Mr.

Rutan

Astronomer: _____________________

Astronomy

Star Wheel Activity

Learning to Use the Star Wheel: Use your star wheel to help answer the questions.
The rotation of the Earth on its axis causes the stars to rise and set each evening. In addition, the orbit of the Earth around
the Sun places different regions of the sky in our nighttime view. A chart of the night sky will map the locations of the
stars; a star wheel will let us know which stars will be visible during any time of night for any time of year. Position the
star wheel so that the side with the title (not the instructions) is facing you. Notice on the star wheel that the names of the
CONSTELLATIONS are given in all CAPITAL LETTERS and that the names of the stars are given in smaller letters.
Directions and Questions
First, note the outside of the star wheel with the months and days indicated. Set the wheel to so that todays date is lined up at
9 PM Standard Time. The zenith is the point directly above your head, no matter where you are standing.

1. Use the star wheel to find the bright, named star that will be near the zenith tonight at 9PM. Be careful: the zenith
is the middle of the sky, which is the center of the oval, NOT the pivot point in the star wheel!
_____________________
The meridian is an imaginary line cutting the sky in half. It runs from due North at the horizon, passing through the zenith
overhead, and through due South at the horizon.

2. Name three stars or constellations that are on the meridian tonight at 9PM. _______________________________
3. Name a constellation that will be rising in the eastern sky tonight at 9 PM. _____________________________
4. Name a constellation that will be setting on or near the western horizon at 9 PM.___________________________
Now advance the star wheel through the time of one day. So in other words, move the dial so that todays date is at 10pm then
11pm and so on. You should complete a 360 degree rotation to represent the passing of 24 hours. Note the date passes through
all of the times on the star wheel.

5. If you were looking toward the NORTH at the sky all night long, how would the sky appear to move?
CW or CCW?
6. Find the pivot point on the star wheel as it rotates. Which star is located at that spot? _________________
7. Is this star part of an asterism or constellation? If so which? __________________________________
8. Where is this star located on the Celestial Sphere? _________________
9. If you were standing at the North Pole, where would you find this star?
________________________________
10. If you were at the equator, where would you find this star? __________________________________
11. Name three constellations that are always above the horizon (never rise or set) from the northern, mid-latitudes.
____________________________________________________________________
12. Where do these stars go during the day? If they never set, where are they at noon? _________________
____________________________________________________________________
13. Name two constellations that are visible at 10 pm tonight but not at 2 am tomorrow morning.
____________________________________________________________________
14. Describe where the Big Dipper will be at 9 pm on Feb 1? _______________________

15. Describe where the Big Dipper will be at 9pm on August 1? _________________
Find the line representing the ecliptic.
16. Name three constellations on the ecliptic. ________________________________________________
17. What does the ecliptic represent? ________________________________________________
18. For October the 10th at 6 pm on the Star Wheel, look at the stars which are visible in the horizon. For our midnorthern hemisphere observer, which bright star is almost overhead at the zenith? ________________
19. Suppose you set the Star Wheel for December 22 at midnight and look at the stars which are visible at the
horizon. For our mid-northern hemisphere observer, where is the constellation Sagittarius in the sky? Hint: the
Sun is in the same direction as Sagittarius on December 22.
a) Near the northern horizon
b) Near the southern horizon.
c) Near the eastern horizon.
d) Sagittarius is not in the sky!
20. With the Star Wheel put October the 10th at 6 pm on the rim. Start turning the wheel in its pocket so that October
the 10th is next at 8 pm, 10 pm, midnight, etc. Which answer below describes below how the stars of the Little and
Big Dippers move on the sky around the North Celestial Pole? Are the motions _________________?
1. clockwise
2. counter clockwise
3. straight lines
21. Again set your wheel for October the 10th at 6 pm. Start turning the wheel in its pocket so that October the 10th is
next at 8 pm, then 10 pm. 12 pm, 6 am ending with noon. You will notice that besides Little Dipper stars, other
stars are circumpolar (perpetually in the sky, even over a 24 hours period). Which one of the constellations below
besides Little Dipper contains stars that are circumpolar for our mid-northern hemisphere Star Wheel observer?
a) Betelgeuse
b) Sagittarius
c) Cepheus
d) Taurus
22. The daily motion of the circumpolar stars around the north celestial pole is due to ________________
a) actual motion of the stars through space.
b) the 365 day orbital motion of the Earth around the Sun.
c) the once/ 24 hour rotation of the Earth
23. In the view of an observer at Earths North Pole, at what angle would Polaris be above the horizon?
a) 90 degrees
b) 45 degrees
c) 0 degrees
d) Polaris would actually be 45 degrees below the northern horizon
24. In the view of an observer on the Earths equator, at what angle would Polaris be above the northern horizon?
a) 90 degrees
b) 45 degrees
c) 0 degrees
d) Wrong! Polaris would actually be 45 degrees below the northern horizon.