North Star Activity, Part 1

Try to answer these questions just as you would answer a classmate who asked them -- it's okay to be informal, but please be descriptive!

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Name

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Date


1. This picture shows how the stars in the northern sky moved during a certain time period. For a better view, check out startrails.html.

(a) Would you believe the time period is about a day long? Why?







(b) Would you believe six hours, a fourth of a day?

(c) Approximately how long do you think the time period is? Why?




We're trying to figure out how high above the horizon the North Star appears at various places on Earth. In class, we figured out that at 0° latitude (the equator), it would appear right on the horizon; at 90° north (the north pole), it would be directly overhead, 90° above the horizon.

You were working in your group to figure out where it would appear if you were at 45° north, halfway between the equator and the north pole.

(a) What did you come up with?

(b) How did you arrive at this answer?