AST 111 Astronomy Syllabus and Telecourse Packet

AST 111

Craig A. Bradley Instructor, Fall 2010

(618)634-3345 800-481-2242 #3345

(618) 634-9451 (h) (618)771-2153 (cell) craigb@shawneecc.edu

http://www.shawneecc.edu/craigb

Return this sheet with your first assignment: Name ____________________________________________ Phone number _____________________________________ Cell Phone ________________________________________ E-mail ___________________________________________ Sign and return: I ___________________________ have read and understood this entire packet for the AST 111 Astronomy class tele course. I understand that the assignments are due by the dates marked on the worksheets. I understand the dates for the midterm and final exams and that I can only take these exams during the time periods listed in the syllabus and in any mailings I receive from my instructor. I understand that if I do not take these tests at the predetermined time that I will receive a zero (0) for that exam. I also understand that I must attend 4 evening outdoor labs and that if I do not attend the minimum number, up to 25% of my grade will be deducted from my final score. I also understand that extra credit will not count until I have attended four (4) labs. _________________________________________ _____________________________ Name Date First lab is August 30, 8pm. Please try to be there.

AST 111 – Introduction to Astronomy

Course Description:

A course in astronomy designed for students in any curriculum. The course includes a study of the sun and its planets together with a study of the stars and the nebulae beyond the sun. Evening observation of the moon and planets with the telescope and field glasses, together with the study of approximately 20 constellations.

Current Text:

Seeds. Horizons: Exploring the Universe. 11th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Thomson Brooks/Cole (ISBN 0-495-55973-3). Student Guide for Astronomy: Observations & Theories. 3rd ed. Belmont, Calif.: Brooks/Cole (ISBN 0-439-04602-6). Telecourse videos. Available in the bookstore. (Required)

Grading Policy:

100% - 90%.....................................................................................A 89% - 80%.....................................................................................B 79% - 70%.....................................................................................C 69% - 60%.....................................................................................D 59% - 0%.....................................................................................F

Total points for class: 350 points. Worksheets (8 @ 10 points) Midterm Exam...(100 points) Chapters 1 - 11 Final Exam.........(100 points) Chapters 12 – 20 Labs are 25% of your final grade. (4 labs must be attended) 70 points

Worksheets: Worksheets with questions covering course material will be due periodically. The worksheets will be used to evaluate student progress.

Attendance Policy:

Since this is a telecourse you are not required to make class meetings except the four labs. YOU will be responsible to makeup the missed exams. You must attend and participate in 4 outside evening labs. These labs are 25% of your final grade.

Test Policy: Tests are expected to be taken on the date given. Tests can also be taken at the LSC on campus by calling Kari Ghoulson at 634-3316 to setup an appointment. You may also take exams at any of the extension centers. Please notify me if you wish to take the exams at any location other than main campus. Any other missed exams will net a score of 0, which will be averaged in with your other exam scores.

Course Requirements

1. Read the textbook chapters/student guide lessons as indicated on your assignment sheet.

2. View the video lessons. A schedule for this telecourse is enclosed. 3. Complete the study activities and the worksheets at the end of each

section. These will not be collected, but may help you with the midterm and final.

Course Objectives:

1. Define astronomy, describe the process of science, and offer examples of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of this discipline.

2. Describe the appearance and motions of the sun, moon, planets, and stars that can be observed with the naked eye, and explain related phenomena such as eclipses and seasons.

3. Identify the historical contributions of Ptolemy, Copernicus, Tycho, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton, and discuss how astronomy developed from the ancient conceptions of the Greeks to a modern understanding of gravity, tides, and orbital motion.

4. Explain the interaction of light and atoms, and discuss how telescopes and associated instruments are used to gather and analyze light at different wavelengths to measure the physical characteristics of stars and galaxies.

5. Describe the interior and atmosphere of the sun, including the nuclear processes taking place in its core and surface phenomena (such as those that affect Earth).

6. Discuss how astronomers determine the basic properties of stars (such as distance from Earth, luminosity, mass, and diameter) and explain how these properties change at different stages of a star’s life.

7. Explain the physical processes taking place during the birth, life, and death of stars and binary star systems.

8. Describe the structure, behavior, origin, and evolution of galaxies (including our Milky Way), explain the phenomena associated with active galactic nuclei, and discuss the distribution of galaxies throughout the universe.

9. Explain the fundamental principles of cosmology, including the shape of space-time, evidence for the big bang, and effects of inflation and acceleration of the universe.

10. Summarize the basic features of our solar system, the physical processes involved in its formation, and evidence for extrasolar planetary systems.

11. Compare and contrast the similarities and differences among the terrestrial planets, the Jovian planets, and smaller bodies of our solar system.

12. Summarize what is known about the origin and nature of life on Earth, and relate this to the search for possible life beyond our planet.

Credit Hours:

4 credit hours.

Schedule (subject to change) YOU MUST USE TELECOURSE VIDEOS!!! TEXT CHAPTER

VIDEO/STUDENT

GUIDE Week 1-2

Chapter 1 The Scale of the Cosmos Chapter 2 The Sky Chapter 3 Cycles of the Sky

Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3

9/1 Worksheet #1 Due

Week 3-4

Chapter 4 The Origin of Modern Astronomy Chapter 5 Astronomical Tools Chapter 6 Atoms and Starlight

Lesson 4 Lesson 5 Lesson 6

9/15 Worksheet #2 Due

Week 5-6

Chapter 7 The Sun Chapter 8 The Properties of Stars

Lesson 7 Lesson 8

9/29 Worksheet #3 Due

Week 7-8

Chapter 9 The Formation and Structure of Stars Chapter 10 The Deaths of Stars Chapter 11 Neutron Stars and Black Holes

Lesson 9 Lesson 10 Lesson 11

10/13 6pm Room – K1134A

Worksheet #4 Due 10/13 (or at Exam) Midterm Exam Text Chapters 1 – 11, October 13th Wednesday 6pm – 8pm Exam offered at extension centers and

testing center 10/5 – 10/12

Can also take Midterm in testing center and extension sites without notification of instructor. Setup appointments with them.

Week 9-10

Chapter 12 The Milky Way Chapter 13 Galaxies

Lesson 12 Lesson 13

10/27 Worksheet #5 Due

Week 11-12

Chapter 14 Galaxies with Active Nuclei Chapter 15 Cosmology

Lesson 14 Lesson 15

11/10

Worksheet #6 Due

Week 13-14

Chapter 16 The Origin of the Solar System Chapter 17 The Earthlike Planets (PP 367–377)

Lesson 16 Lesson 17

11/23 Worksheet #7 Due

Week 14

Chapter 18 Worlds of the Outer Solar System Chapter 19 Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets Chapter 20 Life on Other Worlds

Lesson 18 Lesson 19 Lesson 20

12/5 Extra Credit Paper Due 12/8 Worksheet #8

Final Exam 12/15

Final Exam Chapters 12 – 20 December 15, 2010 6pm – 8pm K1134A Computer Lab

Finals will also be given at extension centers and

testing center – 12/6 – 12/10 (thru 12/15 at testing

center) Astronomy lab schedule at http://www.shawneecc.edu/craigb/AST111/labs.htm You will receive a lab schedule in the mail before classes begin. You must attend up to 4 evening labs to get up to your 25% grade credit for these labs. Extra credit will only count after 4 labs are attended and all work is turned in.

AST 111 – Introduction to Astronomy Fall 2010

This course will use the study or stars to introduce you to the many concepts basic to all sciences. If you have not taken a telecourse before, you will find that it is different than a regular classroom course. By telecourse, the student, meaning you, has the freedom to set their own class hours, but they will assume more of the responsibility for the following material. You will do well if you use the videos, the textbook and the telecourse guide together. All three of these correspond closely and provide several perspectives on the material. Worksheet questions and exams will draw from all three sources. The worksheets are short, so it is best to review all of the questions in the workbook and the “review questions” in the textbook when you are studying for the exams. Class will meet for the mid-term and final exams. The times and locations will be mailed to you during the semester. If you cannot attend an exam you must contact me at the college at 1-800-481-2242 or by email at craigb@shawneecc.edu prior to the date of the exam. You can take the exams at the LSC on the main campus by setting up an appointment at extension #3316. You may also take exams at the extension centers during the week of midterm and final exams. Each assignment has a due date at printed at the top. The purposes are to keep everyone on track for the exams and evaluate your progress. Answers will be sent back to you in the mail marked on your sheets. No assignments will be accepted after the answers have been posted. Please note the due dates on each sheet now so that you will know what to expect. Assignments may be mailed back to me at this address:

Shawnee Community College 8364 Shawnee College Road

Ullin, IL 62992 Attention: Craig A. Bradley

There will be extra credit, which requires you to write a paper and evaluate a work of science fiction. You may also do a research paper on a topic in astronomy that interests you. You should use material from the course and backup material from the library to compare the science of the book, movie or TV series to current scientific principals. An example is that you might examine space travel as it is accomplished in a movie and compare it to current modes of travel and current theories on the limitations of space travel. The paper is to be 10 pages in length and quoted APA style. However, you must clear the topic with me at or before the midterm exam! A copy of the paper must be submitted on disk for publication on the internet. Extra credit paper will only count AFTER all labs are attended and all worksheets are turned in!!!

Thank you for your interest in astronomy and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. I have will be at main campus daily during the semester. The exams will be given at mid term and the end of the semester. Each exam will be offered on two dates, which will be mailed to you at a later date. There is a class web page with links to other information at the following address: http://www.shawneecc.edu/craigb then select the AST 111 link. Supplemental lecture materials are located at this site. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS The following list includes materials available at the SCC library and many other collegiate and public libraries: Videos – SCC Library – Other videos are available “Universe – The Infinite Frontier” telecourse videos “Venus Unveiled” “The Science of Star Trek” Magazines

Astronomy Magazine Science News Sky & Telescope Magazine Astronomy Books Cosmos – Carl Sagan A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking The Universe in a Nutshell – Stephen Hawking I tend to prefer Sky & Telescope magazine for news and articles referring to astronomy. There is a star chart in the center of the magazine that is very easy to use. The magazine is also located in the SCC library. There are also many websites and WebPages such as http://www.skypub.com. This site provides access to four different online magazines and lots of different interests. Other websites include: http://www.astronomy.com http://www.spaceweather.com “Venus Unveiled” is an excellent video and should be viewed as a part of the course if possible. “The Science of Star Trek” provides good ideas for the extra credit term paper.

Criterion for the Astronomy papers: Papers are to be specific on the topic you chose. Each of the papers should be typed in APA style. The papers must follow these criteria:

1. Papers must be submitted in paper form and on floppy disk in Microsoft Word format. If the papers cannot be read in Word, they will not count for credit.

2. Papers are worth a maximum of 10 points, 1 letter grade, based on 1 point per page. For example, 8 body pages can earn up to a total of 8 points.

3. Pages are counted as the body of the paper. The cover sheet and bibliography page do not count toward the total.

4. The paper will be graded on content then figured in with the total number of pages.

5. Pictures can be included in the paper but cannot count toward the total number of pages. If you have 3 pictures on a page that take up a complete page, that page will not be counted as a whole page.

6. The pages must have a 1” margin top, bottom and sides. They must be numbered and have a header with your last name on the page by the page number in the upper right hand corner.

7. The text on the page must be 12 point, Times New Roman. 8. If you use a direct quote in the paper, it must be referenced in the text: i.e.

(Bradley, 76). The quote must have a reference in the bibliography page. 9. The bibliography page must be in APA style for the quotes from the articles. 10. You must have at least 6 sources or books used for the quotes. The text book can

be one of your sources. These sources can come from the internet and must be quoted appropriately.

11. You can use first search at this address to find papers: http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/ Authorization: 100109750 Password: EVXX*JESS

12. The Shawnee College library and its website can be used to access online information. If you need assistance, see me or contact the library staff.

13. Papers must be submitted by the date assigned by the instructor for credit. If you want the paper returned, include a large manila envelope with your name and address on the cover. The college will pay for postage for the paper to be returned.

14. Extra credit papers will only count AFTER all required labs have been attended!

Submission of Worksheets

Worksheet answers are to be submitted on the accompanying scan forms. Make sure to identify the worksheet you are submitting on the sheet by writing the number on the top of the sheet. Send in only the scan form unless you are doing a paper, then you may send in Worksheet 4. Worksheets submitted 1 week after the required date will have 2 points deducted. After this period of time, the worksheets will be graded 0. For example: Worksheet 2 might read at the top - AST 111 #2 Make sure your name is on the scan form and the worksheet. Any scan sheet mailed out without an identifying mark will not be graded! Grades will be mailed back to you periodically. The worksheets are multiple choice or true false and each of the questions has at least 4 answers to them. Please read the questions carefully as some of the answers are on the same line to preserve paper. If you have any questions about the sheets, please contact me. Thanks,

Craig A. Bradley

DO NOT PUT MY NAME ON THE WORKSHEETS! PUT YOUR NAME ON THEM!

You MUST put the worksheet number on the sheets!

WORKSHEET #1 (Send in only scan sheet with your name and worksheet # as in the example on the previous page.)

DUE September 1, 2010 (not postmarked date, in my hand these dates!)

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY

Material covered: Text chapters 1-3 Name_________________________ Multiple choice. Please choose the most correct answer. (1 Pt each)

____ 1. How is a planet different than a star? a. Planets reflect light while stars produce their own light. b. Planets are brighter than stars. c. Planets are larger than stars. d. Stars move faster in the sky than planets.

____ 2. Seen from the northern latitudes, the star Polaris a. is the brightest star in the sky. b. is never above the horizon during the day. c. is never visible during the winter. d. always sets directly in the west. e. is always above the northern horizon.

____ 3. The magnitude scale a. was used to determine the rate of precession. b. can be used to indicate the apparent intensity of a celestial object. c. is no longer used today. d. originated just after the telescope was invented. e. was devised by Galileo.

____ 4. If we say that an object is 1,000 light-years away we see it a. as it looked 1,000 light-years ago. b. as it is right now, but it appears 1,000 times dimmer. c. as it looked 1,000 years ago. d. as it would appear to our ancestors 1,000 years ago.

____ 5. The star Vega has an apparent visual magnitude of 0.03 and the star HR 4374 has an apparent visual magnitude of 4.87. It has been determined that both stars are at the same distance from Earth. What does this information tell us about the two stars? a. Vega will appear fainter to us than HR 4374. b. Vega must produce less energy than HR 4374. c. Vega must be farther from Earth than HR 4374. d. Vega must produce more energy than HR 4374. e. Vega must be closer to Earth than HR 4374.

____ 6. Constellation names are in a. Greek. b. Italian. c. English. d. Arabic. e. Latin.

____ 7. A solar or lunar eclipse will occur a. when the sun is near the line of nodes of the moon and the moon is new or full. b. half way through an eclipse year. c. when the sun is near the solstice and the moon is new or full. d. when the sun is near the equinox and the moon is new or full. e. any time the moon is new or full.

____ 8. The ____ is 18 years and 11 days long. a. eclipse season b. eclipse year c. synodic period d. saros cycle e. sidereal period

____ 9. The Big Dipper is a. an asterism. b. a constellation. c. only visible from the southern hemisphere. d. always on an observer's zenith. e. a circumpolar constellation for southern hemisphere observers.

____ 10. The point in Earth's orbit where Earth is farthest from the sun is known as a. aphelion. b. perihelion. c. precession. d. the winter solstice e. a and d

____ 11. An observer in the Northern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky. If the illustration below depicts the photograph taken by the observer, which direction was the camera pointing?

a. straight up, directly overhead b. straight north c. straight south d. straight west e. straight east

____ 12. Which sequence is correct when ordered by increasing size? a. Earth, Milky Way, Solar System, galaxy clusters b. Solar System, Earth, galaxy clusters, Milky Way c. Earth, Solar System, Milky Way, galaxy clusters d. Galaxy clusters, Solar System, Milky Way, Earth

____ 13. The sun is on the celestial equator at the times of the a. autumnal equinox and the vernal equinox. b. sun is on the ecliptic and is never on the celestial equator. c. vernal equinox and the summer solstice. d. autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. e. summer solstice and the winter solstice.

____ 14. Precession of the rotation axis of Earth is caused by a. the force of gravity from the sun and Jupiter on the Earth-moon system. b. the impact of asteroids. c. the force of gravity from the sun and moon on Earth's equatorial bulge. d. the magnetic field of Earth. e. the formation and subsequent melting of glaciers during the ice-ages.

____ 15. The average distance from Earth to the sun is a. 1 billion km b. 1 AU c. 1 million miles d. 1 ly e. 1 million km

____ 16. An observer's nadir is a. the point directly opposite the observer's zenith. b. always located near a circumpolar constellation. c. the north point on the observer's horizon. d. located at the center of Earth. e. directly opposite the north celestial pole.

____ 17. A galaxy contains a. thousands of superclusters. b. gas, dust, and stars. c. lots of gas and dust but very few stars. d. primarily planets. e. a single star and planets.

____ 18. The celestial equator is a. a line around the sky directly above Earth's equator. b. the dividing line between the north and south celestial hemispheres. c. the path that the sun appears to follow on the celestial sphere as Earth orbits the

sun. d. a and b. e. a and c.

Diagram 3-1

____ 19. Diagram 3-1 shows three approximate locations of the sun along the western horizon.

Which number indicates the location of the sun at sunset on autumnal equinox for an observer at a latitude of 45° N? a. 3 b. 1 c. The sun will set in the east for an observer in the northern hemisphere. d. The sun will not set on autumnal equinox at this latitude. e. 2

____ 20. Northern Hemisphere winters are colder than Northern Hemisphere summers because a. Earth is closer to the sun during the summer than it is during the winter. b. the snow that falls in the northern latitudes cools Earth during the winter. c. the light from the sun shines more directly on the Northern Hemisphere during the

summer. d. the period of sunlight is longer during the summer than during the winter. e. c and d

WORKSHEET #2

DUE September 15, 2010

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY Material covered: Text chapters 4-6 Name:___________________________ Multiple choice. Please choose the most correct answer. (1 pt. each)

____ 1. What is the wavelength of the longest wavelength light that can be seen with the human eye? a. 400 nm b. 3×108 m c. 7000 nm d. 4000 nm e. 700 nm

____ 2. Long wavelength visible light a. will have a speed that is faster than short wavelength light. b. will appear blue in color to the average human eye. c. has a higher frequency than short wavelength visible light. d. will have a greater energy than short wavelength visible light. e. will appear red in color to the average human eye.

____ 3. A ____ has a few million light sensitive diodes in an array typically about a half-inch square. a. photometer b. spectrograph c. grating d. photographic plate e. charge-coupled device

____ 4. A ____ is a piece of glass with many small parallel lines etched on its surface to produce a spectrum. a. grating b. photometer c. spectrograph d. charge-coupled device e. prism

____ 5. Why don't we see hydrogen Balmer lines in the spectra of stars with temperatures of

3,200 K? a. The stars are hot enough that most of the hydrogen is ionized and the atoms cannot

absorb energy. b. Stars of this temperature are too hot to produce an absorption spectrum. c. There is no hydrogen in stars this cool. d. Stars of this temperature are too cool to produce an absorption spectrum. e. These stars are so cool that nearly all of the hydrogen atoms are in the ground

state.

____ 6. A(n) ____ is a circle whose center is located on the circumference of another circle. a. deferent b. equant c. epicycle d. retrograde loop e. ellipse

____ 7. A telescope that suffers from chromatic aberration and has a low light gathering power is most likely a. a small diameter refracting telescope. b. a large diameter refracting telescope. c. an infrared telescope. d. a small diameter reflecting telescope. e. a large diameter reflecting telescope.

____ 8. Retrograde motion a. is only observable for the moon. b. is observable for planets more distant from the Sun than is Earth. c. is observable for planets located between Earth and the sun. d. is observable for all planets. e. none of the above

____ 9. Astronomers build telescopes on tops of mountains because a. there is less air to dim the light. b. the seeing is better. c. CCDs work better when there is less oxygen in the air. d. all of the above e. a and b

____ 10. Radio telescopes are important in astronomy because a. they can detect cool hydrogen. b. they don't need to be as large as optical telescopes to achieve the same resolving

power. c. they are very inexpensive to build on tops of mountains. d. the can detect interstellar dust clouds. e. they have high magnification.

____ 11. An achromatic lens a. is used to correct spherical aberration in reflecting telescopes. b. is used to correct chromatic aberration in refracting telescopes. c. is used to correct spherical aberration in refracting telescopes. d. is used to correct chromatic aberration in reflecting telescopes. e. contains two mirrors and focuses the light back through the primary mirror.

____ 12. The process of removing an electron from a stable nucleus is known as a. Doppler broadening. b. quantum mechanics. c. a red shift. d. ionization. e. collisional broadening.

____ 13. The two most abundant elements in the sun are a. carbon and nitrogen. b. sulfur and iron. c. nitrogen and oxygen. d. carbon and hydrogen. e. hydrogen and helium.

____ 14. Parallax is a. the circular orbits used in Copernicus' heliocentric universe. b. the distance between two foci of an ellipse. c. the apparent motion of an object due to the motion of the observer. d. the small circle that the planets slid along in Ptolemy's geocentric universe. e. half the length of the shortest diameter of an ellipse.

____ 15. Atoms that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons are called a. isotopes. b. atomic pairs. c. ions. d. nuclear pairs. e. molecules

____ 16. A nanometer is a. a unit of length. b. a unit of frequency. c. a unit of energy. d. a unit of mass. e. a unit of resolving power.

____ 17. Absolute zero is a. zero degrees Celsius. b. the temperature at which atoms have no remaining energy from which we can extract heat. c. the temperature at which water freezes. d. both a and c e. none of the above

____ 18. The ____ of a gas is a measure of the average speed of the particles in the gas. a. temperature b. binding energy c. heat d. composition e. blue shift

____ 19. Which of the following features of a telescope determines its light gathering power? a. The focal length of the objective b. The diameter of the objective c. Length of the telescope tube d. The focal length of the eyepiece e. None of the above.

____ 20. Interferometry

a. requires that radio telescopes be within a few hundred feet of each other. b. works only for large x-ray and ultraviolet telescopes. c. decreases the chromatic aberration of a telescope. d. is used to improve the resolving power. e. none of the above

WORKSHEET #3 Due September 29, 2010

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY

Material covered: Text chapters 7 & 8 Name:____________________________ Multiple choice choose the most correct answer (1 Pt each)

____ 1. Sunspots are dark because a. the sun rotates differentially. b. regions of the photosphere are obscured by material in the chromosphere. c. shock waves move through the photosphere. d. they radiate their energy into space faster than the rest of the photosphere. e. the strong magnetic field inhibits the currents of hot gas rising from below.

____ 2. A recent sunspot maximum occurred in 2001. What is the year of the sunspot maximum that immediately follows the 2001 maximum if the solar cycle continues? a. the last cycle started a Maunder minimum and the next maximum cannot be predicted. b. 2006 or 2007 c. 2018 d. 2023 e. 2012

____ 3. Compared with the spectral lines in the solar spectrum, lines in a supergiant spectrum are a. more narrow. b. broader. c. weaker. d. stronger. e. b & c

____ 4. The ____ coincides with the period known as the "little ice age" of Europe and North America. This provides one piece of evidence that suggests a link between solar activity and the amount of solar energy Earth receives. a. weak solar force b. Coulomb barrier c. Babcock model d. coronal hole e. Maunder minimum

____ 5. Much of the solar wind comes from ____ where the magnetic field does not loop back into the sun. a. spicules b. granulation c. prominences d. auroras e. coronal holes

____ 6. The hydrogen lines in spectral type A stars a. are very weak and difficult to see. b. are useful in determining the apparent magnitude of the star. c. can not be used to estimate the luminosity of the star. d. are most narrow for main sequence stars. e. are most narrow for supergiants.

____ 7. The ____ occurs when a rapidly rotating conductor is stirred by convection to produce a magnetic field. a. Babcock effect b. aurora c. Zeeman effect d. proton-proton chain e. dynamo effect

____ 8. The ____ is (are) the hot gases that are the moving extension of the sun's corona. a. prominences b. flares c. supergranules d. spicules e. solar wind

____ 9. Differential rotation of the sun a. causes the sunspots to migrate slowly from the equator toward the poles as the sun rotates. b. implies that the equatorial regions of the sun rotate more rapidly than the polar regions. c. implies that the sun's southern hemisphere and northern hemisphere rotate in opposite

directions. d. is caused by the magnetic dynamo inside the sun. e. causes the heating in the chromosphere and corona that makes them hotter than the

photosphere.

____ 10. In a binary system, the more massive star a. is farthest from the center of mass. b. is nearest the center of mass. c. is at the center of mass. d. shows a larger Doppler shift in its spectral lines. e. follows the largest orbit.

____ 11. In the H-R diagram, 90 percent of all stars are a. in the giant region. b. in the supergiant region. c. among the G stars. d. on the main sequence. e. among the B stars.

____ 12. The sun creates its energy by the process of a. radiation. b. conduction. c. nuclear fusion. d. convection. e. nuclear fission.

____ 13. To determine the period of a visual binary, we must measure a. brightness. b. wavelengths. c. position. d. temperature. e. luminosity.

____ 14. ____ about 130 km above Earth's surface when energy in the solar wind guided by Earth's magnetic field excites gases in the upper atmosphere. a. Flares occur b. Auroras occur c. Coronas occur d. Nuclear fission occurs e. Coronal holes occur

____ 15. Which of the following best obey the mass-luminosity relation? a. white dwarfs b. giant stars c. main sequence stars d. supergiant stars e. all of the above

____ 16. The chromosphere of the sun a. appears yellow-white in color during total solar eclipse. b. produces an absorption spectrum. c. is hotter than the photosphere. d. is the visible surface of the sun. e. all of the above

____ 17. Which of the following stars is most dense? a. the sun b. a giant star c. a supergiant star d. a white dwarf e. a main sequence star

____ 18. Parallax would be easier to measure if a. Earth moved faster along its orbit. b. Earth's orbit was larger. c. the stars were farther away. d. all of these e. none of these

____ 19. Granulation is caused by a. the heating in the chromosphere. b. rising gas below the photosphere. c. sunspots. d. the solar wind flowing away from the corona. e. shock waves in the corona.

____ 20. The sun's magnetic field is evident in the looped shapes of a. the corona. b. solar flares. c. sunspots. d. granules. e. prominences.

WORKSHEET #4

DUE October 13 (or at the midterm exam 10/13 hand in only 6pm K1134A & B) Off campus midterms 10/5 – 10/12

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY My extra credit paper will be_____________________________________ Due 12/5 Material covered Text chapters 9-11 Name____________________________ Multiple choice choose the most correct answer (1 pt each)

____ 1. Emission nebulae are also called ____ because they are composed of ionized hydrogen. a. HI regions b. Bok globules c. reflection nebulae d. HeI regions e. HII regions

____ 2. A planetary nebula is a. produced by a nova explosion. b. produced by a supernova explosion. c. a nebula within which planets are forming. d. a cloud of hot gas surrounding a planet. e. the expelled outer envelope of a medium mass star.

____ 3. Which of the following nuclear fuels does a one solar mass star use over the course of its entire evolution? a. hydrogen, helium, carbon, neon, and oxygen. b. hydrogen, helium, carbon, and neon c. hydrogen d. hydrogen, helium and carbon e. hydrogen and helium

____ 4. The Great Nebula in Orion a. is believed to be about 5 billion years old. b. is a reflection nebula. c. is an emission nebula. d. contains only young low mass stars. e. is a Herbig-Haro object.

____ 5. ____ are small luminous nebulae excited by nearby young stars. a. Giant molecular clouds b. Herbig-Haro objects c. T Tauri stars d. O associations

e. Bok Globule

____ 6. A star will experience a helium flash if a. its mass on the main sequence was less than 0.1 solar masses. b. it is a supergiant. c. its core is degenerate when helium ignites. d. it is more massive than about 6 solar masses. e. its core contains oxygen and helium.

____ 7. ____ are small dark nebulae about 1 light-year in diameter that contain 10 to 1,000 solar masses. a. Reflection nebulae b. Emission nebulae c. Bok globules d. HI regions e. HII regions

____ 8. In A.D. 1054, Chinese astronomers observed the appearance of a new star, whose location is now occupied by a. a pulsar. b. a neutron star. c. a supernova remnant. d. all of the above e. a and b

____ 9. As a star exhausts hydrogen in its core, it a. becomes cooler and less luminous. b. becomes hotter and less luminous. c. it becomes larger in radius and hotter. d. becomes cooler and more luminous. e. becomes hotter and more luminous.

____ 10. Stars within a cluster that are at the turnoff point a. have life expectancies that are equal to the age of the cluster. b. are stars that are just entering the main sequence portion of their evolution. c. are stars that are about to supernova. d. are stars that are generally spectral type G stars. e. are stars that are just becoming white dwarfs.

____ 11. A mass is transferred through the inner Lagrangia point in a binary system toward a white dwarf, the material forms a rapidly growing whirlpool of material known as a(n) a. accretion disk. b. Lagrangian point. c. supernova remnant. d. Algol paradox. e. planetary nebula.

____ 12. ____ occurs when light travels out of a gravitational field, loses energy and its wavelength grows longer. a. A pulsar wind b. A X-ray burst c. A gravitational redshift d. A magnetar e. Time dilation

____ 13. The slowing of clocks in strongly curved space time is known as a. gravitational red shift. b. gravitational curvature. c. time dilation. d. gravitational radiation. e. hyperspace drag.

____ 14. The Crab nebula is a. supernova remnant. b. an absorption nebula. c. a Bok globule. d. an open cluster. e. a planetary nebula.

____ 15. The density of a neutron star is a. about the same as a water molecule. b. about the same as that of a white dwarf. c. smaller than expected because the magnetic field is so strong. d. about the same as an atomic nucleus. e. about the same as that of the sun.

____ 16. Protostars are difficult to observe because a. they radiate mainly in the infrared. b. they are surrounded by cocoons of gas and dust. c. the protostar stage is very short. d. all of the above e. they are all so far away that the light hasn't reached us yet.

____ 17. The average star spends ____ of its lifetime on the main sequence. a. 50% b. 90% c. 75% d. 25% e. 10%

____ 18. What causes the outward pressure that balances the inward pull of gravity in a star? a. The opacity of the gas. b. The outward flow of energy. c. The temperature of the gas. d. The density of the gas. e. c and d

____ 19. Giant and supergiant stars are rare because a. helium is very rare. b. helium flash destroys many of the stars before they can become giants and supergiants. c. they do not form as often as main sequence stars. d. the giant and supergiant stage is unstable. e. the giant and supergiant stage is very short.

____ 20. Which of the following is not evidence of the existence of an interstellar medium? a. extinction b. narrow calcium lines in the spectra of O and B stars c. molecular bands in the spectra of cool stars d. dark clouds e. reddening

WORKSHEET #5

DUE October 27, 2010

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY Material covered: Text chapters 12 & 13 Name:__________________________ Multiple choice. Please choose the most correct answer. (1 pt each)

____ 1. The cluster method can be used to determine a galaxy's

a. age. b. distance. c. mass. d. diameter. e. luminosity.

____ 2. How did Harlow Shapley determine where the center of the galaxy lies? a. He plotted the distribution of globular clusters. b. He plotted the distribution of open clusters. c. He measured the amount of dust obscuration in every direction of the galactic disk. d. He made star counts in every direction of the galactic disk.

____ 3. Galactic cannibalism refers to a. binary galaxies. b. galaxies drawing in gas from the intergalactic medium. c. the merging of galaxies. d. the destruction of a galaxies globular clusters by the galaxies nucleus. e. none of these

____ 4. How is the age of the galaxy determined? a. Measuring the metallicity of Population II stars. b. Counting the number of open clusters in the spiral arms. c. From the motion of stars in the galactic halo. d. Finding the turnoff point in the H-R diagram of globular clusters.

____ 5. Radio maps of our galaxy show spiral arms because a. the stars in the spiral arms emit most of their energy at radio wavelengths. b. the arms have larger Doppler shifts. c. the gas in spiral arms is denser. d. the gas in the spiral arms is very hot. e. the dust in spiral arms is denser.

____ 6. An E galaxy contains a. mostly white dwarfs and supergiants. b. mostly upper main sequence stars and gas and dust. c. mostly lower-main sequence stars and giants. d. roughly equal numbers of upper and lower main sequence stars. e. mostly upper main sequence stars and giants.

____ 7. Gravitational lensing a. occurs when the mass of a galaxy is less than expected from the luminosity of the galaxy. b. occurs when light passes near a massive object and is deflected by the object's

gravitational field. c. can be used to determine the luminosity of a galaxy. d. can be used to determine the recessional velocity of a galaxy. e. occurs when the mass of a galaxy is greater than expected from the luminosity of the

galaxy.

____ 8. ____ are produced when two galaxies pass near each other and pull large streamers of stars, gas, and dust away from the galaxies. a. Tidal tails b. Rotation curves c. Irregular galaxies d. Ring galaxies e. Spiral galaxies

____ 9. The center of our galaxy lies in the direction of the constellation of a. Monoceros. b. Ursa Major. c. Orion. d. Sagittarius. e. Ursa Minor.

____ 10. Who first calibrated the Cepheid variable stars for use in determining distance? a. Henrietta Leavitt b. Harlow Shapley c. Edwin Hubble d. Carl Sagan e. John Glenn

____ 11. ____ have elongated nuclei with spiral structure extending from the ends of the elongations. The Milky Way is a member of this class of galaxy. a. Irregular galaxies b. Spiral galaxies c. S0 galaxies d. Elliptical galaxies e. Barred spiral galaxies

____ 12. An irregular galaxy contains mostly a. upper and lower main sequence stars and gas and dust. b. lower-main sequence stars and giants. c. white dwarfs and supergiants. d. upper main sequence stars and giants. e. upper main sequence stars and gas and dust.

____ 13. A mega-parsec is equivalent to a. the diameter of the Milky Way galaxy. b. 3,260,000 light-years. c. 206,265 AU. d. 206,265 light years. e. 3.26 light-years.

____ 14. ____ in other galaxies should contain luminous O and B stars if they are like the Milky Way. a. The halos b. The bulges c. The spiral arms d. The coronas e. The globular clusters

____ 15. Which of the following is not used as a distance indicator? a. Large globular clusters b. H II regions c. Herbig-Haro objects d. Cepheid variable stars e. Supernovae

____ 16. Which of the following is not a characteristic of the stars of the disk component of our galaxy? a. star formation regions b. circular orbits c. young stars d. higher metal abundance e. randomly inclined orbits

____ 17. A group of 10 to 100 stars that formed at the same time but are so widely scattered in space their mutual gravity cannot hold them together is called a. a globular cluster. b. an open cluster. c. an accretion disk. d. a spherical component e. an association.

____ 18. ____ first noticed that for Cepheid variable stars, there was a direct relation between the luminosity and the period of the variation in their brightness. a. Carl Sagan b. Edwin Hubble c. Henrietta Leavitt d. John Glenn e. Annie Cannon

____ 19. A spiral galaxy contains a. mostly white dwarfs and supergiants. b. upper and lower main sequence stars and gas and dust. c. mostly upper main sequence stars and giants. d. mostly lower-main sequence stars and giants. e. mostly upper main sequence stars and gas and dust.

____ 20. Younger stars have more heavy elements because a. old stars destroy heavy elements as they age. b. heavy elements haven't had time to settle to the core of these younger stars. c. the heavy elements were made in previous generations of stars. d. young stars burn their nuclear fuels faster. e. all of these

WORKSHEET #6

DUE November 10, 2010

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY Material covered: Text chapters 14 &15 Name:_________________________ Multiple choice choose the most correct answer. (1 pt. each)

____ 1. Statistical evidence a. is applicable to classes of objects where only a few objects from the class have

been studied. b. provides insight into the behavior of an individual object based on careful

observations of it. c. can be used to draw conclusions about a specific cases. d. allows scientists to deduce general characteristics about a class of objects with

similar properties. e. allows scientists to determine the mechanism that produces the dust ring in

Centaurus A.

____ 2. Seyfert galaxies a. are more common in close pairs of galaxies than in isolated systems. b. emit more energy at X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, or radio wavelengths than normal

spiral galaxies. c. generally show red shifts greater than 6. d. a and b e. a, b and c

____ 3. The assumption of homogeneity states that a. the universe looks the same from all locations over sufficiently great distances. b. the universe looks the same in all directions over sufficiently great distances. c. the universe looks the same at all epochs. d. all of the above e. none of the above

____ 4. As the universe cooled, it eventually reached a temperature of 3,000 K and protons were able to capture and hold electrons to form neutral hydrogen. This process is known as a. isotropy. b. ionization. c. hydration. d. recombination. e. annihilation.

____ 5. The resolution of Olbers' paradox suggests that it gets dark at night because a. the universe is not infinite in age. b. the universe is static. c. the universe is closed. d. a and b e. all of the above

____ 6. In 1998 it was announced that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. What does this imply from the perspective of the big bang? a. A force exists that we knew nothing about that causes the expansion. b. The universe is finite. c. The universe must be infinitely old. d. The universe must be closed. e. The amount of dark matter must be greatly less than the amount of normal matter.

____ 7. During the first moments of the big bang, nuclear fusion reactions made few heavy elements because a. the helium nucleus is unstable. b. the temperature and density were too low. c. no nuclei heavier than helium could form since there weren't any electrons formed. d. no stable nuclei exist with masses of 5 or 8 hydrogen masses. e. all heavy nuclei are unstable.

____ 8. The central galaxy in a double-lobed radio source is usually a. a dwarf elliptical galaxy. b. an irregular galaxy. c. a spiral galaxy. d. a giant elliptical galaxy. e. a quasar.

____ 9. How does the study of quasars reveal information of the history of the universe? a. Quasars are very distant so we can view how galaxy evolution occurred in the past. b. Quasars typically act as host galaxies for gravitational lensing. c. Quasars have been found to exist in every stage of the universe's evolution. d. Quasars contain stars of all ages.

____ 10. What is the most distant active galaxy? a. BL Lac objects b. Radio galaxies c. Quasars d. Seyfert galaxies

WORKSHEET #7

DUE Nov 23 (extra credit paper due 12/5. Four labs must be attended to count paper.)

AST 111 INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY Material covered Text chapters 16 & 17 Name:__________________________ Multiple choice. Please choose the most correct answer. (1 pt. each)

____ 1. Outgassing is a. caused by the bombardment of the solar wind. b. the largest of the Galilean satellites. c. the adding of material to an object by collection of solid particles. d. the release of gas from rocks as they are heated. e. the adding of material to an object an atom or molecule at a time.

____ 2. Slow surface evolution is caused by a. wind erosion. b. plate tectonics. c. differentiation. d. all of the above e. a and b

____ 3. The presence of breccias among the lunar rock samples shows that a. molten lava once flowed over the lunar surface. b. the lunar surface was fragmented by meteorite impacts. c. volcanism did not occur on the moon. d. water once existed on the moon in the form of small lakes and streams. e. the crust must have been made of anorthosite.

____ 4. The ozone layer is a. opaque to infrared radiation. b. opaque to visible light. c. opaque to ultraviolet radiation. d. responsible for producing most of the oxygen that animal life needs. e. transparent to ultraviolet radiation.

____ 5. An extrasolar planet is a. the tenth planet found around a distant star. b. another name for a meteoroid. c. a planet found orbiting around a star other than the sun. d. a planet that orbits the sun that we have not yet discovered. e. another name for an asteroid.

____ 6. A(n) ____ is a solar system object that enters Earth's atmosphere and becomes very hot due to friction between the object and Earth's atmosphere. a. comet b. planetesimal c. meteoroid d. asteroid e. meteor

____ 7. The theory that Mercury shrank slightly when it was young has been proposed to explain a. magnetic field. b. large craters. c. lobate scarps. d. extended lava plains. e. regolith.

____ 8. Which of the solar system objects listed below is most similar to Earth in terms of mass and density? a. Moon b. Mercury c. Venus d. Deimos e. Mars

____ 9. The gas that is most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth is a. ozone (O3) b. carbon dioxide (CO2) c. ammonia (NH3) d. oxygen (O2) e. nitrogen (N2)

____ 10. ____ are located more than 5 AU from the sun, have extremely large masses and very low densities. a. Jovian planets b. Extrasolar planets c. Asteroids d. Terrestrial planets e. Comets

____ 11. Which one of the following objects is most like the planetesimals that formed in the solar nebular? a. asteroids b. the sun c. Earth d. Venus e. Saturn

____ 12. The youngest parts of Earth's crust are a. the continents. b. the Appalachian Mountains. c. the bottom layer found in the walls of the Grand Canyon. d. the continental margins. e. the midocean rifts.

____ 13. The Galilean satellites a. orbit the planet Jupiter. b. orbit Mars. c. orbit the Jovian planets. d. orbit asteroids. e. orbit extrasolar planets.

____ 14. Which of the following is not produced by plate tectonics? a. the ring of fire b. Earth's magnetic field c. rift valleys d. the Appalachian Mountains e. midocean rifts

____ 15. ____ is the separation of material according to density. a. Outgassing b. Sublimation c. Differentiation d. Condensation e. Accretion

____ 16. Accretion is a. the adding of material to an object by collection of solid particles. b. the largest of the Galilean satellites. c. the release of gas from rocks as they are heated. d. caused by the bombardment of the solar wind. e. the adding of material to an object an atom or molecule at a time.

____ 17. The oldest rocks found on Earth are about ____ years old. a. 3.9 billion b. 4.6 billion c. 6.2 million d. 5.3 billion e. 10 billion

____ 18. Which of the following is not one of the four stages in the development of a terrestrial planet? a. slow surface evolution b. flooding c. differentiation d. sublimation e. cratering

____ 19. The geology of Venus appears to be dominated by a. strip mining. b. plate tectonics. c. erosion by flowing water. d. impact cratering. e. volcanism.

____ 20. Protoplanets a. grew in size primarily by condensation. b. grew in size by collecting the particles in the solar wind. c. grew in size primarily by accretion. d. are still visible today as the terrestrial planets. e. grew in size by the coalescing of planetesimals.

WORKSHEET #8

DUE December 8, 2010 (no later, see final exam schedule on course outline)

AST 111 - INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY Material covered: Text chapters 18-20 Name:_________________________ Multiple choice. Please choose the most correct answer. (1 pt. each)

____ 1. The stars most likely to have inhabited planets are a. G to K main sequence stars. b. G to K giants. c. white dwarfs and neutron stars. d. M main sequence stars. e. B to A main sequence stars.

____ 2. The gas tail of a comet always a. points perpendicular to the orbital path b. extends ahead of the head along the orbital path. c. points away from the sun. d. points toward the sun. e. trails behind the head along the orbital path.

____ 3. The life zone is a. only found around G and K stars. b. the region on a planet where conditions are acceptable for life to exist. c. very small for a massive star. d. a region around a star where a planet's temperature would permit the existence of

liquid water. e. a region on a young planet where amino acids can begin to form DNA molecules.

____ 4. Though Titan is small, it is able to retain an atmosphere because a. it has a very strong magnetic field. b. it attracts gas from the solar wind. c. it rotates very slowly. d. it is very cold. e. it is very dense.

____ 5. A meteor shower is produced when a. massive particles are carried outward from the sun by the solar wind and enter

Earth's atmosphere. b. Earth passes through the orbital path of a comet. c. Earth passes through the asteroid belt. d. meteors cause condensation in the upper atmosphere that leads to early morning

rains. e. a large number of sporadic meteors are observed.

____ 6. Belt and zone circulation a. is more obvious on Saturn than Jupiter. b. is caused by the planet's magnetic field. c. is caused by rising and sinking gases. d. explains the formation of Cassini's division. e. has been observed only on Jupiter.

____ 7. Both Jupiter and Saturn a. have belt and zone circulation. b. emit more energy than they absorb from the sun. c. have rings. d. have liquid metallic hydrogen in their interiors. e. all of the above

____ 8. ____ in Saturn's rings is/are produced by the gravitational interaction of Mimas with the particles in the rings and appears as a large gap in the rings. a. Bending waves b. The Io torus c. Spiral density waves d. Spokes e. Cassini's division

____ 9. The grooved terrain found on Ganymede is believed to be a. caused by meteor impacts with the surface of Ganymede. b. flow channels or liquid methane. c. flow channels or liquid water. d. a system of faults in the crust. e. the peaks of water waves in a large ocean.

____ 10. Comets falling into the inner solar system from the ____ become long-period comets. a. Widmanstätten region b. Roche limit c. asteroid belt d. Oort cloud e. Kuiper belt

____ 11. Meteorites can be classified according to their a. impact history. b. orbit. c. distance from the sun. d. mineral content. e. coma.

____ 12. The rings of Uranus were discovered a. during an eclipse of Uranus by the rings. b. by Voyager 1. c. as Uranus and the rings passed behind Jupiter. d. during an occultation of a star. e. during an eclipse of one of the moons by the rings.

____ 13. The impact of a large comet with Earth has been suggested to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. The impact site of this comet is in or near a. Iowa b. Hudson Bay c. Crater Lake, Oregon d. Canberra, Australia e. Chicxulub, Mexico

____ 14. The ____ of a planet is the region around the planet where the magnetic field is able to deflect the solar wind and other charged particles. a. hydrosphere b. aurora c. corona d. Schwarzschild radius e. magnetosphere

____ 15. The rotation of Uranus is peculiar in that a. it can not be measure because Uranus has no surface features. b. the equator rotates much faster than the poles. c. it is much slower than is typical for Jovian planets. d. it is much faster than is typical for Jovian planets. e. the axis is nearly parallel to the plane of its orbit.

____ 16. Chondrites are meteorites that have a. been heated sufficiently to release the volatiles it contained. b. been completely melted. c. entered Earth's atmosphere but will be destroyed before reaching the ground. d. never been heated. e. been heated sufficiently to melt the chondrules.

____ 17. The excess heat produced by Jupiter and Saturn is the result of a. radioactive decay. b. the continual slow contraction of each planet. c. the large number of meteorite and comet impacts that occur each year. d. hot molten lava rising to the surface. e. nuclear reactions in their liquid metallic hydrogen cores.

____ 18. Why are massive main sequence stars not likely to have planets that contain life? a. These stars are too hot to allow water to exist as a liquid on any planets that might

form. b. These stars would sweep away all of the material from which planets could form. c. These stars are almost always binaries and planetary orbits are unstable around

binaries. d. These stars are on the main sequence for too short a time to allow life to evolve. e. The life zones around these stars is too small.

____ 19. The first complex life appeared on Earth about 0.5 billion years ago during the a. Mississippian Period. b. Jurassic Period. c. Precambrian Period. d. Neolithic Period. e. Cambrian Period.

____ 20. A bit of matter that enters Earth's atmosphere and survives to reach the ground is called a. a minor planet. b. a meteorite. c. an asteroid. d. a meteoroid. e. a meteor.

Astronomy Lab Schedule The astronomy class will attempt to meet on the following dates and times to use the telescope to look at astronomical objects. Please contact the college 1 hour before lab on these dates if the weather looks questionable. I will inform the front desk if the labs are cancelled. The number to call is 1-800-481-2242 or you may call me at home at 618-634-9451. You may send me a text message to 618-771-2153 on my cell phone. Labs will be conducted at the Shawnee College Baseball field

Monday, August 30, 8 – 10pm

Wednesday, September 1, 8 -10pm Thursday, September 9, 9 – 11pm Monday, September 27, 7:30 – 9:30pm Tuesday, September 28, 7:30 – 9:30pm

Midterm Exam (telecourse students) Wednesday October 13 6 – 8pm K1134A and B. Lab after

8:30 – 10:30pm

(more labs will be scheduled after midterm) The lab schedule will be posted on my website at

http://www.shawneecc.edu/craigb/AST111/labs.htm

Attendance at four (4) labs is mandatory. Labs after the first 4 are worth 1 extra credit point for attendance. You come when you can. There will be extra credit offered in the lab sessions and some test material will come from the labs. Extra credit paper or any other extra credit will not count until four labs are attended. What to bring: lawn chair, blanket, flashlight, bug spray, notebook, pencil or pen, any maps or charts handed out in class. Make sure to dress for the weather. Thank you, Craig August 24 - Full Moon. This full moon will be the most distant and therefore the smallest of the year. September 21 - Jupiter at Opposition. The Solar System's largest planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. September 23 - The Autumnal Equinox occurs in the northern hemisphere at 03:09 UT. There will be equal amounts of day and night. This is also the first day of fall. October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. This shower usually peaks on the 21st, but it is highly irregular. November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 40 meteors per hour at their peak. December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. Considered by many to be the best meteor shower in the heavens, the Geminids are known for producing up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. The peak of the shower this year should occur on the night of December 13 and morning of the 14th, December 21 - Total Lunar Eclipse – visible after midnight December 21 - The Winter Solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere at 23:38 UT. The Sun is at its lowest point in the sky and it will be the shortest day of the year. This is also the first day of winter.