Astronomy: star project
Astronomy: star project
Be sure you cite all your references!
A Suggested resource: http://www.rssd.esa.int/index.php?project=HIPPARCOS&page=high_p
WRITTEN REPORT – STA
your project must clearly include (and identify) the following information about your star:
1. Distance, Location, Names, and Magnitude.
- How far away is your star? Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
- Where is your star located?
- How would you go about finding it in the night sky (state where you are located)?
- What other names does your star have?
- What are the absolute and apparent magnitudes of your star? Be sure to explain what these two terms mean. Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
- Star’s Story. Find out more about your assigned star from a historical perspective. This is
not technical information but rather, myths, history, or cultures that involved your star.
- Classification. Discuss the specific spectra of your Be sure to explain what this means. Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
4. H-R Diagram.
- Where does your star fit on the H-R diagram? Compare/contrast this with our
- Discuss this in terms of both its size and temperature. Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
5. Lifetime.
- What is the lifespan of your star? Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
- How old is your star right now? Compare/contrast this with our Sun.
- Possibility of Life. Suppose that there is a planet orbiting your star that has the right conditions to sustain
- What would you do to communicate to that planet? Be sure to take into consideration how
far away your star is.
- How would you want our civilization to be seen by life on that planet?
Scoring Rubric
Category | Excellent (9-10) | Marginal (7-8) | Unsatisfactory (0-6) |
1a. Distance | Correct including units; source cited | Correct; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited |
1b. Location | Correct including units; source cited | Correct; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited |
1c. Night sky | Clear, accurate directions; source cited | Accurate but somewhat unclear directions; source cited | Inaccurate, or source not cited |
1d. Other names | 2 or more correct alternate names; source cited | 1 correct alternate name; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited |
1e. Magnitude | Absolute & apparent magnitudes correct; source cited | Either absolute or apparent magnitude correct; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited |
Absolute & apparent magnitudes defined correctly; source cited | Either absolute or apparent magnitude defined correctly; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited | |
Correct comparison to Sun; source cited | Comparison 80% correct; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited | |
2. Story | Correct history or myth or culture involving this star; source cited | Mostly correct history or myth or culture involving this star; source cited | Incorrect, or source not cited |
3. Classification | Spectral classification correct; explained; compared to Sun; source cited | Mostly correct spectral classification correct; mostly explained; compared to Sun; source cited | Incorrect, left out classification or explanation or Sun comparison; or source not cited |
4a. H-R Diagram placement | Placement correct; correct comparison to Sun; source cited | Either placement or comparison to Sun incorrect; source cited | Both incorrect, or source not cited |
4b. H-R Diagram | Size and temperature correct, related to H-R Diagram; correct comparison to Sun; source cited | Size or temperature incorrect; or Sun comparison incorrect; source cited | All incorrect, or source not cited. |
5a. Lifetime | Lifespan correct; correct comparison to Sun; source cited | Lifespan incorrect, or incorrect comparison to Sun; source not cited | All incorrect, or source not cited |
5b. Age | Age correct; correct comparison to Sun; source cited | Age incorrect, or incorrect comparison to Sun; source not cited | All incorrect, or source not cited |
6a. Life – communication | Reasonable communication described; source cited | Unreasonable communication described; source cited | Source not cited |
6b. Perception | Well-reasoned and well-written opinion | Well-reasoned or well- written opinion | |
Mechanics | Entire presentation is free of grammar and spelling errors | Some minor errors exist | Errors interfere with understanding the meaning of the project |
Total (160 pts) | |||
Scaled to 50 points
possible |