Project Goal: To observe circumpolar stars from different latitudes.
What You Need for This Project
To do this project you will have to be able to view the movie clip included with this project. All Macs come with a version of QuickTime and computers running Windows have a movie viewer called Media Player. The movie clip should play using either type of computer or player.
If your computer does not have QuickTime movie viewer installed you can download the Macintosh or Windows version from the internet by clicking on QuickTime. Also, an installable version of QuickTime is included on the StarryNight CD program disk.
Start the movie and watch as Sirius rises and sets. Drag the horizontal scroll box to the left to rewind to the first frame of the movie. Clicking once to the right of the scroll box will advance to the next time frame. Alternately, if you are using a QuickTime viewer, you can click the right arrow at the end of the scroll bar. Each click advances one time frame forward. The left arrow allows you to step backward in time.
What You Need to Know for This Project
In the upper left hand corner of the movie screen you will see the date (March 21, 2000) and time ,as well as the altitude, and azimuth of the star Polaris. The time increment between frames is 1 hour. Polaris is often known as the Pole Star because it is very close to the North Celestial Pole (NCP).
Circumpolar stars seem to move around the NCP once each day and are always above the horizon. That is, circumpolar stars never set.
The Altitude of the NCP = The Latitude of the Observer
For a discussion of relavent information see Voyage 2
To begin your observations click Circumpolar Stars Viewed From Detroit, MichiganThen Click Circumpolar Stars Viewed From London, England
Print or copy the Project Results Form on which to record you answers and hand it in to your instructor.
Results Form
Name____________________ Student Number__________ Class ______________
Date ____________________
Task 1: Observing the Polaris from Detroit, Michigan
Latitude_____________ Longitude________________
Time of Observation___________________
Date Altitude Azimuth Right Ascension Declination
March 21, 2000 _____________________________________________________________________________
Task 2: Observing the Polaris from London, England
Latitude_____________ Longitude________________
Time of Observation___________________
Date Altitude Azimuth Right Ascension Declination
March 21, 2000 _____________________________________________________________________________
Based on your observations:
1. At either of the above locations what star do the other stars seem to circle around?____________
2. Which constellations are circumpolar at Detroit?
3. Which constellations are circumpolar at London?
4. Are the same constellations circumpolar at both Detroit and London?______________
5. The Altitude of the NCP = The Latitude of the Observer. Based on this fact and your observations complete the following table,
Latitude Altitude of NCP Altitude of Polaris
Detroit _____________________________________________________
London _____________________________________________________
6. Is Polariis exactly at the north celestial pole?_________________