Science

Earth Sciences

3-5

Students will be able to create and learn about several constellations based on their appearances.

Make your own constellation viewers and learn to identify some constellations

This is a culminating activity after learning about telescopes and participating in the telescope WebQuest.

PERFORMING THE EXPERIMENT
1. Cut out one constellation pattern. (The constellations in the patterns are the reverse of the way they appear in the night sky but will appear correctly when observed through the viewer.)

2. Tape the constellation pattern to the outside bottom of a film canister.

3. Use a pushpin to poke a hole through the bottom of the film canister for each star in the constellation. Make larger holes for larger, brighter stars by wiggling the pushpin around a little.

4. Remove the constellation pattern from the film canister.

5. Remove the lid from the film canister, and use a marking pen to print the name of the constellation on the inside of the lid. You may take the canister home.



USING THE CONSTELLATION VIEWER
1. Remove the lid from the film canister without peeking at the name on the inside.

2. Look through the open end of the film canister toward a light source to see the constellation. (If the holes forming the constellation are quite large, you may see the constellation better by looking toward a piece of white paper with light shining on it.)

3. Try to identify the constellation, and replace the lid when you are finished.

4. Play a game to identify the constellations with your friends or your adult partner. Take turns picking out constellations for the other to view, and try to name them.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT
1. Which constellation has two pointer stars that point to the North Star? In which part of that constellation are the pointer stars? Of which constellation is the North Star a part? In which part of that constellation is the North Star? Why is the North Star so important in finding one's direction?
2. Can you identify the various constellations correctly? If you think that you recognize them very well, try searching for them with your adult partner outside in the night sky or on the Search for the Stars chart on pages 2 and 3 of the issue of WonderScience listed below. Directions on the sheet titled "Finding Constellations", may help.
3. Why is Cassiopeia easy to find in the night sky? How would you describe the position of Cassiopeia in reference to the Big Dipper and the North Star? Can you describe where some of the other constellations are in reference to the Big Dipper and the North Star? To answer these questions, you may want to study the sheet titled "Finding Constellations," the WonderScience issue listed below, or a book such as Donald H. Menzel and Jay M. Pasachoff, A Field Guide to Stars and Planets, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1990.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Black plastic 35-mm film canisters (camera and film developing stores will usually give them to you); pushpins; constellation patterns (the reverse of the way they appear in the sky); blunt-tip scissors; Scotch tape; and marking pens.