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Schedule - Block 1
Schedule - Block 2
Schedule - Block 3
Schedule - Block 4
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| The celestial sphere is a 2-dimensional representation of the night
sky. It is a conceptual means of understanding the motions of the
objects in the sky, and the diurnal (daily) and annual motion of the
earth as it is reflected in the motions of the celestial objects. A
basic understanding of these concepts is important for being able to
plan observing, understand the basics of observing, and especially for
the more advanced labs we are offering. While most people are not very
comfortable with the celestial sphere the first time they encounter it,
we have several hands on activities which are designed to gradually
build up a level of understanding. Familiarity with the celestial
sphere is also crucial to understanding the underlying principals of
archaeoastronomy and celestial navigation - i.e. the
astronomical heritage we have gained from past cultures. |
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| In this session, Karen Meech will begin with a
descriptive overview and introduction to the concepts of coordinate
systems seasons and time, and how this affects the view of the night
sky. Following this Tim Slater will lead the
teachers through a simple activity with a planisphere. Finally, we
will construct an astrolabe an
ancient device which was used as an astronomical calculator. Depending
on the time available in this session we may just focus on the
astrolabe construction, and then continue with hands-on exercises in Session xx. For the interested reader, all of
the instructions and templates needed for the astrolabe activity may be
found on our TOPS
Resources website. |
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Location - IFAA - IfA Auditorium
Participation Matrix
| Subject |
Astr |
Phys |
Math |
Chem |
Env |
Bio |
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| Level |
Novice |
Intermediate |
Advanced |
| X |
X |
X |
| Target Group |
Teachers |
Students |
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| X |
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| Prerequisites |
None |
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