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\begin{center}
{\bf \Huge Observing Projects}
\end{center}

During the semester you may be required to make observations from
your home while completing one or more of the projects described
below.  Your TA will tell you which ones (if any) you must complete. Note 
that not
all of the projects listed here can be completed during every semester
due to the changing positions of the planets. Everyone, however, will
have to complete the ``Observatory Notebook'' section which requires
you to attend two observing sessions conducted out at the campus
observatory.

The goal of this semester-long project is to get you outside observing 
the night sky. This includes tracking the phases of the Moon, 
identifying and observing the planets and tracking their motions, and 
finding constellations.  To perform 
this lab properly, you will have to record your work in an observing 
notebook, and learn how to use the star charts at the back of the lab 
manual. So, obtain a small spiral notebook, or some other set-up that
allows you to write down your observations and keep them organized 
(having a bound notebook is useful due to the windy conditions that 
frequently occur in Las Cruces). This project is worth two regular lab 
grades, and should be taken very seriously! Your TA will tell you
which exercises to do, and how many points each one is worth. Note 
that all of the 
observing projects must be started as soon as possible to insure that 
bad weather does not eliminate the possibility of making your 
observations. This is especially true of Exercise \#3, since you need to 
track a planet for the entire semester to insure you detect 
its motion.

{\bf Warning: Due to the fact that sky is constantly changing, and
astronomical events/objects can only be seen at certain times, it is 
impossible to
cheat on these observing projects! We will know whether you actually
observed what you said you observed. So, do not even think about 
risking the failure of this project (and possibly this course!) by 
faking your observations, or plagiarizing your friends or any other 
sources of information.}

\begin{center}
{\bf Setting Up Your ``Observatory"}
\end{center}
 To enable you to complete the assigned exercises in this lab, you must
find a site from which you can conduct your observations. This maybe
your backyard, near your dorm, or somewhere else of your choosing. The 
key requirements for a good observing site are clear views of the 
southern and western horizons (it would also be nice to have a clear 
view to the East, but it is not always possible to find such a perfect
location). You also must not have any bright lights at this site-no 
streetlights, etc. To conduct your observations it must be as dark as 
possible. One excellent location on campus to perform these observations 
is on the activity fields above the track, near the campus observatories.
Mark your chosen location (mentally or otherwise) so that you can return to the same spot each time you observe.

After choosing the site for your observatory, you must then find the 
directions of the cardinal points (North, South, East and West). To find
the direction of West is probably the easiest: simply note the point of 
sunset on one evening early in the semester. {\it This is West}. If you face 
due West, and stick out your left hand horizontally, it will be pointing
South. North is directly opposite South, and East is directly opposite 
West. Note these directions so that you can orient yourself each time 
you observe. You then need to have a watch, a flashlight, a pencil and 
your notebook for all of your observing projects.
\clearpage

\begin{center}
{\bf Observing Project \#1: The Ever-Changing Moon}
\end{center}

The goal of the first project is to get you familiar with the motion of 
the Moon, and the changing phases of the Moon. Using a calendar,
or asking your TA, find the dates of the next New
and Full moons. For this exercise, you will track the phases of the Moon 
as it progresses from New to Full. This exercise will require you to go 
outside on eight different nights over a two week period, one 
time during the semester--DO NOT LEAVE THIS PROJECT UNTIL THE LAST
MONTH OF THE SEMESTER!!! If so, you might not have good enough weather 
or time to allow you to complete this exercise. You need to conduct this 
project from your observatory site.

\begin{flushleft}
{\bf Step \#1:} Find the date of the next New Moon. As you have found out in 
your lecture class, during New Moon, the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are
all on a straight line. At the time of New Moon, the un-illuminated side
of the Moon is facing us, and the Moon is located close to the Sun in 
the sky. Thus we cannot see the Moon during its New phase (unless there 
is a solar eclipse!). It is  usually not possible to see the Moon until
two full days after New. Among amateur astronomers, there are contests 
on who can be the first to see the Moon after a New Moon. The record is 
12.1 hours after New Moon. For most people though, it is difficult to 
see the Moon much less than 24 hours after New Moon. For people in the
Northern Hemisphere, however, the days following the New Moons in 
February and March offer the best chances for seeing a ``young Moon" 
because the tilt of the Earth's axis with respect to its orbit places
the Moon vertically above the point of sunset during these months. Given 
a clear western horizon, and a pair of binoculars, you might be able to 
see a very young Moon yourself.\\
\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step \#2:} Beginning (one or) two days after the chosen New Moon, go out 
about 20 minutes after sunset and look for a very thin crescent Moon 
near the western horizon. Can you find the Moon? Either way, note the 
time of your observation in your logbook, and whether you were 
successful at seeing the Moon. If you saw the Moon, draw a sketch of 
its appearance. [For this sketch, it might be handy to find a can,
a bottle, or drinking glass that is about 2 to 4 inches in diameter 
and use this to make a perfect circle for the Moon, and then shade in 
the part you cannot see to render a drawing of the phase of the Moon. 
Use the same circle-maker for the entire exercise.] In your notebook 
note the time and date of this observation along with your drawing. 
Note whether there are any bright stars or planets near the Moon.\\
\vspace{0.2in}

{\bf Step \#3:} You must attempt to observe the Moon three days after the time
of New Moon. Make a drawing of the phase of the Moon and note the time 
and date. Observe the Moon about 30 minutes after sunset so that it is 
fairly dark (the time of sunset can be found in the newspaper or on
one of the evening weather forecasts). Besides the bright crescent, can 
you see the other parts of the Moon glowing faintly? Within a few days 
after New Moon, it is often quite easy to see the ``dark" portion of the 
Moon (the part not directly illuminated by the Sun). This phenomenon is 
called ``Earthshine", or ``the old Moon in the New Moon's arms". For step 
\#3, you need to research the nature of Earthshine. You can use the web 
(for example enter ``Moon and Earthshine" on Google or another search 
engine) or look in a book to find out the cause of Earthshine. Write-up 
a paragraph or two in your observatory logbook describing the phenomenon
of Earthshine, with a drawing/diagram showing how it arises. \\

\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step \#4:} Continue to observe the Moon every other day until the Full 
Phase, and make sure you observe on the night of the Full Moon! Note 
the time and dates of your observations, and make drawings of the 
appearance of the Moon. Note the locations of any nearby bright stars 
or planets. Use the online star charts at \verb= http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/skycharts.html= to see if 
you can identify which constellations the Moon happens to be passing 
through. Note that the star charts are different for each month, and 
that the positions of the constellations change throughout the night and month!  \\

\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step \#5:} Describe/summarize your observations of the Moon. When 
did the Moon reach a phase of ``First Quarter" (when was exactly one half
of the Moon illuminated)? Was it possible for you to tell on which 
date the Moon was perfectly Full, or did it look Full to you for several
days? Which direction did the Moon move over the course of this two 
week period? Did it come close to any planets? Any other interesting 
observations?
\clearpage
\end{flushleft}
Turn in your drawings and log book, including the write-ups to any of
the questions asked above.

\begin{center}
{\bf Observing Project \#2: Locating the Naked-Eye Planets}
\end{center} 

There are five naked eye planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and
Saturn. All five of these can be easily seen (even in bright city
lighting) if they are well placed in the nighttime sky. Your goal is to 
observe as many of them as possible. Due to the motions of the planets,
not all five planets can be seen at any one time. For example, the
planet could be located on the other side of the Sun from Earth, and
be invisible to us. Usually, however, one or more planets is visible
in the evening sky (if not, they are visible in the morning sky!).
Your TA will tell you which planets are visible this semester. 

Note 
that Mercury will just about always be the hardest of the planets to 
observe. It is only easily seen near the times of greatest elongation
(see the ``Orbit of Mercury" lab for further details).  Even then, you 
have to observe right before sunrise (greatest western elongations), or 
right after sunset (greatest eastern elongations). Mercury is fairly 
bright at these times, so it can be seen easily with the naked eye, but 
you must have a clear horizon to have any chance of seeing it. There are 
several methods to identifying the planets. Perhaps the easiest is to
have one of the TA's at the observatory session point them out to you.
But we would like you to be able to search for and find them on your 
own. One way is to use the sky charts at \verb= http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/skycharts.html= .
Read about how to use those charts, and then orient yourself by 
identifying some of the constellations in the nighttime sky using the 
sky charts. So, if you are told that ``Saturn is in Virgo", you can go
out, find Virgo, and see that there is a big, bright star there that is
not on the sky chart. 

But there are two other good sources: online, or 
in a magazine. ``Sky \& Telescope" and ``Astronomy" are magazines for the 
amateur astronomy community. Sky \& Telescope is a more advanced 
magazine than Astronomy. Both magazines can be found in our library, or 
at a book store (such as that in the mall). Inside these magazines are
monthly columns that talk about which planets are visible, and where 
they can be found (including sky charts). In addition, however, both 
magazines have websites (www.astronomy.com and www.skyandtelescope.com). Both 
websites have interactive sky charts that show where the planets are in
the sky. At the Sky \& Telescope website, hit the ``Interactive Sky 
Chart" link. At the Astronomy magazine website, after you register (its 
free), you can access the skychart by clicking on the link ``The 
Sky Online for Beginners" found on the lefthand side of the main 
webpage (note that it reads your zipcode to figure out your latitude 
to make a chart just for you!). The yellow line that runs across the
resulting skymap is the ``ecliptic" (the plane of the Earth's orbit), 
and all of the planets will be found close to this line. Note where 
these planets are with respect to the stars, and find the same
constellations on your skycharts and make a little note on the chart so 
that you can find the planet when you go observing.
\begin{flushleft}
{\bf Step \#1:} During the semester identify as many planets in the
night time sky as possible. Write down the details of the time and date 
of your observations, and constellation in which you found the planet. 
Mark the location of the planet on the appropriate sky chart (make sure
to turn-in this chart, or a photocopy/handmade version of this chart,
with the rest of your materials at the end of the semester). Note that 
the planets are just about always the brightest ``stars" in each
constellation, and thus are very hard to miss! You should conduct this 
exercise from your observing site (unless your western horizon is not 
good enough to allow you to see Mercury-if so, you can observe Mercury 
from the campus observatory, or some other site with a good western 
horizon).
\end{flushleft}
\clearpage

\begin{center}
{\bf Observing Project \#3: Tracking the Motion of a Planet Over the 
Semester}
\end{center}
For this exercise you will be plotting the position of either Venus, 
Mars, Jupiter or Saturn about once per week during the entire semester.
You 
need to make at least ten observations of the chosen planet spread out over the 
entire semester-you must start this by the second or third week of lab 
to insure that you have enough time and observations to complete this 
exercise.  Your TA will tell you which planet you are to observe, and
possibly hand out a worksheet on which to record your results (for
some planets, such as Mars, the skycharts at: \\
 \verb= http://astronomy.nmsu.edu/tharriso/skycharts.html =   \\
are sufficient 
for this project). This is the hardest of the observing exercises.
If you need some help, ask your TA, or one of the TAs at the 
observatory. You can conduct this exercise from any location that works 
best for you.

\begin{flushleft}
{\bf Step \#1:} Identify the constellation where your TA says the
planet is located. For all of the planets except Venus, go out after 
about 9 or 10 pm early in the semester (dress warmly!!). As the 
semester progresses your planet will rise earlier, and earlier, and
near the end of it semester will be visible right after sunset. If the
chosen planet is Venus, you will need to go out about 20 minutes
after sunset to find Venus. Venus is the brightest star-like object
in the entire sky (only the Sun and Moon are brighter). Note in your 
logbook the time and date when you finally identified the constellation 
containing your planet (it is quite possible that the planet will
actually move from one constellation to another during the semester).\\
\vspace{0.20in}
{\bf Step \#2:} Identify the chosen planet. This is easy-in fact, it 
might be easier for you to first find your planet AND then identify
the constellation it is in! Normally, the planet chosen for this
exercise will be the brightest object in the nighttime sky after the 
Moon. Sometimes, however, Mars and Saturn can be fainter than some
of the brightest nighttime stars. Note the time and date when you first 
found your planet. \\
\vspace{0.20in}

{\bf Step \#3:} Marking the position of your planet on the star chart.
This is the hardest part of the lab. It is likely that you will require
a better
star map than the online skycharts to properly keep
track of your planet. If so, your TA will give you a handout with a blown-up
version of the constellation/sky region containing your planet. Use
this star chart in concert with those online to identify 
the names/letters of the brightest stars closest to your planet. Note
that the brightest star in a constellation was usually given the 
designation $\alpha$ (= ``Alpha'')), the first letter in the Greek alphabet. 
This progresses all the way to the last Greek letter Omega ($\omega$)
[For more on the Greek letters, see the little table on cover page for the sky charts.]
After that, the fainter stars were given numbers. If you have too many 
bright lights near your observatory site, you might not be able to see
very many of the stars marked on the close-up chart, and might have to conduct 
this exercise at a location where the sky is a bit darker. If you are 
still having trouble seeing many stars, see if you can borrow a pair of 
binoculars to help you better identify the stars near your planet. \\
\vspace{0.20in}

{\bf Step \#4:} Tracking the motion of the planet by plotting it on
the chart/map designated by your TA. Usually the planet will spend the 
entire semester on this chart. For some fast moving planets (Mars and
Venus), you might need to use more than one chart. If you are
given a worksheet, it is likely that there is a dotted line that goes from one side of the
chart to the other: this line dilineates the ecliptic, the apparent path
of the Sun through the sky (the projection of the Earth's orbital plane).
Most planets are found close to the ecliptic. Use this worksheet
for plotting the position of the planet. 
Using the skychart from the back of the lab manual, and/or the worksheet,
locate the position of the planet in the sky. Mark its position on the 
star chart with the date of observation. Note in your logbook 
the time of this observation. Every week or ten days, go out and observe 
the planet, and plot its position on your worksheet. You should have 
ten observations spanning nearly the entire semester to complete this 
project.\\
\vspace{0.20in}

{\bf Step \#5:} Summarize the motion of your planet during the semester. 
How far did the planet move? To do this, note that the little squares 
formed by the grid lines in the close-up sky chart are exactly one 
degree on a side. How many degrees did your planet move? Given that
there are 360 degrees in a circle, how many months will it take your
planet to move completely around the sky? Which direction
did it move during the semester? Did it follow the ecliptic, or did it 
move north/south of the ecliptic? Why do you think it did this?\\
\end{flushleft}
Write up your results and turn them in with your other observing 
materials.
\clearpage
\begin{center}
{\bf Observing Project \#4: Discovering a Constellation and its 
Mythology, and Creating One of Your Own}
\end{center}
The goal of this project is very simple: use the online star charts
identify a constellation in the night sky.
You then have to research the origin of this constellation and its
mythology and write it up and turn it in. In addition, you are required
to go out and create your own constellation using the stars in this,
or in any other constellations. You then must create a mythology for
your new constellation and write it up and turn it in.

\begin{flushleft}
{\bf Step 1:} Look at the various star charts {\it for the different 
months that occur during this semester}. Find a constellation that 
intrigues you [unless your TA gives you permission to do so, please
do not choose any of the constellations ``highlighted'' in the
online sky charts!].
Remember, not every constellation found on those charts is going to
be visible to you. Sometimes a nearby building, tree, or mountain
may block your view of a particular constellation.  Note that
over the course of the semester some constellations will disappear
from view in the West, while others will appear in the East. This
ever-changing sky is due to the Earth's motion around the Sun. After
you have decided on a constellation, find out the best time to observe
it (note that if you stay up late, the constellations seen in the
later months of the semester can be seen near midnight at the beginning
of the semester). Go out and find your constellation! Write-up a
description of how you found it. What was the time and date that you
first found your constellation? Was it in the West, straight overhead
or in the Southeast, etc. ?\\

\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step 2:} Use the internet or a book from the library to research
the mythology of your chosen constellation. Note that some constellations
are modern creations, and do not have a mythology associated with them.
If you chose one of these less interesting star patterns, why not go
back and choose another (generally larger!) constellation. Most of
our constellation names and their mythologies come from the Greeks and Romans.
But just about all of the major cultures on our planet have created 
constellation mythologies. See if you can find one of these alternative
stories for the stars of your chosen constellation (one example
is the constellation Orion described in the constellation highlight 
for February).
Are there any interesting or famous objects located in your constellation
(star clusters, planets, galaxies)? Do any of the stars have interesting
or unusual names with their own stories? Your mythology write-up should
be one page singlespaced, two pages doublespaced. Please list the references/websites
 you used to learn the constellation's mythology.\\

\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step 3:} Creating your own constellation. Without using a
star map, just sit back/lay down one evening and stare at the stars.
Do you see any familiar patterns amongst the stars? As you have
probably noticed, many of the classical constellations do not resemble 
the objects they are suppose to represent. They were created to honor
an important character that occurred in one of that culture's
stories (and sometimes history). So, your constellation doesn't have
to be a perfect representation of the object it is suppose to
represent. \\

Now, use the appropriate star chart
and draw lines to connect the stars that make up your constellation. Turn this
chart in with the rest of your observing project materials.\\

\vspace{0.2in}
{\bf Step 4:} Creating and writing-up your constellation's mythology. 
The final step is to create a mythology to go with your new 
constellation. Name the brightest stars in your constellation (for
example, maybe your constellation represents the 2007 New England Patriots, and
its brightest star is Tom Brady). Your mythology write-up should be
at least a page long.
\end{flushleft}
Turn in all of the materials from these four steps.
\clearpage

\begin{center}
{\bf \Huge Observatory Notebook}\\
{\large (Check Lab Syllabus for Due Dates) }
\end{center}

\begin{center}
{\bf Introduction}
\end{center}

Observations are the fundamental tool of the astronomer.  Astronomers 
cannot go out and collect objects of study as a biologist, chemist, or
geologist might.  They must sit on Earth and study images or pictures of 
astronomical objects and learn what they can from these images. This
may seem like a difficult task, trying to learn from pictures, but 
light holds a vast amount of information.  By studying objects in the 
sky at different wavelengths, we may learn a great deal about what is 
happening at great distances.

Before the invention of photographic film, astronomers made images of 
the sky by sitting in front of a telescope and carefully drawing what 
they saw. Many fantastic discoveries were made this way. The discovery 
that the Horsehead Nebula changed shape over several years was made by 
comparing two accurate drawings made over a span of a few decades.  
Galileo observed the motions of Jupiter's moons which confirmed the 
Copernican model of the solar system.  Galileo also observed and drew 
sunspots proving that the Sun was not a pristine perfect object, but 
was in fact active and changing all of the time.

Your task over the course of the semester will be to keep an Observatory 
Notebook. In this notebook you will draw pictures and give descriptions 
of many different types of objects you will see in the sky with the 
help of the telescopes at the campus observatory.

\begin{center}
{\bf Instructions}
\end{center}

You are REQUIRED to go to the campus observatory twice during each semester.
At each visit you are required to see a specific number of objects. If
you are unable to complete the necessary number of objects in one visit,
make sure you return as many times as necessary to complete the required
number of objects. Your observations will be due at the halfway point of the
semester, and at the end of the semester (your TA will give you the
exact dates). Because the skies change over the course of the semester, 
objects which are visible one month may not be visible the next month.  For 
this reason you must complete all required observations within each (half
semester) observing window. If you observe less
than the required number of objects for the first half, you cannot make up 
the missed points during the second half. Please keep this in mind when you 
attend the observatory sessions. It is usually possible to obtain all of 
your observations in one night, especially if it is not too crowded, 
and the weather is clear. {\bf Hint: GO TO THE CAMPUS OBSERVATORY NEAR 
THE BEGINNING OF OBSERVING PERIOD TO AVOID THE LAST WEEK RUSH!!}
 Also remember 
that even if it is cloudy the entire last week of each observing period, you 
are still responsible for the required number of observations if the
weather has been clear enough earlier in each observing period!

The following sheets are the observation notebook worksheets; {\bf TAKE THESE
WITH YOU TO THE OBSERVATORY} and fill out one of these sheets for each object you 
observe. When 
you attend the observatory sessions, a TA will be present to assist you 
with the telescope and give you some important information about the 
objects you will be viewing.  After you look at the object through the 
telescope, take some time to draw a sketch of what you saw. In the
appropriate spaces, write down the date, time, description of the 
object, observing conditions, which of the telescopes was used, and 
any other details you think are important. Have the TA initial/stamp each
sheet as proof of your attendance to the observatory session that night.
Before turning in your notebook each month, you should also look up
some information about each of the objects and write
it down under the description section of the corresponding notebook page.
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