© 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.

Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov

About the Activity Teach your visitors how to use a star map and mark the current locations of planets and the Moon along the ecliptic.

Topics Covered • Provide visitors with a handout to

plot the positions of the planets they saw in the evening sky.

• Provide visitors with scaled sizes of the planets.

• Provide a way for visitors to find out more about the planets and NASA missions.

Participants Star maps are appropriate for families, the general public, and school groups ages 10 and up. Any number of visitors can participate using the star maps.

Location and Timing Use this activity at a star party on a clear night. It only takes about 15 minutes to show your visitors how to use the star map and mark the planets. But observing and finding things on the maps can last as long as they are interested.

Materials Needed • Copies of current month’s star map

for your visitors: Where are the Planets?

• Pencils or pens • Optional: You may want to copy

your club information on the back of the map.

Included in This Packet Page Detailed Activity Description 2 Helpful Hints 3 Background Information 4 Star Maps 5

Where are the Planets? Star Maps

Detailed Activity Description To Do: Pass around copies of the star maps. To Say: These star maps just show the constellations in the sky and don’t include the positions of the planets. You get to mark on the map where you saw the planets. Pictures of the planets, scaled to the correct sizes, are shown at the bottom of the map. See the dotted area on the map? This is the region of the sky where you look to find planets and Earth’s Moon. If you see a bright object that looks like a star and it’s not moving (moving “stars” could be airplanes or satellites), it might be a planet. Look at your star map and see if the star-like object shows up as one of the stars on the map. If it doesn’t, you are probably seeing a planet. Ask one of the telescope operators to show it to you. You might be able to tell which planet it is by seeing it in the telescope.

Takes maps. Yes. Looks up at the sky, looking for planets.

To Do: You may want to provide a quick training on how to use a star map. To Say: Road maps are read with the map oriented down, where the roads are. A star map is oriented up, where the stars are. Let’s all face north. Rotate your star map so the side of the map marked “North” is down toward the northern horizon. All the constellations in that quarter of the map will be visible in front of you. Now let’s turn toward the east. Rotate the map so the side of the map marked “East” is down toward the eastern horizon. All the constellations in that quarter of the map will be visible in front of you.

Visitors follow directions.

To Say: Now look straight up. What part of the map will show the stars over your head? Right! Now, who can find [name a constellation]?

The center of the map? Visitors use star map.

2

© 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.

Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov

Helpful Hints

More information on the star maps: This star map has 20-degree wide area centered on the ecliptic. The planets and Earth’s Moon will be found in this region of the sky.

Presentation Tip: Most people think the Moon and planets might be found anywhere in the sky. This map helps reinforce the message of the banner that the planets will be found in the direction of the constellations of the ecliptic in the plane of our Solar System. Be sure to help your visitors orient the map correctly. If facing north, the side of the map marked “North” should be down, toward the northern horizon. The same is true for each direction.

3

© 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted.

Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov

Background Information Constellations of the Zodiac

Most people think of the 12 classical astronomical constellations of the Zodiac. It is acknowledged that Ophiuchus is the “13th constellation” along the ecliptic: the apparent path of the Sun across the sky Brief background on a person’s “astrological sign”: A person’s astrological sign or “Sun Sign” was traditionally the constellation that contained the Sun at the time the person was born. This is why the constellation with the same name as the person’s astrological sign is not visible at night on their birthday – the Sun is very roughly in the direction of that constellation. However, due to the Earth’s precession, a 26,000-year wobble in the Earth’s axis, the Sun no longer occupies its traditional constellations for astrological signs. The “signs” have all been carried about one constellation to the west (clockwise on the banner). In addition, the astrological signs each cover 30 degrees of sky (12 signs in 360 degrees). The modern boundaries of the astronomical constellations are of varying sizes. So the Sun appears to be in front of each constellation along the ecliptic for varying periods of time. So do not confuse astrological signs with astronomical constellations. Dr. James Kaler and Dr. Phil Plait provide more information: http://www.astro.uiuc.edu/~kaler/celsph.html (See the chart of when the Sun crosses the boundary into each constellation of the Classical Astronomical Zodiac of 12 constellations). http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/zodiac.html

4

AQUARIUS

PEGASUSANDROMEDA

CETUS

PISCES

ERIDANUS

TAURUS

ORION

LEPUS

COLUMBA

CANISMAJOR

CANISMINOR

GEMINI

CANCER

LEO

ARIES

TRIAN

GULUM

PERSEUS

CASSIOPEI

A

AURIGA

CYGNUS

CEPHEUS

DRACO

URSAMINORURSA

MAJOR

Deneb

Enif

Polaris

Algol

Capella

Aldebaran

Mira

Betelgeuse

Rigel

Castor

Regulus PolluxSirius

Procyon

PleiadesHyades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

9 p.m. daylight time on January 18 p.m. daylight time on January 157 p.m. daylight time on January 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

January

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDR

OMED

AAR

IES

AURIGA

CANCER

CANISMAJOR

CANISMINOR

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUS

CETU

S

COLUMBA

DRACO

ERIDANUS

GEMINI

HYDRALEO

LEPUS

ORION

PEGA

SUS

PERSEUS

PISCE

S

PUPPIS

TAURUSTR

IANGU

LUM

URSAMAJOR

URSA MINOR

Aldebaran

Algol

Alphard Betelgeuse

Capella

Castor

Denebola

Mira

Polaris

Pollux

ProcyonRegulus

RigelSirius

Canopus

Pleiad

es

Hyad

es

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

9 p.m. daylight time on February 18 p.m. daylight time on February 157 p.m. daylight time on February 28

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

February

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

ARIES

AURIG

A

BOOTES

CANCER

CANISMAJOR

CANISMINOR

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUS

CETU

S

COLUMBA

COMABERENICES

CORVUS

CRATER

DRACO

ERID

ANUSGEMINI

HYDRA

LEO

LEPUS

ORION

PERSEU

S

PUPPIS

TAUR

US

TRIAN

GULU

MURSA

MAJOR

URSAMINOR

VELA

VIRGO

Aldeb

aran

Algol

AlphardArcturus

Betelg

euse

Capella

Casto

r

Denebola

Polaris

Pollux

ProcyonRegulus

Rigel

Sirius

Spica

Pleiad

esHy

ades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

10 p.m. standard time on March 110 p.m. daylight time on March 15 9 p.m. daylight time on March 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

March

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

AURIG

A

BOOTES

CANC

ER

CANIS

MAJOR

CANIS

MINO

R

CASSIOPEIA

CENTAURUS

CEPHEUS

COMABERENICES

CORONABOREALIS

CORVUS

CRATER

DRACO

GEMI

NI

HERCULESHYDRA

LEO

LIBRAOR

ION

PERSEU

S

PUPPIS

SERPENSCAPUT

TAUR

US

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

VELA

VIRGO

Alde

baran

Algol

Alphard

Arcturus

Betel

geus

e

Capella

Casto

r

Denebola

Polaris

Pollu

xPro

cyonRegulus

Rigel

SiriusSpica

Vega

Pleiad

esHy

ades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

11 p.m. daylight time on April 110 p.m. daylight time on April 15 9 p.m. daylight time on April 30

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

April

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

AURIGA

BOOTES

CANC

ER

CANI

SMI

NOR

CASSIOPEIA

CENTAURUSCEPHEUS

COMABER

ENICES

CORONA

BOREALIS

CORVUS

CRATERCYGNUS

DRACO GEMI

NI

HERCULES

HYDR

A

LEO

LIBRA

LUPUS

LYRA

OPHIUCHUS

SAGITTASCORPIUS

SCUTUM

SERPENS

CAPUT

SERPENS CAUDA

URSA

MAJOR

URSA MINOR

VIRGOAlp

hard

Altair

Antares

Arcturus

Capella

Casto

r

Deneb

Denebol

a

Polaris

Pollu

x

Procy

on

Regu

lus

Spica

Vega

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

Midnight daylight time on May 111 p.m. daylight time on May 1510 p.m. daylight time on May 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

May

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

BOOT

ES

CASSIOPEIA

CENTAURUSCEPHEUS

COMA

BERE

NICE

SCORONABOREALIS

CORVUS

CRAT

ER

CYGNUS

DRACO

HERCULES

LEO

LIBRA

LUPUS

LYRAOPHIUCHUS

SAGITTA

SAGITTARIUS

AQUILA

DELPHINUS

SCORPIUS

SCUTUMSERPENSCAPUT

SERPENS CAUDA

URSA

MAJORURSA MINOR

VIRGO

Altair

Antares

Arcturus

DenebDe

nebo

la

Polaris

Regu

lusSpica

Vega

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

Midnight daylight time on June 111 p.m. daylight time on June 1510 p.m. daylight time on June 30

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

June

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

BOOT

ES

CASSIOPEIA

ANDROMEDA

PEGASUS

CEPHEUS

COMA

BERE

NICE

S

CORO

NABO

REAL

ISCYGNUS

DRACO

HERCULE

S

LIBRA

LYRA

OPHIUCHUS

SAGITTA

SAGITTARIUS

AQUILA

DELPHINUS

CAPRICORNUS

AQUARIUS

SCORPIUS

LUPUS

SCUTUM

SERPEN

SCA

PUT

SERPENSCAUDA

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

VIRGO

Altair

Antares

Arctu

rus

Deneb

Enif

Polaris

Spica

Vega

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

Midnight daylight time on July 111 p.m. daylight time on July 1510 p.m. daylight time on July 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

July

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

AQUARIUS

AQUILA

BOOT

ESCAPRICORNUS

CASSIOPEIACEPHEUS

COMA

BERE

NICES

CORO

NABO

REAL

IS

CYGNUS

DELPHINUS

DRACO

HERC

ULES

LIBRA

LYRA

OPHIUCHUS PEGASUS

PERSEUS

PISCES SAGITTA

SAGITTARIUSSCORPIUS

SCUTUM

SERP

ENS

CAPU

T

SERPENSCAUDA

TRIANGULUM

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

VIRGO

Altair

Antares

Arctu

rus

Deneb

Enif

Polaris

Spica

Vega

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

11 p.m. daylight time on August 110 p.m. daylight time on August 159 p.m. daylight time on August 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

August

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

AQUARIUS AQUILA

ARIES

BOOT

ES

CAPRICORNUS

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUSCO

MA BEREN

ICES

CORO

NABO

REAL

IS

CYGNUS

DELPHINUS

DRACO

GRUS

HERC

ULES

LIBRA

LYRA

OPHIU

CHUS

PEGASUS

PERSEUS

PISCES

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

SAGITTA

SAGITTARIUS

SCORPIUS

SCUTUM

SERP

ENS

CAPU

T

SERPENS

CAUDATRIANGULUM

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

Algol

Altair

Antares

Arctu

rusDeneb

Enif

Fomalhaut

Polaris

Vega

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

10 p.m. daylight time on September 19 p.m. daylight time on September 158 p.m. daylight time on September 30

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

September

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

AQUARIUS

AQUILAARIES

AURIGA

BOOT

ES

CAPRICORNUS

PISCIS AUSTRINUS

SAGITTARIUS

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUS

CETUS

CORO

NABO

REAL

IS

CYGN

US

DELPHINUS

DRACO

GRUS

HERC

ULES

LYRA

OPHI

UCHU

S

PEGASUS

PERSEUS

PISCESSCU

TUM

SERP

ENS

CAPU

T

SERPEN

SCA

UDA

TRIANGULUM

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

Algol

Altair

Capella

Deneb

Enif

Fomalhaut

Mira

Polaris

Vega

Pleiades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

10 p.m. daylight time on October 19 p.m. daylight time on October 157 p.m. daylight time on October 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

October

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

AQUARIUSAQ

UILAARIES

AURIGA

CAPRICORNUS

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUS

CETUS

CYGN

USDE

LPHIN

US

DRACO

ERIDANUS

GRUS

HERC

ULES

LYRA

ORION

PEGASUS

PERSEUS

PHOENIX

PISCES

PISCISAUSTRINUS

SAGI

TTA

SCUT

UM

TAURUS TRIANGULUM

URSA MAJOR

URSA MINOR

Aldebaran

Algol

Capella

Deneb

Enif Alt

air

Fomalhaut

Mira

Polaris

Vega

Pleiades

Hyades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

9 p.m. daylight time on November 18 p.m. daylight time on November 157 p.m. daylight time on November 30

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

November

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov

ANDROMEDA

AQUARIUS

ARIES

AURIGA

CANISMINOR

CASSIOPEIA

CEPHEUS

CETUS

CYGNUS

DELPHINUS

DRACO

ERIDANUS

GEMINILEPUS

LYRA

ORION

PEGASUS

PERSEUS

PHOENIX

PISCES

PISCIS

AUSTRIN

US

SAGITTA

TAURUS

TRIANGULUM

URSAMAJOR

URSAMINOR

Aldebaran

Algol

Altair

BetelgeuseRigel

Capella

Castor Deneb

Vega

Enif

Fomalha

ut

Mira

Polaris

Pollux

Procyon

Pleiades

Hyades

Where are the Planets?The all-sky map represents the night sky as seen from approximately 35° north latitude at the following times:

9 p.m. daylight time on December 18 p.m. daylight time on December 157 p.m. daylight time on December 31

To locate stars in the sky, hold the map above your head and orient it so that one of the four direction labels matches the direction you’re facing. The map will then represent what you see in the sky.

North

South

East W

est

December

You will find the planets and the Moon in the area of the sky called the “ecliptic,” marked on the map between the dotted lines.

Find out about NASA Solar System missions:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions

Discover the worlds of the Solar System:http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets

Mercury

Venus

Earth Mars

Moon

Jupiter Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

www.nasa.gov