Educational Insights GeoSafari EI-5287 Manual Del Usuario página 4

For centuries cultures around the world have divided
the night sky into different constellations and have
made up stories about the creatures and characters
they saw. The Greeks and Romans named their
constellations after the gods and heroes in their
mythology.
Other cultures, such as the Chinese, Middle Eastern,
and Native American cultures view the evening sky
differently. In 1929, the International Astronomical
Union divided the stars into 88 official constellations
that are used by astronomers today. Most of these
constellations come from the Greek and Roman view
of the sky. For example, Pegasus is a flying horse
from Greek mythology.
The chart below lists constellations that are on this model's star dome. Note: Southern
Hemisphere constellations are not included.
Northern Hemisphere Constellations
Andromeda (Andromeda) Corona Borealis (Northern Crown)
Aquila (Eagle) Cygnus (Swan)
Aries (Ram) Delphinus (Dolphin)
Auriga (Charioteer) Draco (Dragon)
Boötes (Herdsman) Equuleus (Little Horse)
Camelopardalis (Giraffe) Gemini (Twins)
Cancer (Crab) Hercules (Hercules)
Canes Venatici (Hunting Dogs) Hydra (Female Water Snake)
Canis Minor (Little Dog) Lacerta (Lizard)
Cassiopeia (Cassiopeia) Leo (Lion)
Cepheus (King) Leo Minor (Little Lion)
Cetus (Sea Monster) Lynx (Lynx)
Coma Berenices (Bernice's Hair) Lyra (Lyre)
*not a constellation
What Do You See?
Study the constellations projected on the wall or
ceiling. Do you think they resemble the names they've
been given? Choose a few of the constellations and
note what figure or object you see. Perhaps in Ursa
Major you see a person waving hello instead of a great
bear. Possibly Ursa Minor looks more like a wheel
barrow than a little bear. Or maybe you see a horse
instead of a lion in Leo. See what shapes and other
figures you can find among the stars!
Ophiuchus (Serpent Bearer)
Orion (Orion/hunter)
Pegasus (Winged Horse)
Perseus (Hero)
Pisces (Fishes)
Polaris (North Star)*
Sagitta (Arrow)
Serpens (Serpent)
Taurus (Bull)
Triangulum (Triangle)
Ursa Major (Great Bear)
Ursa Minor (Little Bear)
Virgo (Maiden)
Ursa Minor
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If You Have a Classroom or Large Group of Kids
Model Planetary Motion
Have students "act out" the movement of the solar system. This activity works best outdoors, in a paved
area with plenty of space.
•
Before the activity, make nine signs, one for the sun and one for each planet. Write each planet's
name and symbol on a large card or on a sheet of paper. Refer to the Planetary Features Chart on
page 4. (The sun's symbol is located on the sun sphere.)
• Begin the activity by drawing a circle about two feet (0.6 meter) in diameter on the pavement with
chalk. This circle will be your sun's position.
•
Next, draw another circle surrounding it. Draw seven more circles, each encircling the previous
one. These circles will represent the orbits of the planets. Space the circles widely enough so that
students walking along the orbits will not bump into each other.
•
Choose students to enact the roles of the sun and the planets. Pass out the cards. The "sun" should
stand in the central circle. Each "planet" will walk along its orbital path (counterclockwise) around
the sun.
•
Here's the tricky part: The planets and the sun rotate on their axes. They all spin counterclockwise,
except for Venus and Uranus, which spin clockwise. The students portraying Venus and Uranus
should spin to the right, while the other students spin to the left. Uranus actually spins on its side,
but that will be hard to model!
•
Tell your "planets" to spin slowly or they'll dizzily spin out of orbit! In reality, the planets never stop
moving, but ask your "planets" to rest if they get dizzy.
Model Relative Distances
This activity will help students comprehend the vastness of the solar system by modeling the distance
between the planets. Tell students that astronomers use the astronomical unit (AU) to represent the
distance between the Earth and the sun—149,597,870,700 meters to be exact, about 150 million
kilometers, or 93 million miles. The chart below shows the distance between each planet and the sun, in
astronomical units.
Distance from Sun in
Planet
Astronomical Units (AU)
Mercury 0.39
Venus 0.72
Earth 1
Mars 1.52
Jupiter 5.2
Saturn
9.5
Uranus
19.19
Neptune
30.07
Approximate Distance
26 million miles (58 million km)
67 million miles (108 million km)
150 million miles (93 million km)
142 million miles (228 million km)
484 million miles (778 million km)
886 million miles (1.4 billion km)
1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km)
2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion km)
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