Introducing SkyGazer

Introduction

SkyGazer is an interactive computer-based planetarium program. You can use it to see a picture of the sky at any time from any location on Earth. You can also use it to simulate many astronomical events. These first activities will help you understand how to use the program.

Part A: Opening SkyGazer

  1. Insert the CD-ROM.
  2. Double click on the SkyGazer folder. Then double click on the SkyGazer program icon.
  3. This should cause the program to start – a Sky Chart should appear showing a sky and a horizon (complete with cute little trees and shrubs). Depending on the time you do this, it may show a daytime or nighttime sky.

Part B: SkyGazer Settings

  1. The Sky Chart you are looking at is SkyGazer’s main display. Start by adjusting the settings by using the panels found under the WINDOW menu. To open the Time Panel, click on the WINDOWmenu, hold the mouse button down and select Time Panel. Do the same for Location Panel, Display Panel, and Planet Panel, respectively.
  2. Setting Your Location:One of the most impressive features of SkyGazer is that it displays which objects are visible in the sky at any given time and from any given location.
  • To set your location, select Set Location under the CHARTmenu.
  • When the Set Location dialog box appears, click on the List Cities button.
  • When a list of cities appears, you will know what to do!
  1. Setting Your Time and Date:Now you will set the time and date of your observation by selecting Set Time under the CHARTmenu.
  • When the dialog box appears, you can enter any time or date that you want.
  • The Time Panel should still be open (under the WINDOW menu), can be used to move time forward or backward. The button marked Step is used to select the size of the time step.
  • With a larger time step, time on the Sky Chart will pass more quickly than with a smaller time step.
  • When you click on this button and hold down your mouse button, a palette will open, with a wide variety of time steps from which to choose.
  • The arrows framing the Start button are used to advance time. The inner arrows move time one step at a time. The outer arrows move time automatically. The right arrows move time forward; the left arrows move time backward. You can also change the time by dragging the hands of the analog clock.
  1. Sky DISPLAY Settings:
  • Under the DISPLAY menu, is theLABELS – it can be used to label objects appearing on the Sky (I can only imagine Galileo or Kepler seeing this feature!).
  • Magnitude Limits, under the DISPLAY menu will simulate the amount of light pollution in your local sky. Since Augusta is not really a huge city, select Small Town here.
  • Click on any object in your view window on the screen. This will bring up the INFO PANEL which provides information about the selected object.

Part C: The Night Sky

To get a bit of practice navigating SkyGazer, work through the following section.

  1. Set SkyGazer so it shows the local sky tonight at 10:00pm.
  2. List all planets, if any, that are visible at that time tonight.
  1. Click on one of the planets and bring up its Data Panel.
  2. Under the General tab, find and record the following information:
  • Constellation the planet is currently in:
  • Angular size of the planet:
  1. Under the Visibility tab, find and record the following information:
  • Rise time:
  • Set time:
  1. Under the Physical tab, find and record the following information:
  • Mass:
  • Diameter:
  • Moons:
  1. Under the Pictures tab, find and look at the pictures of the planet: No report needed for this.
  1. Next list four bright stars that are visible tonight. Record the information in the table below:

Star Name…. / In Constellation… / Midnight Transit.. / Magnitude…

16. Using the skills you learned, find and report the name and type of three different objects (one each at sunset, midnight and sunrise) that can currently be seen overhead from our location.