Lab Exercises
Moons of
the Planets
Coordinates
Planetary
Rings
Scale of the
Solar System
Moons of
Jupiter
Lab 11
Eclipses
Lunar
Features
Orbits of
Comerts
Orbits of
the Planets
Planetary
Atmospheres
The Kuiper
Belt
Intro to
Celestia
Coordinate Systems
In this lab you will use a
celestial globe to examine the
position of objects in the sky
and predict their motions.
Click on the link in the upper
right to download and print
your copy
Eclipse Simulator
We will simulate both solar
and lunar eclipses in this
laboratory exercise. Click on
the link on the top right to
download and print your copy
of this lab.
Orbits of the Planets
In this lab, you will plot the
orbits of the planets showing
their relative sizes and
shapes. Download and print
for class.
Lunar Surface Features
In this lab exercise, you will
use images avaialble online to
discuss the features visible on
the Moon’s surface.
Solar System Scale
In this lab, we will go outside
to the Thompson Oval to see
the true scale of our solar
system. Download and print
the lab and wear sensible
shoes.
Planetary Atmospheres
In this lab, you will use basic gas
laws to predict the possible
atmosapheres of planetary
bodies. The lab includes an
Excel spreadsheet which will
calculates gas velocities.
The Moons of Jupiter
The four moons discovered by
Galileo obey Kepler’s laws of
planetary motion, with a twist.
You will calculate the numbers
for these objects
Planetary Rings
In this laboratory excercise, you
will compare the ring systems of
the four giant planets in the solar
system. Each is unique in some
way.
Moons of the Planets
There are at least a hundred
moons of various types orbiting
the other planets in the solar
system. This lab sorts them into
distinct catagories.
Intro to Celestia
This exercise is intended to get
you familiar with the Celestia
program, which you will be using
to create your final project for
this class.
Globular Clusters
In this lab exercise, you will plot
the positions of globular clusters.
When done, you will see that the
distribution of this type of cluster
is different than open clusters.
Your plot should be centered on
the center of our Milky Way
galaxy.
The Local Group
.
In this lab, you will tabulate the
few dozen members of the Local
Group of galaxies and find the
distribution of each type.
The Kuiper Belt
For twenty years or so now, we
have begun to explore a new
region in the solar system whuic
contains perhaps thousand of
small bodies similar to Pluto
