Observing 1

Astro Lab 2

Observing I - The Fall/Winter Sky


1. List all asterisms visible.

2. List all constellations visible.

3. What planets, if any, are visible?

4. What are the brightest stars visible tonight?

5. What is the winter triangle? Find it and name its stars.

6. What is the winter hexagon? Find it and name its stars.

7. Answer these questions based on Orion:
a. What type of object is located below the belt?
b. What are the two brightest stars? Give their names and colors.
c. Following the belt stars, find the 2 bright stars along the same line. In what constellations are these stars?
d. What are the names of the three belt stars?
e. Give some information about the mythology of Orion.

8. What is directly overhead (at zenith)?

9. What is the current phase of the Moon?

10. What two stars are associated with the “Twins?’

11. When is the next full Moon?

12. List interesting events worth viewing this month.

13. Locate the Pleiades and the Hyades clusters. Describe them.

14. Can you find the Andromeda galaxy, or at least tell roughly where it should be? What is its Messier number?

15. Comment on the general viewing conditions in your region.