ASTRONOMY 105 Observational Astronomy Lab C Data Sheet 1 Name____________________________ Lab C: Star Charts Procedure 1 Questions: 1. Name of the Pole Star:____________ Declination:_______________ 2. What constellation is the pole star in? 3. Which constellations are circumpolar for a declination of +60 degrees 4. What constellation is near RA = 7.5 hours and 30 degrees declination? 5. The celestial equator will pass through the zenith at a latitude of: 6. The north celestial pole will be at the zenith if we stand at a latitude of: 7. The north celestial pole will be at the nadir if we stand at a latitude of: Procedure 2 Questions: 8. a. What’ s the name of the brightest star in the constellation Cepheus? b. What is its position in RA and Dec? 9. What are the names of the four brightest stars in the constellation Ursa Major? 10. a. What is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Auriga? b. What is its position in RA and Dec? c. What is the name of the second brightest star in Auriga? ASTRONOMY 105 Observational Astronomy Lab C Data Sheet 2 Procedure 3a Questions: 11a. On the day of the Vernal or Autumnal Equinox, there are how many hours of sunlight? 11b. and how many hours of night? For the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, Las Vegas experiences about 14 hours of daylight. How many hours of night do we have on that day? 13a. During the Winter solstice, how many hours of daylight do we have? 13b. During the Winter Solstice, how many hours of night do we have? Procedure 3b Questions: 14. a. What was the name of the pole star approximately 2500 BC? b. In what constellation was it in? 15) a. What is the name of the star that will be the pole star in about 12,000 years from now? b. In what constellation will it be in? 16) How long will it take for the current pole star to come back to its current position? 17) What causes the precession of the poles (changes which is the north star) Procedure 4 Questions: 18) For the stars you found in Procedure 2, what is the magnitude of those stars? a) Brightest star in Cepheus: b) Ursa Major #1: c) Ursa Major #2: d) Ursa Major #3: e) Ursa Major #4: ASTRONOMY 105 Observational Astronomy Lab C Data Sheet 3 f) Brightest star in Auriga: 19. In the constellation Ursa Major, there is a double star (one star plotted almost on top of the other). What are their names? Procedure 5 Questions: 20. a. What Messier object is located in the constellation Lyra? b. What type of object is it? 21) a. What constellation is the Messier object M13 located? b. What type of object is it? 22a.What type of object is the Messier object M31, located at RA = 0.7h Dec = 42? b. In what constellation is it in? c. What is its name? Procedure 6 Questions: 23) If you were to move your telescope from M57 in Lyra, to M51 in Canes Venatici, how much movement in RA and Dec would you see? 24) If you were to move your telescope from Vega in Lyra, by 1.5 hours westward, in what constellation would your telescope then be in?