Cuesta College :: Astronomy 10 Lab :: Spring 2008
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Astronomy 10L Projects (*.html, version 080118)

Observing Skills [20.0 points maximum/semester]
  1. Celestial Safari [5.0 points/semester]
    Be able to point out and identify planets, stars, constellations and asterisms in the night sky.   Practice using the worksheets below before being tested on your night sky skills.   0.5 points credit awarded for each successful identification, up to a maximum total of 5.0 points.   (Similar identification tasks may periodically appear on weekly current events quizzes.)

  2. Telescope Profiling [5.0 points/semester]
    Measure and record the dimensions of a Central Coast Astronomical Society telescope, and profile interesting anecdotes about the telescope and CCAS member.   Calculate the light-gathering, angular resolution, and magnification powers of the CCAS telescope, and compare it to the Bowen Observatory 14" Meade reflector.

  3. Visual Sketches [10.0 points/semester]
    Practice your powers of observation, and interpretive artistic skills making astronomical sketches of dedicated views through a telescope.   Sketches should be publication-quality, and captioned appropriately, with a description, time/date, weather conditions, and telescope used (see worksheet for details).   A maximum value of 2.0 points of credit awarded for each publication-quality sketch that can be added to the Cuesta College Astronomy Flickr photo pool.   You cannot submit more than five sketches in your semester portfolio.   Sketches that show no/little serious effort or are otherwise unsuitable for publication are ineligible for credit.
    • Worksheet (*.pdf)
    • Location: at any CCAS star party, or scheduled NCC/Bowen Observatory night
    • Equipment: pencil, paper, red-tint flashlight


Projects [20.0 points maximum/semester (two projects)]
Note that for each project, credit is given separately for measuring/recording data, which can be done collaboratively; and for a laboratory write-up documenting your data/analysis, which must be done individually to be eligible for full credit.
  1. Light Pollution [10.0 points]
    Characterize the limiting magnitude of several key locations around either the main San Luis Obispo or North County campuses of Cuesta College, compared to the best rural location elsewhere in San Luis Obispo county.   Maximum of 5.0 points for data, and a maximum 5.0 points for discussion and write-up.
    • Worksheet (*.pdf)
    • Location: SLO or NCC campuses, separate rural dark sky location, clear dark moonless night
    • Equipment: starwheel, red-tint flashlight
    • Starry Night data files:
      • Spring semester: Orion's Torso (*.snf)
      • Fall semester: Summer Triangle (*.snf)
    • Websites:
      • Robogeo.com
      • Mapmuse.com
        (Zoom in to the "5 mi" or closer to your location to get an accurate latitude/longitude reading.)
    • Notes:

  2. Horizon Illusion [10.0 points]
    Qualitatively observe the angular size of a full Moon rising, and then later use a crossbow and/or pinhole projector to quantify its angular size as its altitude changes, in order to determine whether the horizon illusion is measurable or not.   Maximum of 5.0 points for data, and a maximum 5.0 points for discussion and write-up.

  3. Naked-Eye Resolution [10.0 points]
    Observe under dark-sky conditions the waxing or waning (but not completely full!) Moon with the naked eye, and sketch as much contrasting and fine detail as possible.   Later compare these features with a Moon map, and determine whether your eye is diffraction-limited.   Maximum of 5.0 points for data, and a maximum 5.0 points for discussion and write-up.

  4. Being Galileo [10.0 points]
    Using a Project STAR telescope, recreate Galileo's observations (lunar craters, phases of Venus, satellites of Jupiter), and rate their relative difficulty.   Also discuss the plausibility that these observations were not convincing to contemporary proponents of geocentrism.   Maximum of 5.0 points for data, and a maximum 5.0 points for discussion and write-up.