Astro-Badge

AdventureWeekend

What’s wrong with this picture?

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Bonus: what IS wrong with that picture anyway?

Table of Contents

Requirement 1 Solar Observing...... 2

Requirement 2 Light Pollution...... 3

Requirement 4 StarLab...... 4,5

Requirement 7...... 2,4

Requirement 5...... 9

Requirement 6...... 10

Requirement 8 and 9...... 11,12

Requirement 3 Telescopes...... 8,13

Sun Observing

Observe the Sun and sketch it. Label what you see.

What hazards might you encounter when you observe the Sun?

What can you do to safely observe the sun?

What are sunspots?

Light Pollution and Radio Pollution

In the universe, accelerating electric charges make radio waves. Humans make use of this fact. For example: Oscillating charges make radio waves at a radio station. Radio

Astronomers call man-made radio waves “interference” or RFI. RFI makes it hard to detect the much weaker radio waves emitted by objects in the universe. Using your Portable Interference Detector (PID), see what you can find out.

Light Pollution on site / How the source affects astronomy observing
Example of RFI / Description of RFI / RFI Noise Level
High, Medium or Low

How are RFI and light pollution similar?

StarLab Station

Use your Star Wheelor the StarLab to learn 10 constellations. List them below and circle them on your star wheel:

Constellation / When can you see it?

Stars. First use your star wheel to find these stars. Circle them and complete the first column. Then, use Stellariumtofind their color and magnitude:

Star / Constellation / Color / Magnitude
Altair
Vega
Arcturus
Betelgeuse
Polaris
Aldebaran
Antares
Deneb

O stars are "blue", B "blue-white", A stars "white", F stars "yellow-white", G stars "yellow", K stars "orange", and M stars "red"

Use your Star Clock to draw the Big Dipper and Little Dipper as it looks in the evening. Draw it again as it looks 4 hours later. What causes this change?

evening / Time ______
night / Time ______

Galactic map here and on 7 (centerfold)
Using the 40 Foot.

You and your colleagues are from the Galactic Structure Scientific Institute. You have received observing time on the 40 Foot Radio Telescope in order to investigate the distribution of HI (pronounced H-one, neutral hydrogen atoms) in the Milky Way Galaxy. Tonight you will share your data with the rest of the group.

Directions:

1. Switch to spectral line mode on the IF drawer panel.

2. Position the telescope to the proper declination.

3. Set your paper speed to 60 mm/ minute.

4. Set your start frequency on the Local Oscillator (LO) to 1319.8 MHz.

  • Push “FREQUENCY”
  • Punch in 1319.8
  • Push “MHZ”

5. Set your tuning step size. On the main LO:

  • Push the "Incr Set" button.
  • Then select ".01 MHz".

6. Start the chart recorder. Adjust pen position with zero offset if necessary.

7. Drive on, pens down. Write down the declination.

8. Calibrate. Write down the Right Ascension.

9. Start the 1 second metronome (on the computer) to time your tuning steps.

10. Change the LO frequency from 1319.8 MHz to 1321.0 MHz in .01 MHz steps. Do so every 1 second.

11. "Mark” the chart recorder every 0.1 MHz.

12. Label the marks on your chart paper from right to left, beginning with 1419.9 MHz, going up by 0.1 MHz each mark.

Explain what these instruments at the 40 Foot do.

Drive Controller: ______

Receiver: ______

Chart recorder: ______

6. Visible Planets

Use Stellarium to determine whenthe following planets will be visible in the evening sky (8:30 PM) this year. In which direction will you look? Place the letter: N,S,E or W or a combination in the boxes belowto show where to look.

Planet / Sept / Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan ‘16 / Feb / Mar / Apr / May / Jun / Jul / Aug
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn

Describe the motion of the planets compared to the stars. Watch the sky as the days go by!to listed?ning ( between 7 and 10 PM)ning, or an"EU program, and Summer schools which are aimed at undergraduate and beginning

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Looney Luny

Sketch the moon for todays date. Indicate at least five seas and five craters. Label these landmarks.

Sketch the phase and location of the moon on your Star Wheel today, and one week apart for four weeks.

Why does the moon go through phases?

What about the planets? Which planets go through phases? (zoom in on them and let time go by)

Exhibit Hall Scavenger Hunt

Search through the exhibits to find the answers to these questions:

  1. 3-D Orion: What is a constellation? Is a constellation real?
  1. Life Cycle of a Star: What stages does a star go through? What stage is the Orion Nebula in?
  1. Wavemaker: How can you make a wave? How can you make the wavelength shorter?
  1. Cosmic Clues 2. How were infrared waves discovered? View yourself in the infrared. What do the colors in the image tell you?
  1. Cosmic Clues 3. If you used a spectroscope to look at a star and saw this pattern, what gas would the star contain?
  1. Shape Matters or Hot Spot: What happens to radio waves when they strike the GBT dish?
  1. Pulsar: List 2 neat facts about pulsars. Listen to the pulsars. What is your favorite?
  1. List three careers at the NRAO.
  1. Play the galaxy matching game. Finish this sentence. The more distant the galaxy, the ______its speed away from us.
  1. What is the Milky Way?

What does it look like?

  1. How do astronomers make radio images?

How do Telescopes Work?

Examine the parts and build a refracting telescope.

Explain why binoculars and telescopes are important astronomical tools.

Demonstrate or explain how these tools are used

How are the radio telescopes at Green Bank similar and different to optical telescopes?

National Radio Astronomy Observatory PO Box 2, Green Bank, WV 24944

September 27, 2015

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory, in Green Bank, WV certifies that ______

of Troop _____ has completed ____ of the 10 activities required for award of the Astronomy Merit Badge while on site at the NRAO.

Signed

EPO Division

NRAO-Green Bank

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