Seed Question: What can we learn about the Universe from this 20 minute camera exposure from a tripod fixed to the ground in Carmel, California? Write down 2 questions that come to your mind about this image.

Now look at your partner’s 2 questions. Are they the same as yours? Record your partner’s name and phone #. Choose one “best question” with your partner, and record it below in the Exploration.

Exploration: Consider this negative image closely. Tape the composite image I give you into your PJ.

1. Record your collaborative “best question” and attempt to answer it.

2. Central Questions: After whole class discussion, record the central questions to continue investigating.

A)

B)

C)

Note to students: color code your PJ entries using the colors you see here. You don’t need to write down text directions/explanations shown in black, like these ones!

6

The View From Earth

Galactic Plane

Galactic Center

Sagittarius: the “Tea Pot”

Additional Questions (right-hand page):3. Why are these tiny star images streaked?

4. What is the shape of the streaks?

5. What does the cloudy band of stars called the “Milky Way” tell us about the possible shape of our galaxy and our place in it?

In class: Mark the "Teapot" on your negative. Label the plane of the Milky Way and the direction to the Galactic Center.

Big Idea: The stars appear to be moving relative to us due to the daily rotation of the Earth. Either that, or they are all in giant, coordinated orbits around the Earth just to mess with us! The Milky Way is made up of an enormous disc of stars. Our Sun is one of those stars, located in the plane of the disc but not at its center. Stars come in different colors.

Discussion:

It will take the rest of the year to answer some of these questions!