Since this is a daytime lab, this semester observing project is quite different than the one in you lab manual. The primary focus of this lab is to become familiar with the objects in the sky above you; we often go about our lives without ever actually looking at what is above us. We will become familiar with the two most prominent objects - the Sun and the Moon - as well as many of the constellations.

The lab consists of three sections:

1. Solar Observations - 50 points
2. Moon Observations - 50 points
3. Constellation Observation - 50 points

Solar Observing

This portion of the observing project will be done entirely during class and is quite straightforward. You will keep a running log of your observations which I will collect at the end of the each class in which we do observing. Each week you will do these two activities:

1. Sunspot Observing: You will observe the Sun with the aid of the sunspotter. Through these observations, you will see that the sun is quite dynamic and that the sunspots do not stay in the same place. I will be telling you a bit more about the Sun throughout the semester, so that these observations will complement the main part of the course.
2. Solar Position: You will also measure the position of the sun (S, SE etc) and its altitude each week. Again, you will see that the Sun moves about quite a bit in the sky, even when observed at the same time every day. Since it is quite difficult to look at the sun and determine its altitude, we will be casting a shadow of a wooden pole and measuring its length. We will go over this in detail the first time we do it and learn how to determine the Sun's altitude based upon the length of the cast shadow.

Finally, you will write a brief summary describing what you have learned through the solar observing project. I will give you more information about this later in the semester.

Lunar Observing

This part of the observing project will be done entirely outside of class. You must make 7 observations of the Moon, one of each phase of the Moon (you will learn the various phases of the Moon in Lab #3). Every couple days, go out and sketch the Moon in its correct phase. Use copies of the half-circle template provided in your lab manual to make your lunar observations. As with the Sun, you will also record the position of the Moon in the sky including the direction and altitude. To determine the position of the Moon (S, NW, etc) you must find the North Star. Please refer to the handout distributed during the first class to figure out how to do this. I will also show you this again in the planetarium.

As with the Solar observations, you will write a brief summary describing what you have learned through the Moon observation project. Include the following

- Time and Place of observations	- Partner
- Phase of the Moon (with drawings)	- Observing Conditions (clear, cloudy, etc.)
- Altitude and direction of Moon	- Any nearby prominent stars, planets, etc.

Constellation Observing

This portion of the project consists of two parts:

1. Constellation Observing: On any clear night, find your constellation and record the time and date of observation. Also record the altitude and direction of the constellation, and include a drawing. You should also include your impressions of the bright star(s) in the constellation and the constellation as a whole. What color are the brighter stars? How many bright stars are there? What does the constellation look like to you?
2. Constellation Lore: Using the internet or other sources of information, find out as much as you can about your constellation. Include background lore (Who/What was it named after? What stories surround the person/object?) as well as relevant information about objects found in the constellation (What are the names of the brighter stars? What other prominent objects are found in the constellation?). I will be giving you handouts of examples from which you can get a general idea of what I'm looking for.