ALCA Members PLC Domains Data Standards Map Plan Curriculum Assessment Strategies

Where in the Sky is that North Star? Copy

On an activity sheet, students will plot the locations of the North Star, the celestial equator (which is the same as the autumnal and vernal equinox), and the zenith of the Sun at summer and winter solstices. Then students will estimate the positions of these plots for different latitudes. Lastly, students will compare their plots with those from other locations.

Engaging Questions

  • Describe how the location of the North Star in the sky could be used to help you navigate?
  • What would be your latitude if the North Star was just on the Northern horizon?
  • You cannot see all the stars in the sky from your location. How many degrees below (south of) the celestial equator can you still see stars?
  • As you move northward, what happens to the altitude of the North Star? What happens as you move to the south?
  • What would be your latitude if the North Star was directly above your head (at the zenith)?
  • What is the relationship between the latitude of a location and the altitude of the North Star?
  • In your own words, based on what you did in the procedure, write definitions for the following terms:
    • north celestial pole
    • celestial equator
    • celestial sphere
    • autumnal equinox
    • vernal equinox
    • summer solstice
    • winter solstice
    • zenith

Teacher Goals

  • Students will define and use the following concepts:
    • North celestial pole
    • celestial sphere
    • celestial equator
    • zenith
    • solstice
    • equinox
  • Students will analyze data from other locations to determine how latitude affects the positions of the items listed above.

Required Resources

  • The latitude and longitude for your city can be obtained, free, at this site by the American Radio Relay League, Inc. Enter the names of your city and state in the search boxes on the left side of the page.
  • Use this site, from MyStarsLive.com, to generate a free, color star map for your area. At the site, select the country/state, city, time, and direction from the popup menus. The map is automatically generated. Click on the map to save it as a jpeg image, which can be printed.

Steps

  1. Find your latitude

    Find your latitude

    Obtain the latitude of your location.

  2. North Star (Polaris)

    North Star (Polaris)

    On the worksheet, plot the location of the North Star (north celestial pole). Hint: what is your latitude?

  3. Celestial Equator

    Celestial Equator

    Calculate and plot the location of the celestial equator. Hint: what angle does an imaginary line connecting the North Star to the Earth make with the equator?

  4. Label the angles

    Label the angles

    Measure and label the angle the North Star makes with the northern horizon, and the angle the celestial equator makes with the southern horizon.

  5. The summer and winter solstices

    The summer and winter solstices

    Calculate and plot the position of the sun at the summer and winter solstices. Hint: how far above or below the celestial equator does the Sun go?

  6. Other places

    Other places

    Use an "X" to plot the position of the North Star at a more northerly and a more southerly location. Please label the towns. You will have to find the latitudes of those locations.

  7. Engaging Questions

    Engaging Questions

    Answer the "Engaging Questions," found in the Teacher's section of this lesson, to further your understanding of the material covered in this lesson.

Teacher Notes

  • This activity is designed to familiarize students with some astronomical and common terms, as well as help them notice that what they see in the night sky changes as they change locations. Emphasize what is meant by summer solstice (sun is highest in the sky) and winter solstice (sun is lowest in the sky). Students should also realize that latitude is a measure of how far above or below the earth's equator something is.
  • Notes for doing the Plots: An imaginary line running from a plot of where the equator is makes a 90 degree angle with a line connecting the North Star to the Earth. The summer solstice is plotted at 23.5 degrees ABOVE where the equator plot is. The winter solstice is plotted at 23.5 degrees BELOW where the equator plot is.

  • Duration: One class period.

Learner Notes

  • You can determine the definitions of the terms in the Engaging Questions by doing the activity. It will help to view a globe in order to answer some of the questions.

Mentor Notes

  • Please encourage your son or daughter to notice the changes in the locations of stars in the night sky as one goes to different places and as the seasons change. As one travels northward, the North Star appears higher in the sky and lower as you go south. Thus, the stars appear in different places in the sky . Encourage her or him to learn what the first day of each season means as far as what is happening to the apparent location of the Sun in the sky. The Sun is highest in the sky in the summer and lowest in winter. The Sun is "on the equator" on the first day of fall and spring.

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