Observing Projects
Introductory Astronomy students are required to engage in an "observing project". That observing project involves observations outside of class, either outdoors or indoors. We expect these projects will require 4to 6 hours of time outside of class.
A detailed description of the observing project options is available in the Astronomy 104 Course Activity Manual.
The observing project options are:
- Planetarium Project (Planetarium Schedule for Spring 2009): learn the names and locations of several stars, constellations and other objects in the MSUM planetarium.
- Is this right for me? : Choose this project
if you want to be able to locate stars in the nighttime sky.
Do not choose this project if you cannot be at the planetarium
at the required times.
- Sunrise/Sunset Project: Use a digital camera to record the position of the sun at sunrise or sunset and answer questions based on your data.
- Is this right for me?: Choose this project if you
have a camera and want to learn how the sun moves over the course
of the semester. Do not choose this project if you will have
trouble remembering to take and save an image a week for ten weeks.
- Galaxy Zoo.org Project: Participate in a "real" science
project and help classify galaxies in the largest digital
survey of the night sky in existence
- Is this right for me?: Choose this project
if you are comfortable with computers, have a good internet
connection (or can work on campus) and like the idea of
helping do “real science.” Do
not choose this project if you put things off until the
very last minute; this project will be difficult to do
in one sitting.
GalaxyZoo.Org Data Table
(PDF or Excel)Jan. 5, 2009 Mixed For those of you choosing to do the GalaxyZoo.org observing project, you can download the data table you will have to fill out as either a PDF file or a Microsoft Microsoft Excel file. GalaxyZoo.org Instructions
(Revised for GalaxyZoo2)Mar. 3, 2009 PDF This PDF file provides instructions for the GalaxyZoo observing project, revised to deal with the project switching to GalaxyZoo2.
The deadline to sign up for your Observing Project has passed.
You can check which Observing Project you signed up for by clicking here.
HAVING PROBLEMS SIGNING UP? If the form doesn't recognize your Dragon ID, email with your Dragon ID number so the problem can be addressed.
- Is this right for me?: Choose this project
if you are comfortable with computers, have a good internet
connection (or can work on campus) and like the idea of
helping do “real science.” Do
not choose this project if you put things off until the
very last minute; this project will be difficult to do
in one sitting.