Michigan Astronomy

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Astronomy Activities

The list of all supported activities is in the table below. You might also want the Astronomy Projects Page with all the observing proects as well as planetarium and Starry Night (or other computer planetarium software) projects, meant to be done outside of class time.

Some other useful information:

Activity Title
(In alphabetical order. Explorer and Observing Series at bottom)

Downloads

The Age of the Universe
Brightness and Surface Brightness (Planetarium)
Cepheid Variables
You will need the introduction and the appropriate worksheet and graphs.
The Celestial Sphere
Note: There are two versions of this lab, a long one for lab sections and a shorter one for discussion sections. Be sure to download the correct version. Ask your instructor for clarification if needed.
Comets -- Make Your Own
The Conceptual Celestial Sphere
A second version of the celestial sphere lab. Not as analytical. Ask your instructor which to use.
 
Constellation Activities
Coordinate Systems
You will need the introduction no matter which version you are doing. Check with your GSI for which other parts you will need.
The Crab Nebula
Craters
Note: There are two versions of this lab, a long one for lab sections and a shorter one for discussion sections. The lab version has two separate links. The discussion version only one link. Be sure to download the correct version and get all of the appropriate pieces. Ask your instructor for clarification if needed.
Daytime Observing at Angell Hall
Discovery of Extrasolar Planets
Drake Equation
From the Life in the Universe Activities Manual
Extra-solar Planets
Finding Exoplanets (a simulation)
Finding the Milky Way with the Brightest Stars
You will need the star chart for both versions. You may also need the list of constellations if you don't have a list that includes the abbreviations in your book.
Galactic Star Clusters
Note: There are two versions of this lab: Data on paper and data on computer. Be sure to download the correct version of the introduction, as per your instructor. The worksheets and graphs are the same for both versions of the lab.
Galaxy Classification
Note the checklist and Table 2 should be printed "Landscape" This is usually under "page setup" under the File menu
Geologic Age
You will need the intro. Check with your GSI for the other parts. The 6 images for the relative dating part are easier to view online and are linked within the activity
Geologic Features of Mars
H-R diagram
Note: single sided printing is recommended for the worksheet
Lunar Features
Martian Surface Features
Note: There are two versions of this lab, a long one for lab sections and a shorter one for discussion sections. Be sure to download the correct version. Ask your instructor for clarification if needed.
Moons of Jupiter
Motions in the sky
Motions of the planets
Natural Selection
Nebulae in Cygnus
Optics (Telescopes)
Parallax
Phases of the Moon
Phases of the Moon in the Planetarium
Precession
Reading Star Charts
Retrograde Motion of Venus
Rotation of Spiral Galaxies (Tully-Fisher Relation)
Seasons

You will need one of the introductions, and one of the worksheets.

Size of the Solar System

If you are doing an outside version, you also need to get the Map

Searching for Life
Solar Observing
Spectral Classification and The Pleiades
Note there are 3 versions: one using Luminosity and flux, one using magnitudes and one for discussion sections. Ask your instructor for clarification if needed.
Spectroscopy
Note: There are two versions of this lab, a long one for lab sections and a shorter one for discussion sections. Be sure to download the correct version. Ask your instructor for clarification if needed.
Starry Night
Stellar Evolution
Stellar Populations and the Milky Way Halo
Stellar Structure
Structure of the Milky Way Disk
Timekeeping and Telescopes at the Detroit Observatory
The Explorer Series (WWW)
  • Explore Astronomy 
  • Explore Telescopes 
  • Explore Planetary Missions 
Observing Series
  • Constellation Observing Outdoors
  • Radio Telescope Observations
    Note: This is a users manual with observing exercises in PDF format.
  • Using a Telescope