Star Project
AstronomyName:Date:Pd:
At this stage of your astronomy education, we hope that you now look into the night sky and ask questions about what is actually happening above you (ex: “That star looks really bright. Is it close, huge, or hot?) This is your opportunity to take something in the night sky and turn it into something we can all appreciate a little more closely and personally. You will select a specific star that is visible in the night sky and will research many aspects of that star’s past, present, and future. You will then present your information to the class.
You will be responsible for creating a booklet that contains the information below. Instructions for a 3-dimensional model to accompany your booklet are at the bottom of the list.
1.Distance, Location, Names, and Magnitude.
a.How far away is your star (km)?Compare/contrast this with our Sun (3x as far, etc…).
b. Where is your star located (in what constellation?) Include a hand-drawn sketch of this constellation, labeling your star and the other major stars in the constellation.
c. Where and when is it visible in the Marin night sky?Include a printed Skymap that contains your star or a hand-drawn interpretation using the Planisphere. Hand-label your star. If it is not visible in the Marin night sky, select a city from which it IS visible and report on that.
d. What other names does your star have?
e. What are the absolute and apparent magnitudes of your star?Include an explanation of what these two terms mean. Compare/contrast this with our Sun (10x as bright, etc..).
f. Is your star part of a binary or multiple star system? If so, name the other star(s) and their magnitudes.
2.Spectral classification.Locate and study a colored image of the elemental spectrum of the sun. How would you expect the spectrum of your chosen star to be different from the spectrum of the sun?
3.Star’s Story. Find out more about your assigned star from an astronomical perspective. Given the mass of your star, give us the stages of your star from birth to death and provide an explanation of what is happening with your star throughout. Include a hand-drawn and colored timeline sketch of the stages of your star’s life.
4.H-R Diagram.
a. Where does your star fit now on the H-R diagram?Draw an H-R Diagram and label your star’s location.
b.Track the evolution of your star from birth to death on your H-R Diagram.
c. Find one classmate who has a star that is on the same path of evolution as yours, but in a different stage. Plot their name and their star’s name on your H-R diagram.
5.Lifetime.
a. What is the lifespan of your star?
b. Approximately how old is your star right now?
6.Possibility of Life.
a.Name any planets that have been identified around your star.
b. Assuming there are planets around your star, given the star’s age and spectra, is life possible in your solar system. Explain.
7. Star Death. Draw what your star and its galactic neighborhood will look like in a trillion years.
8. Visual Model. Make a three-dimensional model to accompany your booklet that is able to either show something happening inside the star or something happening outside the star.
Scoring Rubric
40 points / All items included and discussed15 points / Material is presented neatly and coherently
10 points / Presentation is clear and effective
10 points / References cited
75 points / Total
You can earn EXTRA CREDIT points if especially well done with evidence of thought that goes beyond stated objectivesandfor demonstrated extreme creativity.