Okay, so I'm a little confused about what I'm supposed to be doing here. I am not completely sure if it is supposed to be an informational text or a 'how to' text, so I went with a how to text. This will be in the form of a small booklet, like something you might get with a small telescope, and will provide the steps to finding the north star. Those steps are as follows (I haven't made the book yet):
Step 1: Find the big dipper or Cassiopeia. The big dipper is one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky: It looks like a big scooping spoon. Even though it is easy to find, it is not always in the sky. If it is not, Cassiopeia is. Casseiopeia is either a big bright m or a w in the sky.
Step 2: If the Big Dipper is in the sky, draw a line to connect the last two stars in the spoon. Follow that line for five times the distance between these two stars. There you will find the North Star, and the little dipper.
Step 3: If Cassiopeia is in the sky, look at the first 'V' of the W. cut the V in half and follow it the way that the V opens (it may be useful to think that the mouth of the V is trying to eat the north star!) to find the North Star. Keep in mind that when Cassiopeia appears as an M, you will need to use the second mouth, rather than the first.
A brief explanation: The big dipper and Cassiopeia are circumpolar constellations, which means that they both rotate around the North Star, which is directly north of planet earth (but very far away!). This is why if you cannot see one, you can see the other, and why they can always be used to find the North Star.
Monday, October 26, 2009
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Looks great Randy! I am going to try your directions because I have always had a hard time finding things in the sky. Great job :)
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