STUDENT OBSERVATION PROJECTS: GENERAL GUIDELINES
by Zita, Miles, and DeDanaan, using April issues of Astronomy magazine, with reference to "Discovering the Universe" by Kaufmann and Comins, to the "Hands-On Universe" project by Lawrence Berkeley Labs and UC Berkeley, and to reesearch project tutorials written by Energies students in winter 1997-98 and Astronomy students in Spring 98.

Students should select one observational project such as the following to complete this quarter. You will also do serious library research on the project you choose. Exceptionally ambitious, mathematical, and careful projects may earn upper division science credit (to be determined based on your end-of-quarter presentations and reports).

Criteria for a good project:

Consider choosing a project which does not require a telescope. There are only three telescopes available for our use, so time at the eyepiece will be at a premium. In addition, there is no substitute for careful naked-eye and binocular observation to help you develop an intimate, first-hand understanding of sky phenomena. We will attempt to facilitate class observations on viewing nights (Tuesdays, or Thursdays as a backup), as weather permits.

Work in teams, to share telescope time, rides to dark spots, thermos drinks and blankets. Observing solo can be cold, lonely business. Bring a reclining chair, and a sleeping bag if it's cool out, especially for long sessions such as meteor showers.

Students are expected to do independent research.  Record your observations in an unlined, bound notebook, as described in class.  Record your field notes, sketches, diagrams and charts. Make sense of your observations with the help of appropriate library research. Synthesize your observations with your research, and turn in completed material at the end of the quarter. In addition to submitting a carefully polished written report (either a paper or a Web page), you will also make a short formal presentation to classmates.

Based on years of observing experience, Miles recommends the projects below as particularly feasible and potentially rewarding for beginners. Choose one of these projects, or consult with faculty this week to design a project of your own.

Cosmologies connections:

For some of the candidate project below, I've included notes about connections to early European and some Central and South American cultures, based on last year's work with the Stars, Sky, and Culture program.  You should do additional research on how another culture understood your research topic.  Start with "Stars of the First People" and branch out with library research.

Texts referenced include:
Dorcas Miller, "Stars of the First People"
Anthony Aveni, Stairways to the stars: Sky watching in three great ancient cultures
Michael J. Crowe,  "Theories of the world from antiquity to the Copernican revolution"
"Planet Vulcan"

CANDIDATE PROJECTS:

All projects should include complementary library research, using journals as your primary resources (not web pages).
Start by writing down all the questions you can think of about your topic.  Then see what you can find out about it, from reading and observing. HOU update 29.March.99: Any of these projects can be supplemented by observing over the Web, using Berkeley's Leuschner Observatory or other remote telescopes - see the "Hands-On Universe" tutorials by winter students. You submit an observation request to HOU, and they aim their 1-m telescope at it, then you can download the digitized images from their Web site, using Evergreen's HOU password. You should also do your own observations of your star, in any case. Hands-On Universe can also be used for other observing projects of your own design.
Andrea Nowicki, our Astronomy Teaching Assistant, will explain the process of getting remote observations from HOU telescopes.  Basically, you should NOT  rely on HOU for new images this quarter. You can still use HOU tutorials (with images on disk) to learn more about many topics, including image processing, techniques of supernova and asteroid searches, Jupiter's moons, and more.
ASTEROID SEARCH

You can search for known asteroids such as Vesta with your binoculars. (It starts 5 deg north of the Beehive in Cancer at 7.2, and fades to 7.6 by the end of April.)  Or you can search for new asteroids with the Hands-On Universe curriculum, analyzing digitized images that you acquire from Berkeley over the Web. (But see the HOU update above...) Asteroids are probably the easiest new things to discover, but it still takes luck and long patience. Your library research should include a careful discussion of the chances a big one will hit Earth anytime soon.
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SUPERNOVA SEARCH

You can search for new supernovae with the Hands-On Universe curriculum, analyzing digitized images that Berkeley sends to you over the Web. If you are lucky enough to find one, astrophysicists worldwide will be notified and will train their big scopes on your discovery, temporarily abandoning their scheduled investigations in the excitement. You and Evergreen would become famous (if not rich). That happened to Heather and Melody, high school students in Pennsylvania, a few years ago, but to be honest, the chances are very slim. (Also see the HOU update above...) Your library research should include a careful discussion of what's currently understood about different kinds of supernovae, and what questions are still open. For example, observations of very distant supenovae inform recent new theories about the rate of expansion of the universe.  (Note that supernovae is plural, pronounced super-novee.)
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PLOTTING THE COURSE OF PLANETS

You can track Venus, Saturn or Mars with naked eyes after sunset; unfortunately Jupiter is too near the sun. Mercury is at its greatest elongation on 16.April, but it is very difficult to see from Olympia because it is so far south (near the horizon).  Saturn sets early in the evening, and reaches conjunction on 27.April.  The more distant planets are harder to see: you need binoculars for Uranus (mag 5.8 in Capricorn) and Neptune (mag 7.9 in Capricorn), and an 8" telescope or better for Pluto (mag 13.7).

Students selecting a planet project will be expected to plot the position of their planet relative to the primary background stars based on (at least) weekly observations and proportional measurements. You should produce a chart showing the observed path as a continuous line against the background stars from your observations. Don't be surprised if your planet's path seems rather irregular the first few nights, as you sharpen your observing and recording skills. Don't throw any data/observations out, but do your best to explain any surprises.  Sometimes planets even reverse their path in the sky!

Proportional measurements can be made with a pocket ruler and/or dividers and plotted on graph paper. No optical instruments are required to track the positions of Venus, Saturn, or Mars.  You should look at your planet through a telescope at least a few times, though, to see if surface features change.  For example, Venus has phases like the moon (would you expect it to be brighter when it's a crescent or full?)  And Mars will be getting closer and larger until May.
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PLOTTING THE COURSE OF VENUS

Venus will be visible high in the west in the early evening, and easiest to see in early April. The planet's apparent path may be represented in an illustration showing the horizon as a base line in graph form. Keep track of Venus' position with respect to the stars and/or a horizon landmark (if you can always observe from the same place). Your observations can enable us to better understand the famous Mayan codices on Venus, which represented several key Mayan gods. Compare your observations with those reported in Anthony Aveni's books. After you have recorded your own observations of Venus' motion for a month, you could also use Starry Night planetarium software to see the several different patterns Venus draws in the sky over the years, which generations of patient and dedicated Mayan observers documented in detail.

You should make proportional measurements (for example, with a pocket ruler and/or dividers) and plot your results on graph paper. No optical instruments are required for this project.
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TELESCOPE or BINOCULAR OBSERVATIONS OF Venus

Observations made with a small telescope should reveal Venus' phases. If possible, you should make multiple observations over a period of time and produce a new drawing each time. Planetary details (if observed) should be included in the field notes and identified in a "formal" schematic drawing based on the observational sketches. Try the CLEA exercise which bounces radio waves off the planet, available in the CAL (ask Zita for a tutorial on using CLEA).

Compare your observations of Venus' phases with Galileo's observations - see Crowe p.168
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TELESCOPE or BINOCULAR OBSERVATIONS OF JUPITER AND THE GALILEAN SATELLITES

Jupiter was visible in the early morning hours last year, but it's too near the sun this year.  When the planet is visible,  a small telescope will show Jupiter as an oblate disk with atmospheric bands of grey and white. Jupiter's four large moons (the "Galilean satellites:" Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede) are readily visible and will change positions from night to night (even from hour to hour!) You should include notes and drawings showing the positions of the satellites, atmospheric details (if observed) and any noted changes from previous observations. The satellites should be identified in a final schematic drawing, by figuring out their periods from your observations and Kepler's law. CLEA software is available for tutorials on this topic, and we will probably do a workshop on the method as well, in class.

Compare your observations of Jupiter's moons with Galileo's observations - see Crowe p.165+
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TELESCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE SUN
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WARNING: DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN FOR ANY REASON! EYE DAMAGE FROM DIRECT VIEWING IS PAINLESS, CUMULATIVE AND PERMANENT!! TELESCOPES MUST HAVE THE SOLAR FILTERS IN PLACE AND CAN BE ALIGNED PERFECTLY BY USING THEIR OWN SHADOWS.

The sun is nearing a maximum in magnetic activity, which means there will be more sunspots, flares, and storms on the sun. Observe the sun, making notes and sketches of any observed solar phenomena. Make a schematic diagram of your observations. Solar activity is increasing: can you track any sunspots? Compare the speed of spots near the equator with spots at higher latitudes. Two of the college telescopes have solar filters. Get instruction in their safe use from faculty or experienced lab stores staff before you use them.  You can also build a simple sun observing device

Compare your observations with those of 17th century observers - see Crowe p.171 and Planet Vulcan.
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OBSERVING METEOR SHOWERS

Observing meteor showers is a good group project for two to six observers. This quarter we have two meteor showers: the Lyrids on April 20-22, which fall at an estimated rate of 8-15 per hour; and the Eta Aquarids on May 2-7, with an average fall rate of 10-30 per hour. The Lyrids may be difficult to spot (especially since the peak is at noon), but the Eta Aquarids fall twice as frequently. Students selecting this project should plan to observe both showers, and plan to spend about four hours each event night (from midnight on, for 3 then 6 nights).   Check the moon calendar  to see which nights have dark sky after midnight.  No optical instruments should be used for meteor watching. They limit your field of vision and meteors look no better through them.
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 Galaxies and other Messier Objects

Making systematic observations of Messier objects is a great binocular project and a great way to get to know the sky.  Messier recorded UFOs (unidentified fuzzy objects) as background work so he wouldn't confuse them with the comets he was really looking for.
There are some good online resources to guide your observations.  You should download a chart for recording the time and place of each observation you make, and make detailed sketches in your notebook of both the location of the object with respect to background stars, and of the details you can discern.  Do not expect to see the same patterns and colors that are in textbooks or online from large telescope images.  After you have found several Messier objects with your binoculars, check out a telescope and draw a more detailed observation.
    You may want to compare the different shapes of galaxies and study what is known about their formation and lives.   Or observe some of our nearest galactic neighbors, in the Virgo cluster.  There are also galaxy clusters in Leo and other constellations.  Or you may want to study different nebulae and learn about their ancient sources.
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Bright Stars

Pick a class of bright stars, such as A stars (white) or B stars (blue) or Red Giants.  Look in the sky to see which stars are candidates for your class.  Look in the star charts to find more of your class of stars.  Find as many of them in our sky as you can.  Why are they that particular color?  Why are they so bright?  How far away are they?  Which ones are biggest?  You will probably find a great range of distances - which are furthest away, and which are closest?  Does their color change when they are nearer the horizon and nearer the zenith?
    Since bright stars can be prominent even when the weather is not perfectly clear, this is a good project for Olympia.  It also means that these stars have gotten attention throughout history, and they are likely to have stories attributed to them.  You might want to compare stories across cultures.
VARIABLE STAR OBSERVATIONS

Observing variables directly takes some extra effort and skill. There are only three short period variables available for observation this quarter with small instruments. All three are visible only in the early morning hours (midnight to 5 am) and will require at least two observations per week for the entire quarter. The three candidates are Delta Cephei, Eta Aquilae and Beta Lyrae. If you are a real night owl, this could be a good project for you.

If you want to observe variables but can't get up that early that often, this would be another good project for observing over the Web, using Berkeley's Leuschner Observatory - see the "Hands-On Universe" tutorials by winter students. (But also see the HOU update above...) You should also do at least a few of your own observations of your star, too.

Variable stars are visually compared to nearby stars of known visual magnitude and multiple observations are needed to detect any measurable change. We have detailed observing guides from the Amateur Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) that make this project easier. Observations from amateurs is important and can be of very high reliability, especially since AAVSO compiles data from many observers. Amateur data submitted to AAVSO has been used, for example, to calibrate Hubble in situ.
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DOUBLE STAR OBSERVATIONS

Finding and observing double stars is uniquely reward. Doubles of differing size and/or color are quite beautiful when seen through a telescope, and many fine examples may be observed through binoculars or spotting scopes. See OP.20 on p.247 of Kaufmann.

This project should include research and observations of several examples. Illustrate the results of your observations in a report which also includes background information of the pairs observed. Are they true binaries or only apparently close? How can you tell?
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LUNAR OBSERVATIONS (PATH AND PHASE)

Observing the moon without instruments is a project anyone can do. This will require the same type of work as the planet course plotting project above. Note and illustrate the position of the moon and its estimated phase (percentage of full) against a full sky star field chart.

Use a star finder or the setting circles of a telescope, to include the nightly estimated right ascension and declination in your data. See Kaufmann's OP.48 on p.35. Compare your observations of the moon to Galileo's (Crowe p.163).
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TELESCOPIC LUNAR OBSERVATIONS

This project would include a series of detailed sketches of the lunar surface as observed through its various phases. The student may choose to observe and record the entire lunar disk with a low powered instrument (spotting scope or binoculars) or a specific area of topographical feature at higher magnification (through a small telescope). A progressive study of the changing shadows and visual forms of the lunar surface can be used to produce a fairly accurate illustrated model of the observed structures. HOU tutorials on moon measurements will also complement your observations. Compare your observations of the moon to Galileo's (Crowe p.163).
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OBSERVATIONS OF OPEN STAR CLUSTERS

This project is as intrinsically rewarding as the Double star observing project. Star clusters are beautiful when observed through any telescope, including binoculars or spotting scopes.

Observe and research multiple examples; then illustrate each, both in star fields and through eyepiece drawings. Don't be surprised if they look quite different from the textbook illustrations!

Library research should include a discussion of the age, evolution, and star types in each cluster.
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INVESTIGATING PECULIAR A-stars

You can help lay the groundwork for testing Zita's theory that dynamic magnetic fields cause sound waves in "rapidly oscillating peculiar A" (roAp) stars. These stars were discovered about 10 years ago by a South African astronomer. Their sound waves are a mystery and more Northern Hemisphere stars need to be studied.

Students selecting this project would use standard catalogs to find peculiar A stars in the N. hem. and summarize what's known about them. Indicate the ones you observe, on star charts. Using new data published from the Hipparcos sattelite, you can find out the distance to these stars. Combining distance with spectroscopic data lets you find their size.

If you'd like to continue work begun by students in winter quarter (described in the "Project TED" tutorial), you can also use an easy computer model to calculate quantities inside the stars. For example, how does the gas pressure increase toward the stellar core? That data, together with Zita's model, lets you predict the frequency of sound waves in the star.

This work could lead to a summer collaboration with astronomers at UW, CWU, and/or Pacific Northwest National Lab. We hope to use new equipment on the 1-m telescopes at Manastash Ridge (Ellensburg, WA) or Rattlesnake Mountain (Richland, WA) to observe behavior of the stars you study this spring. Observations could also be done over the Web, using Berkeley's Leuschner Observatory - see the "Hands-On Universe" tutorials by winter students. (But see the HOU update above...)

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Last modified: 3.April.98