1. Locate the celestial equator. Name one star on or very near it. Find one within 10 degrees north or south.______ is about _____ degrees N/S of the equator. Indicate in your answer if the star is north or south.
2 .Locate the ecliptic and name one star on or very near it. Try to find one within 10 degrees north or south.________ is about _____ (state its declination here, it is difficult to estimate the degrees from the ecliptic) N/S of the ecliptic. Indicate in your answer if the star is north or south.
3 .Follow along the ecliptic on the night sky simulation web site. What is the maximum (most northerly) declination the Sun will reach? ____________. What is the minimum (most southerly) declination the Sun will reach? ____________.
If clicking directly with the cursor on the ecliptic at their maximum and minimum declination does not give you the cursor coordinates, try to find a star or other celestial object as near as possible and click on it for the declination.
Maximum declination of the Sun: __23.45 degrees____________
Minimum declination of the Sun: _-23.45 degrees _____________
4. Find the RA and DEC for each of the following (click on “Find Object In Catalogue, below the map on the Your Sky web site):Vega, Capella, The Vernal Equinox, The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) (The Small Magellanic Cloud is hard to find with Your Sky web site)
Vega: RA ___________, DEC ______________ Capella: RA ___________, DEC ______________ The Vernal Equinox: RA ______________, DEC ______________ The Andromeda Galaxy (M31): RA _____________, DEC _____________