Observing Project Final Report

Name
Class Name and Section Date Submitted
Observing Project Final Report
Now that you have observed some objects I want you to think about how the instrumentation you usedhas limited the
information you could collect.You should be able to answer the following questions by the time you finish this
report:
1. Why is your object worth observing using a well-known telescope?
2. How does the sensitivity and accuracy of a better telescope allow you to gather more useful information?
Please do the following:
1. Choose one of the objects you observed.
2. Do some research on the object.
a. Astronomical Information (type of object, location in sky (RA and DEC), size, composition,
etc...).
b. Research done by other scientists (please cite at least 3 sources).
c. Instrumentation used to observe this object.
d. Decide on characteristics (i.e. rotation of object, composition, mass, surrounding material, etc...)
of the object that you wish you learn more about. Determine what observations you would need to
do in order to learn about these characteristics.
3. Pick one famous telescope to observe this object and fill out the scientific proposal form below.
4. Please attach the observations you made of all your objects at the end of the proposal form.
This proposal form and attached documents are due as a hardcopy, the last day of class!

Name
Class Name and Section Date Submitted
Please do not alter margins and use 10 point font size.
SCIENTIFIC RATIONALE
This section needs to discuss the scientific background of your object and aims of the proposal and why you want to
make these observations. Please include characteristic information about your object, including the location using
RA and DEC. This section should not exceed 500 words. Figures and graphics can be included, or appended at the
end of the proposal. Please include in-text citations.
Please insert your scientific rationale here.
Our major aim of this study is to explore the observational features as embodied in the observed phases of the
moon. The significance of the moon in astronomical viewpoint can never be overemphasized given the criticality of
this phenomenon (Department of Astronomy, 2019). The moon is thought to be one of the stars closest to the earth;
it normally revolves around the earth in about 29days and a half of a day such that (as perceived from the earth
surface), all the four major phases are exhibited within this duration. The motion is generally eastwards against the
background stars while revolving and orbiting on its own axis (Pas Rochester, 2019). Given the reflective nature of
the moon, the orientation of the moon relative to the static position of the sun ( that is: the phases exhibited by the
moon are the consequences of its own rotation and revolution as perceived from the earth). For instance, the new
moon, which is often difficult to see clearly unless specialized equipments are used, is often the initial phase and it
occurs when the earth’s position and the moon’s position are inline such that the moon is zero illuminated. For
complete illumination, that is, full moon phase, there is a 100% chance of sun’s light reaching the moon’s surface.
The last phase (just before the next cycle ensues) is normally the full moon which comprises a 100% illumination
(Gran Telescopi, 2019). The moon is mainly composed of rocky material covering most of its depth with visible
craters on the surface. Some of the craters were filled with lava. The total mass is about 0.00123 of earth’s size. The
radius is about 1800km and temperature ranges between -240 to 125 degrees Celsius (Technion, 2019).
As mentioned earlier, we aim at exploring some of the salient features as observed by the telescope during the entire
period. Most importantly we will be interested in understanding the paternalistic tendency of the phases as observed
in different cycles for a predetermined period and then we can draw a conclusion as to whether a correlation exists
between weather pattern and the moon phases. For example, the amount of illumination and how it varies with time
and orientation of the moon. Other aspects such as changes in the earth’s reflectivity will also be derived from the
observation as this may assist predict the world climatic pattern; there is a direct correlation between solar maxim
and intensity with the weather changes (King, 2019).
Lastly, the characteristic information (to be observed) including location is as illustrated in table 1.
Table 1: The observed characteristic information for cycle 1
LOCATION(Existi
ng)
APPEARANCE PHASES Dates EVENT
Altitude -9.60 Diameter Full moon Time
Azimuth 281o(E) Disk illumination Last qtr Sets
RA 1h
39m41s
Longitude
liberation
New moon Rises
DEC 7o19’49
”
Latitude liberation First qtr Maxim.
Altitude
RANGE 35173k
m
Full moon
CONST
EL.
Pisces

Name
Class Name and Section Date Submitted
In table 1, all the observational features are to be included so that analysis can be accurately done thereafter. The
existing location given in the table are only serving as a guide for the raw data that is yet to be collected given that
the study is still at the proposal stage.
IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES
This section needs to present the plan of how you will use the data you will gather to achieve the science goals set
out above. This should include the type of data you will collect (i.e. photometric, spectral, etc...) and how this data
will help you learn more about the characteristics you wish to study. There is a 250 word limit.
Please insert your immediate objectives here.
The objectives for this study include:
 To explore the various phase characteristics of the moon
 To align these characteristics with the climatic pattern
 To uncover any paternalistic tendencies of the phase cycles