A.
Why do the Constellations seem to move?
It’s a clear
night and you can see the stars over head. You take notice of
Orion in a certain position in the sky. Later just before you
go to bed, you look up and Orion has moved towards the west.
The same thing
happens with the sun. We first see the sun in the east, then at
the end of the day we see it disappear in the west. Are the sun
and stars moving around the earth? No, the earth is turning on
it’s axis.
In
this activity you will need:
Activity
steps:
1. On the
underside of the umbrella you will paste or tape the constellations
The Big Dipper, Little Dipper, and Cassiopeia. Make sure you put
the North Star right against the rod that goes through the center
of the umbrella.
2. Have a
friend hold the umbrella on the globe at the North Pole, but be
sure that the globe can turn but the umbrella does not.
3. Draw and
cut out a little person and paste or tape it to the place on the
globe where you live.
4. Now stand
next to the globe where the little cardboard person is placed
and look up at your umbrella sky. Is the Big Dipper to the right
or the left of the North Star?
5. Turn the
globe halfway around (Keep the umbrella still!) and follow your
little cardboard friend. Is the Big Dipper now at the right or
the left?
6. This activity
shows that when the earth turns, the stars are seen in different
parts of the sky.
Attention
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you play with your child or students, please share them with
us! Leave your activities or ideas on the Kid
Positive message boards.
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