Lab 1

Lab 1:  Observing Jupiter's Moons

Used with permission from "Engaging in Astronomical Inquiry", by Stephanie Slater, Timothy Slater, and Daniel Lyons. Copyright W.H. Freeman and Company, New York, 2010

Phase I:  Exploration

After completing the above steps, answer the following questions.  If you are taking the course for credit, complete the open-ended responses within the 'Lab 1' Module link in Canvas.

1. The resulting image shows what one would see looking through a special telescope.  In this picture, where is the observer with the special telescope located?

2. How does the image change if you INCREASE the field of view?

3. What is the exact date of the image?

4. Astronomers typically mark images based on the time it currently is in Greenwich, England, called UTC.  What is the precise time listed on the image?

5. Using a ruler to measure the distance on the screen between the middle of Earth and the middle of the Moon, what is the measured distance? You do NOT need to know the exact number of kilometers, but simply a ruler-measurement you can compare with other measurements you make later. Alternately, you can use the edge of a piece of lined paper held in the landscape orientation and count the lines, or mark the locations of Earth and Moon along the edge of a piece of blank paper and hold the paper up next to the arbitrary "Squigit" ruler (Links to an external site.) (Note: ruler pops up in a different window. WARNING: This window is resizable, so be sure not to resize the squigit ruler window AFTER you have begun using it!) to get a measurement. You will be making many measurements in this lab, so pick a method that is efficient for you and allows reasonable precision and accuracy.

6. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on: Enter either "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

7. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by 1 hour and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

8. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

9. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by one day from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

10. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

11. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by three days from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

12. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

13. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by five days from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

14. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

15. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by 10 days from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

16. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

17. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by two weeks from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon. Be sure to include left or right.

18. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

19. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by one month from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

20. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

21. Use the browser’s BACK button to return to the Solar System Simulator homepage. Now, advance the time by three months from when you started and determine the new distance between the Earth and Moon.

22. In the measurement you just took, which side of the Earth was the Moon on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Moon was behind the Earth)?

23. Consider the research question of, “how long does it take the Moon to orbit Earth?” It has been said that it takes about one “moon-th” for the Moon to go around Earth. Which of your observations confirms or contradicts this statement? Explain.

Phase II:  Does the Evidence Match a Given Conclusion?

24.  Consider the research question, “How long does it take one of Jupiter’s moons to orbit Jupiter?” Set the Solar System Simulator to observe Jupiter from the Sun, where Jupiter takes up 10% of the image, and measure the distance between Jupiter and Io shown on the image

25.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on:  "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

26.  Advance the “time” by one day, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

27.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

28.  Advance the “time” by two days from when you started, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

29.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

30.  Advance the “time” by three days from when you started, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

31.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

32.  Advance the “time” by four days from when you started, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

33. In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

34.  Advance the “time” by five days from when you started, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

35.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

36.  Advance the “time” by six days from when you started, and record the distance between Jupiter and Io.

37.  In the measurement you just took, which side of Jupiter was Io on: "L",  "R" or "N/A" (if the Io was behind Jupiter)?

38.  If a fellow student proposed a generalization that "Io orbits the Jupiter about every 48 hours," would you agree or disagree with the generalization based on the evidence you collected by noting patterns in the time it takes for Io to return to its original position from where it started? Explain your reasoning and provide specific evidence either from the above tasks or from new evidence you yourself generate using the Solar System Simulator.  It is not enough to vaguely reference "the answers to the questions above" - you need to cite specific numeric evidence and explain how it supports your answer.

Phase III:  What Conclusions can you draw from this Evidence?

39.  Europa is one of the four largest moons orbiting Jupiter. The others are Io, Callisto, and Ganymede. What conclusions and generalizations can you make from the following data collected by a student in terms of HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE EUROPA TO ORBIT JUPITER? Explain your reasoning and provide specific evidence, with sketches if necessary, to support your reasoning.

Time	Measured Distance from Jupiter	Appearance Notes
11pm Monday	0 squidgets	Not visible, likely behind Jupiter
11pm Tuesday	5.0 squidgets	On Jupiter's right side
11pm Wednesday	1.5 squidgets	On Jupiter's right side
11pm Thursday	5.0 squidgets	On Jupiter's left side
11pm Friday	No observations	cloudy

Remember, a picture is worth 10³ words! Optional: Feel free to create and label sketches or graphs to illustrate your response. Please upload any sketches/graphs.  (Please do not email your file to the instructor.)

Phase IV:  What Evidence do you need?

40.  Imagine your team has been assigned the task of writing a news brief for your favorite news blog about the length of time it takes Ganymede, the largest moon in the entire solar system, to orbit Jupiter once. Describe precisely what evidence you would need to collect, and how you would do it, in order to answer the research question of, "Over what precise period of time does it take Ganymede to orbit Jupiter?" You do not need to actually complete the steps in the procedure you are writing.

Write a Procedure:  Create a detailed, step-by-step description of evidence that needs to be collected and a complete explanation of how this could be done - not just "look and see when the Ganymede is first on one side and then on the other", but exactly what would someone need to do, step-by-step, to accomplish this. You might include a table and sketches - the goal is to be precise and detailed enough that someone else could follow your procedure. Do NOT include generic nonspecific steps such as "analyze data" or "present conclusions" -- these are meaningless filler. Be specific!  Remember, a picture is worth 10³ words! Optional: Feel free to create and label sketches or graphs to illustrate your response.

Phase V:  Formulate a Question, Pursue Evidence, and Justify Your Conclusion

Your task is to design an answerable research question, propose a plan to pursue evidence, collect data using using Solar System Simulator (or another suitable source pre-approved by your instructor), and create an evidence-based conclusion about some motion or changing position of a moon or planet of the solar system, that you have not completed before.  Remember, a picture is worth 10³ words! Optional: Feel free to create and label sketches or graphs to illustrate your response. Please upload all sketches/graphs here.  (Please do not email your file to the instructor.)

Research Report:  

41.  Write your specific research question.

42.  Write your step-by-step procedure, with sketches if needed, to collect evidence. (Do NOT include generic nonspecific steps such as "analyze data" or "present conclusions" -- these are meaningless filler. Be specific!)

43.  Provide your data table and/or results.

44.  Provide your evidence-based conclusion statement.

Phase VI:  Summary

45.  Create a PITHY 50-word summary, in your own words, that describes the motions, orbits, or rotations of Jupiter’s moons (or other moons or planets in our solar system that you might have studied). You should cite what you learned from doing each of the phases of this lab, not describe what you have learned in class or elsewhere.  Include a word count at the end of your answer. (Remember, 50 words is not much! This is intended to keep you mindful of making your answers BRIEF and PITHY.)