Introduction to The Night Sky and Astronomy - Mountaineers Seattle Program Center

Meet at the Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park. The workshop will begin at 8:30pm in Cascade A and Cascade B.

Students shall learn and demonstrate:

Dark sky etiquette

• The reason for using red light
• Dark vision processes and protections
• Walking and navigating in the dark
• Using other people’s gear responsibly
• When and when not to use a laser pointer, and responsible use of the laser pointer

Navigation terminology and use in astronomy

• Altitude and Azimuth style coordinates
• Right Ascension and Declination style coordinates
• See how these methods differ using known objects.
• If this course is done during the evening, then locating visible objects using
  these methods will be performed.

Identification and navigation to constellations

• Understanding and using a planisphere
• What constellations are, and which are available during different times of the year, and why this changes over the year
• Using a laser pointer to trace a number of constellations (responsibly, following dark sky etiquette)

Identification and navigation to the planets

• Identification of the different planets that are viewable from the Northern
  Hemisphere
• Discussion of seasonality and location in the sky
• Discussion of closest approach, oppositions, and many-year cyclical nature of
  altitude and angular size
• The timing of different features of Jupiter and its moons
• The timing of the apparent tilt of Saturn’s rings

Use of binoculars in astronomy

• Understanding different specifications of binoculars
• Focusing and diopter use
• Using binoculars to observe asterisms and features of the Moon

Identification and navigation to asterisms

• What asterisms are, and which are available
• Using constellations and pointer starts to help navigate
• Using binoculars observe the asterisms and point them out using a laser pointer