It may be difficult for some students to observe the actual planets in the sky. Instead, I recommend using this website: stellarium-web.org/. Instead of comparing its location to a fixed object in your yard, measure how much the planet moves across your screen with a ruler. This will be much simpler and quicker than trying to do the observations in the real sky. However, if you still want to do real observations, you are welcome to. The lesson also asks for a video presentation. You can do this if you wish, but I will also accept the presentation in other formats, such as a PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation, an essay, or a poster/infographic.
Instructions from activity:
Planet Patrol For this activity, you will be tracking the movement of planets through the sky, much like you did for other celestial objects in Astronomy 1a.
Step 1: Choose Your Planet The planets that will be visible to you depend very much on where you live and what time of year it is. So for this activity, you should do some research to determine which of the following choices of planets will be visible to you: Mercury, Venus, or Mars. For help on which planets are visible when you’re going through this unit, you might consult a site like https://earthsky.org/tonight.
Step 2: Find Your Planet Sometimes planets can just look like stars in the night sky, so it will be helpful for you to have some more tips on how to find the planet you chose.
Mercury: As viewed from your binoculars, it will appear as a crescent because its orbit is inside of Earth’s.
Venus: As viewed from your binoculars, it will appear as a crescent because its orbit is inside of Earth’s. Venus is usually the brightest object in the night sky asidefromtheMoon
so it is best viewed during twilight hours instead of the darker hours of the night, where its glare could make it difficult to focus on.
Mars: Mars will appear red in the sky, especially if you are viewing it through binoculars. It also appears to move quickly through the stars.
When you find your planet, record where it is in relation to a fixed object in your field of view like an electric pole or a certain tree in your yard, and what time it is. You will be tracking the movement of the planet for a week. You may want to set up a tracking sheet like the example below these instructions.
Step 3: Track Your Planet for a Week Repeat this process for one week seven nights of observation. It is okay if you miss a day or two here and there, just make sure you have at least seven entries in your tracking sheet. For example, if you start tracking on Monday but get sick on Tuesday, skip Tuesday and resume on Wednesday. Just make sure your total number of nights tracked is at least seven.
Step 4: Create a Video Presentation Discussing the Movement You Observed Using a smart phone or other video recorder, create a video of yourself talking through your tracking sheet. Your video should be at least 60 seconds long and should cover the dates you began and ended observation, where the planet first appeared, where it last appeared, and how you would characterize its movement in between the start and end dates. For example, sometimes planets move backwards for a few days! Did your planet continue on a straightforward trajectory, or was there something unique about its movement during your tracking period?
You do not need to add any visuals to your video presentation, unless you feel it will aid in the explanation of your planet’s movement. To complete this activity, submit your tracking sheet and video file.