PHYSICS 109: Astronomy

Activities
Throughout the course, you are required to participate in several activities outside classroom. Those with
() are mandatory. You need to pick one other activity from the list below. You can download an instruction
for each activity from Moodle. You may work with your classmates, however do not copy someone elses
work. If you have any questions about the instruction, ask your instructor.

Activities
Observing the Sun
view and take a photo of sunspots with a telescope and a sun filter
view and take a photo of chromosphere with a telescope and an H- filter

Observing lunar phases

take photos of the Moon in different phases, record date, time, and phase, and direction in the
sky
Evening observation

view and sketch or take photos of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects with a telescope in
the observatory
Measuring skyglow
check out a Sky Quality Meter or download Dark Sky Meter app for iPhone 4 (and up) and
measure light pollution at 10 PM every night
Building and using an astronomical telescope
build a refracting telescope with reading glass lenses
make terrestrial and astronomical observations
add an eyepiece to the telescope
calibrate the telescope
Making a spectroscope
build a spectroscope with a diffraction grating

The Moon illusion

compare sizes of the Moon near the horizon and near the zenith
Observing meteors

observe and count during a meteor shower

Observing aurora
Observing noctilucent clouds
Mapping constellations

1
 map constellations using an astrolabe

Planetarium report
attend a planetarium show at a local science center and write a report
Measuring twinkling
measure frequency of twinkling of stars
Does a planet twinkle?
Observing phase of Venus
take photos of Venus with a telescope
Keeping a journal of the Suns motion

record observations of sunset from the same location, once a week, for a period of several weeks
Keeping a journal of the Moons motion
record observations of the Moons appearance and location in the sky at the same time and from
the same location for a period of about two weeks

Plotting the daily motion of the Sun

plot and discuss the Suns apparent daily movement across the sky
Building and using a pinhole tube

build a pinhole tube and use it to make terrestrial and astronomical measurements
estimate the diameter of the Sun
Building a planetarium projector
Observing moons of Jupiter

measure positions of Galilean satellites over a few weeks

Photographing diurnal motion of stars

Deadline
All activities have to be completed and turned in by Friday, May 2.