Aspiring Astronomers
by
Mrs. McQuilkin
Littleton Middle School - Grade 6
Littleton, Massachusetts

Attention Aspiring Astronomers: You are eligible to participate in our special stargazing event if you can meet this challenge. Complete the following tasks using the web sites provided. Good luck!
 

1. Find the Greek myths about these constellations: Cassiopeia, Auriga, Gemini, Leo, Perseus, Taurus, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, and Orion. Then draw the illustrations showing what ancient people thought all of these
constellations looked like. Include the names of these stars in your drawings: Capella, Castor, Pollux, Polaris, Regulus, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Adebaran, El Nath, and Algol. Then read two of these myths and summarize them. Click on the Internet link below to find these stories and pictures.

 
http://domeofthesky.com/clicks/constlist.html

2. Read a news article about astronomy. Summarize this article and include the date and the name of the news source in which it appeared. Print the article from the Internet or include the original copy with your summary. Click on the links below for news sources.

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/pages/search.asp?catid=31
 

3. Find a map of the moon with its seas and craters. Draw the map of the moon including these features: (a) Copernicus, Plato and Tycho craters; (b) Sea of Tranquility (Mare Tranquillitatis), Sea of Serenity (Mare Serenitatis), Sea of Rains (Mare Imbrium), Sea of Nectars (Mare Nectaris), Mare Nubium (Sea of Clouds), Sea of Fertility (Mare Fecunditatis),and Mare Frigoris (Sea of Cold); (c) Alpine Valley, Caucasus Mountains, and Apennine Mountains..

Moon maps:
http://www.oarval.org/MoonMapen.htm
http://www.penpal.ru/astro/map.shtml  (interactive)
http://www.mariannedyson.com/moon.htm  (nice interactive)
 
 

 Extra Credit:
4. Test yourself with one of the following constellation activities to practice your knowledge. Click on one of the links below.

http://www.kidsastronomy.com/astroskymap/constellation_hunt.htm
http://www.funbrain.com/constellation/
 

Congratulations! You did it!
 
 
 

Some extra links:
http://space.about.com/od/educationastronomyspace/a/kidsastronomy.htm
http://www.spacekids.com/
http://skyserver.sdss.org/astro/en/proj/kids/constellation/default.asp