See the Starry Night Freeman Tutorial for detailed directions on how to use Starry Night.

Be sure to write down the date and time of each observation. This is important information in all astronomical observations.

Open Starry Night and, if you haven’t already done so, set your home location. (See the Starry Night Freeman Tutorial for complete directions.)

If they’re not already displayed, turn on the Planet palette and the Display palette by clicking the corresponding icon on the Tool palette.

If it is daylight in your location at the time you do this project, turn daylight off by clicking Daylight on the Display palette.

If stars are not displayed (they are displayed by default), turn stars on by clicking Stars on the Display palette.

Turn on the display of constellations by clicking Conste… on the Display palette.

1. List the constellations that appear in the southern sky (the default view) from your location.

Display the northern sky by clicking the N button in the toolbar at the top of the screen.

2. List the constellations that appear in the northern sky.

Turn on "mouse information" by selecting Mouse Info from the Window menu or clicking the arrow labeled Mouse in the Tool palette. "Mouse information" displays a box that gives the name of the object or constellation over which your pointer is resting.

Click the Z button in the toolbar at the top of the screen to display the zenith.

3. Which constellation is the zenith in?

Toggle off the display of constellations by clicking Conste… on the Display palette. Return to the default view by selecting Return Home from the Settings menu or clicking the little house icon in the Tool palette.

Turn on display of the equatorial grid by clicking Equato... in the Display palette. Click the button next to Equato... in the Display palette and turn on Number Grids. (Hint: You might want to change the label color to white for better contrast.)

Find the star Altair (use Find from the Edit menu or click the magnifying glass icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen).

4. Using the equatorial grid, estimate the right ascension (R.A.) and declination (Dec.) of Altair. Write this number down.

Turn on Onscreen Info by clicking Info in the Display palette. Click the button next to Info in the Display palette. Click in the RA and Dec. box. (Hint: You might want to change the label color to white for better contrast.) Click OK.

5. From the onscreen information in the upper left-hand corner of the display, read the exact R.A. and Dec. of Altair (which should still be centered in the display). Write down these coordinates. How close did you come with your estimate?
6. If you have a modem or other connection to the Internet, right click Altair and select Live Bookmark from the pop-up menu. Follow one or more of the links at the LiveSky site and read more about Altair. Write down some interesting facts you discovered.

Turn on display of the ecliptic by clicking the Ecliptic button in the Display palette.

Find the celestial equator. (Hint: The equatorial grid line at 0º is the celestial equator.)

7. Find the two locations where the ecliptic crosses the celestial equator and write down the coordinates. What are these points called?
8. In what two constellations do these intersections lie?