. Blower/Fan6. Canister Case7. Curriculum

Guide

11. Accessory Box

Constellation Canister

Greek Mythology Canister

Native American Mythology Canister

Plate Tectonics Canister

Celestial Coordinates Canister

• A full projection of 3000 stars are displayed here against a background of the celestial coordinates, the ecliptic and the galactic equator. Right ascension is marked in 1 hour intervals, declination at 10° intervals, with processional axis plus or minus 13,000 year increments. Extremely useful for angular measurement, location of faint celestial objects and spherical geometry.

• Applications: Physics, telescope use, positional astronomy, celestial navigation and precession at the junior high through college level.

StarLab Accommodations

• Standard Dome– 11ft Ceiling

• 10ft possible

– Area• 18’ x 21’

– Floor• Carpet

– Room• Noise

– Minimal

• Light– NA

• Temperature– Normal

– Electricity

Safety Procedures• No open flame or point heat source such as an incandescent light

bulb, radiant heater in or near the dome. • No smoking in or near the dome.• No food or drink inside the STARLAB.• Never leave projection cylinders lying loose on the floor. • Always set up the STARLAB indoors. • Instructor is first in and last out.• Always make sure that there is a clear path out of the STARLAB in the

event of an emergency.• Never set up the dome so that it is on the edge of a stage where

individuals might fall off.• Always show occupants how to quickly exit underneath the dome wall

in the event of an emergency. • Do not use the entrance tunnel to evacuate the dome in the event of

an emergency.

Emergency Procedures

• Have all visitors stand up and move toward the center of the dome.

• Grasp the edge of the dome fabric directly opposite the side of the STARLAB where the inflation and entrance tubes are located.

• Lift the fabric up and over the visitors so the dome flips over onto itself.

• Exit the collapsing dome.

StarLab Setup

• 10 to 30 minutes– if completely packed up

• Check for Squares!

Projector Setup

• Use Storage Box• Cover Cords• Be prepared

– Have all canisters ready

Tips to Entering & Exiting

• Stay Low and Go Slow

• Teacher is first in & last out– 2 Teachers is ideal

• Have a flashlight and use it

• 5 second rule

• Accessory lighting?

• Carpet Squares?

Tips For Inside the Dome

• Stay Put

• Dark Vision– Warn students before

switching canisters or turning on a light

• Don’t block fan input

Things to watch for

• Vertigo• Claustrophobia• Myctophobia/

Nyctophobia/Scotophobia

• Inappropriate Behavior/Clothing

• Sharp Objects