The 42nd Period | STEM Education Hub

🎒 Materials

Printed (or hand-drawn) horizon-dome star chart — one per night, or a single 7-ring chart to layer points onto
Observation log sheet (template below) — one row per night
A way to estimate altitude and azimuth: fist-width method (a fist at arm's length ≈ 10°), a phone compass app for azimuth, or Stellarium Web as a cross-check
Optional: red-filtered flashlight, so you don't wreck your night vision while writing

📋 Procedure

Day 1

Kickoff — Choose & Calibrate

In class: pick a constellation family you can reliably re-find (bright, well-known shapes work best — Ursa Major, Orion, Cassiopeia). Practice estimating altitude and azimuth together. Agree on one fixed observation time you can actually hit every night this week, and do your first entry tonight at that time.

Nights 2–6

Nightly Logging (take-home)

Every night, at your fixed time, find your constellation and log its altitude and azimuth on your log sheet. Plot the point on your star chart the same night if you can — it's much easier than reconstructing it later. If a night is cloudy or you miss it, log the gap honestly rather than guessing a point.

Day 2

Mid-Week Checkpoint (in-class)

Compare logs and charts with a partner. Troubleshoot anything that looks off — usually a flipped compass direction or an inconsistent observation time. Before you finish the week, use the Deep Dive's drift predictor to form a prediction for how far your constellation should have moved by Night 7, so you have something to check your real data against.

Day 3

Compile & Explain (in-class)

Finish plotting all seven nights onto one chart. Write a short explanation (a solid paragraph) of why the constellation moved the way it did, using the sidereal/solar day idea from the Deep Dive — and referencing your own data specifically, not just the concept in the abstract. Turn in the chart, log, and explanation together.

One row like this per night — seven rows total by the end of the week.

Field	Example entry
Date	Oct 14
Observation time	9:00 PM (same every night)
Constellation / family	Ursa Major
Estimated altitude	≈ 38°
Estimated azimuth	≈ 15° (just east of due north)
Sky conditions / notes	Clear, no moon, easy to spot

📊 Grading Rubric — 100 pts

A starting point — adjust weights to fit your class before assigning.

Category	Weight	Exemplary	Proficient	Developing	Incomplete
Observation Log	25 pts	All 7 nights logged at a consistent clock time; honest notes on any skipped or cloudy nights.	5–6 nights logged consistently; gaps noted.	3–4 nights logged, or timing inconsistent night to night.	2 or fewer nights logged.
Star Chart	25 pts	All logged points plotted accurately with correct N/E/S/W orientation and a clear legend.	Most points plotted correctly; minor orientation or labeling issues.	Chart plotted but orientation, scale, or labeling is unclear or inconsistent.	Chart missing or unreadable.
Explanation of the Drift	30 pts	Correctly explains the drift using the sidereal/solar day difference, cites direction and rough size of the shift from their own data.	Explanation is mostly correct but vague on the sidereal/solar mechanism or the size of the drift.	Attributes the drift to the wrong cause (e.g., confuses it with diurnal motion) or gives no mechanism.	No explanation submitted, or explanation doesn't reference the data at all.
Process & Presentation	20 pts	Neat, complete, submitted on time; missed nights are documented rather than faked.	Mostly complete and on time; small presentation issues.	Late or noticeably incomplete presentation.	Not submitted.

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