Star Research Lab Report

Introduction In this activity, you will select and research one of the 25 brightest stars in our sky and apply the concepts you have learned in the course to your particular star. [Note: the information covered in the "Stars and the H-R Diagram" lab should be especially helpful.] You may choose the format of your final submission (e.g., PowerPoint, video, podcast, etc.). Be thoughtful, but be creative!

Star Research Activity During this activity, you will select your own star that you are to study in great detail by applying the material and concepts from the lab manual, your textbook, videos, and reliable Internet sources. Hopefully you will find this an excellent way to deepen your understanding of the material in a very personal way. For some aspects, you will need to research your star using external resources, but make sure all Internet sources are from reliable sites. Be sure to cite all your references!

There is no prescribed format or length for this activity. Instead, you are encouraged to use your own creativity. Possible formats could include a PowerPoint presentation, podcast, website, or even a standard written report. Feel free to include graphics, hyperlinks, music, bulleted lists, etc… Regardless of the format you choose, your final submission must clearly include (and identify) the following information about your star:

1. Distance, Location, and Name(s)

 How far away is your star in light-years? Compare/contrast this with our Sun (8 light-minutes away).

 Where is your star located? How and when would you go about finding it in the night sky?

 What other name(s) does your star have? How is its astronomical name related to its constellation?What does its ancient common name mean?

2. Star's Story

 Find out more about your chosen star from a historical perspective. This is not technical information,but rather, ancient or modern mythology, historical or cultural information that involves your star.

3. Classification

 Discuss the specific spectra of your star. Explain what it means. Compare/contrast this with our Sun.

4. Magnitude

 What are the absolute and apparent magnitudes of your star? Explain what these two terms mean.Compare/contrast this with our Sun.

5. H-R Diagram and Size

 Where does your star fit on the H-R diagram? Compare/contrast this with our Sun.

 Discuss this in terms of its size and, therefore, lifetime. Compare/contrast this with our Sun.

6. Lifespan and Age

 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.

7. References

 All sources must be cited and included in the submission.

Now, choose your star from those listed on the next page. Only the brightest stars are included so you can point out, identify, and tell others all about your star.

Choose Your Star

Star Star

Sun (can’t select) Altair

Sirius Aldebaran

Canopus Antares

Rigil Kentaurus Spica

Arcturus Pollux

Vega Fomalhaut

Capella Mimosa

Rigel Deneb

Procyon Regulus

Achernar Adhara

Betelgeuse Castor

Hadar Gacrux

Acrux Shaula

Adapted from Norton's 2000.0, 18th edition (copyright 1989, Longman Group UK).

Grading This activity should be submitted via the D2L dropbox.

Scoring Rubric

Possible Points Items Assessed

80 All items in 1-6 must be included and discussed thoroughly.

12 References are required and must be cited in the report. 8 Information must be conveyed in a clear, effective manner

and all material presented neatly and coherently.

Adapted, in part, from Astronomy Star Project material at OER Commons created by Erik Christensen 2016. Used with Permission.

*You may use your textbook or information from any reliable, credible online sources. Unreliable sources don’t always contain true, accurate, or up-to-date information. That’s why it is important to use only credible, reliable sources.

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