Your Lunar Log

For discussion section from 5/3 to 5/8, your assignment will be to bring in a calendar of the lunar phases from April 5^th through May 2^nd. You have two options as to how you do this assignment.

If you do this as a regular discussion section assignment, you can simply obtain the lunar phases from an almanac, from some source on the web, from your calendar, or from some other publicly available source of information. This will count as a regular discussion section assignment.

If you wish to make the observations yourself, you can obtain up to 10 extra points (in the raw score) on the exam of your choice: either hour exam, lab final, or final exam. However, you must follow the instructions below EXACTLY. In particular you MUST hand in a preliminary lunar log.

LUNAR LOG WORKSHEET AND INSTRUCTIONS

Purpose of this activity: Research with my classes and with other people's classes has shown that actual observation of the moon can significantly enhance your understanding of where the earth is in space, and why common astronomical phenomena such as the phases of the moon occur. However, experience has also shown that many students have serious difficulty in making observations of the moon over the sustained period of time that is needed in order to see changes (one month). Previous experience has shown that many students do their "observing" over the internet - explaining the need for some of the columns in the table below.

Instructions:

Every night that it is clear, you should observe the moon. When the moon is no longer in the night sky (after approximately April 20), you should observe the moon in the morning, preferably before dawn but at least before 11 AM. Each time you observe the moon you should draw a little picture of its appearance and note what direction you are facing (recall that the sun sets in the west). You should also note the weather conditions (clouds or lack of clouds) and anything else you see, such as bright planets near the moon.

If it is not clear enough to see the moon, record that fact.

For at least two of your observations in the first week, and for at least two of your observations thereafter, I would like someone other than yourself to witness that you actually made the observations. The witness should put his or her initials in the table and also sign the lines below the table.

I will ask for original records of your observations of the moon. If you keep your records in your day-timer, I want a xerox copy of your day-timer, and I reserve the right to ask to examine the original. If the table below is not your original records, I'd like the original records and a copy of the table. I reserve the right to take other actions necessary in order to ensure that you actually made these observations.

Preliminary Lunar Log

Name: _______________ E-mail address: ____________

Witness's verification: Someone other than you should sign below. This person should be with you at the time you make your observation. The person can be a roommate, friend, orrelative.

By signing the line below, the person witnessing the observation verifies that he or she was present when the observation was made, and that the person completing the lunar log actually recorded the phase of the moon and other pertinent information.

Witness for one observation :

Witness for a second observation:

In order to receive 10 points on an exam, you need to turn in the following:

1. Your preliminary lunar log, due in the big class by 4/13, filled out according to the instructions. You should put your name and e-mail address on the log. You should keep a copy of your preliminary lunar log.

2. Your final lunar log, due in the big class on 5/1. I have not prepared a table for the final lunar log but it should be a continuation of the one above for the preliminary lunar log.

3. Copies of both your preliminary and your final lunar logs should be turned in at discussion section, when your section reviews the phases of the moon.