Teacher’s Guide for:
OBJECTIVES:
·
To introduce the constellations of both the summer and winter
skies
·
To show how to find deep sky objects in the sky
·
To show how light pollution is damaging our view of the night sky
·
To offer alternatives in solving the light pollution problem
This show conforms to the following state science standards: 12.F.2c, 12.F.3c, 12.F.4b
BRIEF SHOW
DESCRIPTION:
“Night Lights” calls attention to a little-known
problem that we all have to deal with, whether we are astronomers or not:
Light pollution. Simply put,
light pollution is directing light where it isn’t needed nor wanted.
Shining light into someone’s eyes creates glare, which compromises
safety and security. The show talks
about the light pollution problem, its history, and offers some solutions.
Throughout the show, we marvel at the wonders of the night sky (what
we’re missing due to the light pollution), including constellations, star
clusters, nebula, and galaxies.
PRE-VISIT
ACTIVITIES/TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
·
Hand-out a star chart to your class and go over what star patterns
are visible for this time of year. The library should have several books that include charts and
the Staerkel Planetarium has a seasonal chart for copying.
·
Have students use the library or internet to find out more about
“deep sky objects,” those fuzzy things that can be found within
constellations and between the stars.
These are things like open star clusters, globular star clusters,
emission and reflection nebulae and distant galaxies. How are each alike? Different?
What is the Messier Catalog of objects?
POST-VISIT
ACTIVITIES/TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION:
·
Have students evaluate their own homes for quality lighting.
Is there room for improvement? Are
your lights shining into your neighbor’s windows?
Are your lights creating hard shadows that may even compromise security?
·
Make a list of the businesses in town who have good, shielded
light fixtures. Maybe even take
some photographs and make a collage or display.
·
Can a shielded light even save you money?
Use a light meter from a camera to measure how much light is projected
roughly 3-feet below a light bulb. Now
put a reflective cover over the top of the bulb.
Does the light level below change? Could
a lower wattage bulb be used?
·
Observe some of the emission and absorption lines discussed in the
show by obtaining some inexpensive diffraction grating material (the Staerkel
Planetarium sells “Spectrum glasses” for $1 each) and have the students
observe several light sources in a darkened room.
Use a light bulb (preferably unfrosted) and maybe a neon light.
You can order discharge tubes for various gases such as hydrogen and
helium, but you’ll need a special transformer for this.
Even a mercury vapor streetlight works.
The Tungsten light bulb will give you a continuous spectrum or rainbow.
What about the neon sign or mercury vapor light?
Compare and contrast the different spectra.
If you were given an unknown tube of gas, how could you determine what
gas was contained inside if it was unlabeled?
·
Contact your local astronomy club to do some sky viewing.
Does the view in the country compare to the view at your school at night?
VOCABULARY LIST:
Spectrum
Nebula
Herschel
Mercury vapor light
Shielded
light
Open Cluster
Galileo
Sodium vapor light
Messier
catalog
Galaxy
Planetary Nebula
Globular cluster
INTERNET RESOURCES:
·
More information on light pollution from the International Dark
Sky Association: http://www.darksky.org
·
Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society:
http://www.prairienet.org/cuas
·
The Messier catalog: http://www.seds.org/messier
·
Hubble views of the sky: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pictures.html
·
Planetary nebula: http://www.blackskies.com
·
Constellations: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations
·
Visit the Astronomical League: http://www.astroleague.org