Astro Lab 1 - get to work on this as soon as you can

Astro Lab 1

Observing I - The Winter Sky

1. Big Dipper orientation – Find these things:

a.     Big Dipper

b.     Polaris

c.     Little Dipper

d.     Cassiopeia

e.     Great square of Pegasus (might be a longshot)

f.      Leo

2. List all asterisms that you can find.  Draw them.

3. List constellations that you can find.

4. What planets, if any, are visible?

5. What are the brightest stars visible tonight?

6. What is the winter triangle?  What are the stars and in what constellations are they located?

7. Answer these questions based on Orion:

1. Draw it.
2. What type of object is located below the belt?  Can you see it?
3. What are the two brightest stars?  Give their names and colors.
4. Following the belt stars, find the 2 bright stars along the same line (in opposite directions).  What stars are these and in what constellations are these stars?
5. What are the names of the three belt stars?
6. Try to find the Pleiades.

8. What is the winter hexagon?  How many of the stars can your find?

9. What is directly overhead (at zenith)?

10. What is the current phase of the Moon?

11. What two stars are associated with the “Twins?’

12. When is the next full Moon?

13. List interesting events worth viewing this month.

14. Can you find the Andromeda galaxy?  What is its Messier number?

15. Comment on the general viewing conditions in your region.