Communicate your understanding of the different types of celestial objects.
Select a constellation, catalogue its major features, and describe its notable members.
The sky is divided more or less arbitrarily into 88 zones called constellations. Each constellation appears from our perspective as an area on the surface of the celestial sphere. Actually, each is a three-dimensional wedge of the universe originating at the Earth and extending to the edge of the observable universe. Together, the 88 constellations encompass the entire universe. In this project, you will highlight some of the contents of one of those sections.
Report: Tells how to locate the constellation in the sky, catalogues its most prominent stars, and describes four notable objects in the constellation. It is submitted as an HTML file, to be posted to the class web site.
Feedback: Describe what you found in your group mates’ drafts and identify what you suggested to improve them.
3D model: A physical model of the spatial distribution of the prominent stars in your constellation.
Oral presentation: Describes your constellation to your classmates.
Select a constellation. Find its location and a catalogue of its most prominent stars. Make a three-dimensional scale model of the positions of the stars.
Select four notable features of the constellation and learn about them. What makes them noteworthy? How are they unique in the sky, or what is their significance to astronomy?
Submit the final report as an HTML file for posting on the class web site. Submission of the report denotes your permission for me to publish it on the web and to reproduce it on other media in accordance with a Creative Commons license of your choosing. (see creativecommons.org/about/licenses/.) You will be credited as the author and copyright holder on all copies.
Finally, briefly report on your constellation orally to the class.
| Nov 1 | Project introduced |
| Nov 10 | Constellations claimed |
| Nov 17 | Rough drafts due |
| Nov 22 | In-class feedback on rough drafts |
| Dec 1 | Models and HTML reports due |
| Dec 6 | Oral presentations (final exam) |
The model should show the positions of all prominent stars in the constellation. Construction of the model will be addressed in class.
| +4 | Displays constellation’s prominent stars. |
| +4 | Relative star positions are accurate. |
| +4 | Star distances are correct and consistent with scale. |
| +2 | Displays linear distance scale. |
| +1 | Stars are labeled with names. |
| +1 | Model is labeled with name of constellation. |
| +2 | Well-constructed and neat. |
| +2 | Exceptional finish, craftsmanship, or visual appeal. |
The report describes the constellation and its stars that determine its visual appearance. Four objects in the constellation are described in detail. The report concludes with an annotated bibliography.
Your description of the constellation should be engaging, accurate, and interesting. It should be written at a level suitable for a casual newspaper reader or Internet surfer. If you choose instead to write something geared toward an elementary school student, make sure that the astronomical content is still accurate and complete, not oversimplified or “dumbed down.”
Since the report will be posted on the class web site, it must be submitted as an HTML file. If your report contains graphics (as it should), submit them also as separate files. Display the graphics in your HTML file.
The report must meet the highest standards of Edited Standard Written English (ESWE). Consequently, the score for the written report is adjusted by its ESWE multiplier. See the separate document for description of the ESWE rules and the application of the ESWE modifier.
Begin the report with a brief description of the constellation: where it is in the sky, where and when on Earth it is visible, and its overall visual appearance. Also report how the constellation received its name, including who named it.
| +2 | Correctly describes constellation’s visual appearance. |
| +2 | Correctly reports when and where on earth the constellation is visible. |
| +3 | Correctly presents the meaning and story of the constellation’s name. |
| +1 | Correctly identifies who named the constellation. |
| +2 | Clear, organized and engaging. |
Following this general introduction, all stars prominent in the appearance of the constellation should be listed in a table. The table should report for each star:
| +2 | Correctly reports right ascension and declination. |
| +2 | Correctly reports apparent magnitude. |
| +2 | Correctly reports spectral class. |
| +2 | Correctly reports absolute magnitude. |
| +2 | Correctly reports distance from Earth. |
The overall score for the table is the average of the scores for the prominent stars. Prominent stars not reported receive a score of zero.
The bulk of the report consists of detailed descriptions of four members of the constellation. One of the members must be a star, one must be a galaxy, and the other two may be any other object of your choosing: stars, star clusters, nebulas, galaxies, galaxy clusters, X-ray sources, radio sources, voids, and so on.
The information you must report on a feature depends on what type of feature it is. Specific information is apportioned ten points, and presentation five points.
Star: Name (proper name, official designation, or both), celestial coordinates, distance from Earth, spectral class, apparent magnitude, absolute magnitude. Describe something interesting about the star. Include an H-R diagram (as a graphics file displayed in the HTML page) plotting the star’s temperature and absolute magnitude.
| +1 | Name or catalogue designation reported. |
| +1 | Right ascension and declination correctly reported. |
| +1 | Distance from Earth correctly reported. |
| +1 | Spectral class correctly reported. |
| +1 | Apparent magnitude correctly reported. |
| +1 | Absolute magnitude correctly reported. |
| +2 | Interesting fact about the star correctly reported. |
| +2 | Star is correctly plotted in the H-R diagram. |
Galaxy: Name (common name, official designation, or both), celestial coordinates, type, apparent magnitude, photograph (with attribution). Describe something interesting about the galaxy.
| +1 | Name or catalogue designation reported. |
| +1 | Right ascension and declination correctly reported. |
| +2 | Galaxy correctly classified. |
| +1 | Apparent magnitude correctly reported. |
| +1 | Photograph of galaxy included. |
| +2 | Photograph is properly attributed. |
| +2 | Interesting fact about the galaxy correctly reported. |
Star cluster: Name (common name, official designation, or both), type (open or globular), celestial coordinates, angular diameter, number of stars, apparent magnitude, distance from Earth, age, photograph (with attribution) if available. Describe something interesting about the cluster.
| +1 | Name or catalogue designation reported. |
| +1 | Right ascension and declination correctly reported. |
| +1 | Type of cluster correctly identified. |
| +0.5 | Diameter of cluster correctly reported. |
| +0.5 | Approximate number of stars in cluster correctly reported. |
| +1 | Apparent magnitude correctly reported. |
| +0.5 | Distance of cluster from Earth correctly reported. |
| +0.5 | Estimated age of cluster correctly reported. |
| +1 | Photograph of cluster included. |
| +1 | Photograph is properly attributed. |
| +2 | Interesting fact about the cluster correctly reported. |
Nebula: Name (common name, official designation, or both), coordinates, type (dark, emission, reflection, supernova remnant), description of appearance, photograph (with attribution). Describe something interesting about the nebula.
| +1 | Name or catalogue designation reported. |
| +1 | Right ascension and declination correctly reported. |
| +2 | Type of nebula correctly identified. |
| +1 | Appearance of nebula correctly described. |
| +1 | Photograph of nebula included. |
| +2 | Photograph is properly attributed. |
| +2 | Interesting fact about the nebula correctly reported. |
Other object: Name, coordinates. Describe something interesting about the object.
| +2 | Name or catalogue designation reported. |
| +1 | Right ascension and declination correctly reported. |
| +7 | Interesting characteristics and significance of the object fully reported. |
In addition, points for presentation are as follows.
| 3 | The information is easy to follow at the appropriate reading level. |
| 4 | As previous, plus description is thorough and interesting. |
| 5 | As previous, plus description is especially engaging: graphics are informative and arresting, phrasing is clever and lively. |
This is a record of the sources you used. It contains:
| +2 | Cites at least three sources. |
| +3 | At least one source is outside the internet. |
| +1 | Citations are complete. |
| +3 | Describes topics, contents, and creators of all sources. |
| +1 | Organization, accessibility, appeal, and utility of all sources are evaluated. |
The HTML code of your file should be standard and correct. The file should contain one head and one body; there should be a title declared in the head; all other text should be in structures within the body; all structures should be properly opened and closed.
The file should employ the ClassStyle.css external style sheet, and your report should contain a Creative Commons license statement.
| +5 | Uses standard HTML code free of substantial errors. |
| +3 | Uses the ClassStyle.css external style sheet on the class web site. |
| +2 | As previous, plus contains an appropriate Creative Commons statement. |
Provide feedback on your group mates’ rough drafts. Identify errors and omissions, and offer constructive suggestions for improving the content and its presentation. It is not necessary to address specific grammar or usage issues—these are rough drafts.
The feedback report you submit to me contains separate write-ups for each draft that you evaluate. It does not need to be long or formal. It need only be a list of the specific problems you found and your specific suggestions to correct them.
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of content. |
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of organization and presentation. |
| +4 | Offers constructive suggestions for all problems identified. |
Since you provide feedback on several group members’ reports, the score you receive for this item will be average of their scores.
Your presentation includes a description of where and when the constellation is visible, its general appearance, and how the constellation was named. Briefly describe your spatial model of the constellation, and briefly report on one of the four noteworthy members of the constellation.
Your presentation shall be understandable and factually correct. Speak audibly and with animation, and maintain eye contact with your audience.
| +2 | Describes constellation’s visual appearance. |
| +1 | Identifies where and when constellation is visible. |
| +3 | Tells the story of the constellation’s name. |
| +2 | Presents spatial model, points out stars’ spatial relationships. |
| +5 | Describes one object in the constellation. |
| +4 | Presentation is understandable, organized, and concise. |
| +1 | Speaks clearly and audibly. |
| +1 | Maintains eye contact with class. |
| +1 | Conveys enthusiasm. |
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Copyright © 2005, Richard Barrans
Revised: 8 November 2011. Maintained by Richard Barrans.
URL: http://www.barransclass.com/astr1070/projects/climate/A1070_climate_proj_F11.html