Planetarium, Midpark High School Alumni Association

There are not many other high schools with their own planetarium. The planetarium is a room with a 24' dome for a ceiling. The dome serves as a projection screen. A star projector is located in the center of the room which projects stars onto the dome. When the lights are dimmed, it seems as if one is outside looking at the real stars. The effect can range from a light polluted city sky to the intense sky of the country or desert. The Sun, Moon and planets can also be included in the projections. A coordinate system and other visual effects can also be superimposed on the star field.

Midpark's astronomy classes often visit the planetarium. Other Midpark teachers can sign up for a planetarium visit as appropriate for their subject matter. Many of the planetarium visits are from other schools in the Berea City School District. Visitors range from second to sixth graders. Various grades in this range include one or more planetarium visit as part of their science curriculum.

Several public evening shows are offered throughout the school year at the Midpark planetarium. These are coordinated through the district's Community Education Department. Please contact them for dates, times and sign-up information.

If you are interested in astronomy you may wish to follow the link elsewhere on the Alumni web page to an astronomy information listing. This gives some starting points as to what to look for in the night sky.

· The Sun is moving higher and higher, the days are growing longer, and the days grow less and less chilly.

· During the early part of this two-month period, Mars and Saturn are visible in the evening sky. They continue to be visible throughout these two months, and beyond. Mars is to the left of Orion and Canis Minor, and below Gemini.

· Venus takes a few weeks before it is easily spotted near the western horizon after sunset. However, once it makes its appearance during the middle of March, it becomes easier and easier to spot, as it rises higher and higher each evening. It will remain visible in the west-southwest after sunset for many weeks. Venus is extremely bright and easy to spot.

· Mercury makes an appearance near the western horizon after sunset. Even though Mercury is quite bright, it is always rather difficult to spot, since it is never far from the Sun. From our vantage point on Earth, this means that Mercury is never very far from the horizon.

· The Lyrid Meteor Shower peaks on April 22. Meteors are often visible for a week or so before and after the peak.

· The Moon and planets travel very near a line called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path in the sky through which the Sun appears to travel. The Sun, planets and moons of most planets are roughly in the same plane. That is why the Moon and planets travel through the same areas of the sky, near the ecliptic.

· While the stars and constellations of the winter sky are very easy to spot, they are constantly moving westward each evening. The winter constellations begin this two-month period in the south and overhead. The spring stars and constellations, which are already appearing in the east as we begin the month of March, will begin to dominate the skies as we progress into these two months.

· The winter constellation, Orion will move closer to the southwest horizon as the days progress. The three stars that form Orion’s belt can help you locate this hunter. The bright star Sirius in Canis Major, to the lower left of Orion, will still be easily seen in the south-southwest. Sirius is the brightest star in our evening sky. Only the Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars can appear brighter. To the left of Orion’s shoulders, look for Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor. Following Orion’s belt to the upper right will lead you to the star Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus the bull. Continue following the line of Orion’s belt past Aldebaran. You should be able to spot the Pleiades, a dim star cluster often called the Seven Sisters. Above and left of Orion are the stars Pollux and Castor in the constellation Gemini. Above Orion’s head is the bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga. This entire set of winter stars and constellations begins the month of March high in the south in the evening. Each day, however, they move nearer to the southwest. By the end of April, they will have just about disappeared for this year.

· As we move into the Spring season, look for Ursa Major, the Big Bear, or Big Dipper as it moves more over head each evening. See if you can spot Alcor, the companion to the star Mizar, which is the middle star of the handle of the Big Dipper.

· The “handle” of the big dipper forms a curve that “arcs” to the bright star Arcturus in the constellation Bootes the shepherd, and continues to arc or “spike” to the star Spica in Virgo. Arcturus is the very bright star visible in the east during the early part of this two month period. Arcturus moves higher in the sky as these two months progress. The constellation Corvus (the crow) is visible to the right of Spica. Corvus will appear as four star grouping.

· The Pointer Stars, which are the stars at the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris is not a very bright star, but since it is almost exactly above the North Pole, it always points out north to us. Polaris is the end of the handle of the Little Dipper, officially, Ursa Minor, the Little Bear. Ursa Minor is quite dim and difficult to view. In between the two dippers is a dim line of stars that forms the tail of Draco the dragon.

· If you follow the Pointer Stars in the other direction, to the south - southeast, you can find the star Regulus and the constellation Leo, the lion. Leo consists of a backward question mark with Regulus forming the dot. The backward question mark is the head and mane of the lion which is looking off to the right, or west. To the left of the backward question mark is a rather dim triangle that forms Leo’s back legs and tail. If you can find Leo the lion, you can imagine it looking at the two bright stars, Castor and Pollux, which are part of the Gemini twins.

· March 2 The Moon has moved to the upper right of the star Spica (which represents a sprig of wheat in the hand of Virgo).

· March 6 The Moon has moved to the right of the orangish star Antares, the heart of Scorpius the scorpion.

· March 14 Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. in the United States and Canada, except in Hawaii and most of Arizona. Let’s see now, what is that saying? (Beginning in 2007, daylight time in the United States begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.)

· March 16 The crescent Moon is to the right of Venus near the western horizon after sunset. Venus is very bright, but still quite near the western horizon.

· March 20 Spring officially arrives at 1:32 p.m. EDT. This is the spring, or vernal, equinox. At this moment, the Sun has “moved” to a point directly above the equator. The Sun is crossing the equator heading north. This defines the start of spring for the northern hemisphere. This is actually due to the Earth’s tilt and its motion around the Sun.

· March 20 The Moon has moved to near the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) star cluster. The nearby star is Aldebaran, the eye of Taurus the bull.

· March 20 Saturn is at opposition. At opposition, Saturn and the Sun are in opposite directions in our sky. As the Sun sets in the west, Saturn rises in the east. Saturn will remain in the sky all night long. As Saturn sets in the west, the Sun will be rising in the east. Saturn is below and left of the constellation Leo the lion. Leo’s head and mane look like a backward question mark with a triangle to the question mark’s left. You can find the question mark and triangle by following the pointer stars of the Big Dipper “backwards” or in the opposite direction of the North Star.

· March 26 The Moon is to the upper right of the star Regulus, the dot of the backward question mark of Leo the lion.

· April 4 The date for Easter is the first Sunday after the first full Moon after the spring equinox.

· April 7 Even though tonight and the next few days gives us one of the best appearances of Mercury for the year, it is still difficult to spot unless you have a very good view of the western horizon. Venus is the exceptionally bright object in the west. Mercury is to the lower right of Venus. The only astronomical objects brighter than Venus are the Sun and the Moon. Venus and Mercury will be visible after sunset as soon as the sky starts to get dark. If you wait too long, they will both have set.

· April 11 The Moon has moved to above Jupiter in the eastern sky near the horizon before sunrise.

· April 15 Meteors from the Lyrid Meteor Shower may begin to be visible. Please see the April 22 comment.

· April 15 and 16 The Pleiades (Seven Sisters), Venus, Mercury and the Moon form a fine grouping above the western horizon after sunset.

· April 22 The Moon has moved to below and left of Mars. This represents true motion of the Moon.

· April 22 The Lyrid Meteor Shower is at its peak. Meteors are, at times, seen a week or so before and after the peak of a meteor shower. Meteors can be seen on nearly any clear night of the year if one is patient and fortunate enough to be looking in the right direction. This year’s Lyrid Meteor Shower is expected to peak a little before it begins to get light in the morning.

· April 25 The Moon has moved to the lower right of Saturn and to the upper right of the star Spica. Spica is farther from the Moon than Saturn.

· April 28 Full Moon, the Full Pink Moon. The Earth is roughly between the Sun and Moon…but is much closer to the Moon. Eclipses are so uncommon because the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted and the Earth is not often in perfect alignment with the Sun and Moon.

· April 30 The Moon has moved to the lower left of the star Antares.

Some of this information is adapted from Star Date magazine with their permission. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the Midpark planetarium.



	Newsletter/Calendar \| Membership/How to Help \| Class Reunions \| Scholarships \| Halls of Fame \| Vietnam Memorial \| Contact Trustees \| Midpark Store \| Midpark Planetarium \| Links \| Become a Sponsor \| Home
	All material (c) copyright Midpark High School Alumni Association. Site design & maintenance by Reed Visual Communications, LLC, Cleveland, OH - Tel: (440) 234-2413.