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Science Activities: Classroom Projects and Curriculum


Ideas
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http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsca20

How Many Stars Are in the Sky?


Myeong-Kyeong Shin
Published online: 02 Apr 2010.

To cite this article: Myeong-Kyeong Shin (1998) How Many Stars Are in the Sky?, Science Activities: Classroom Projects and
Curriculum Ideas, 35:3, 17-22, DOI: 10.1080/00368129809600913
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00368129809600913

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18

Vol. 35, No. 3

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

MIDNIGHT

6:OO P.M.

&
Big Dipper

BTg Dipper

Cassiopeia

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Figure 1. Observation of a constellation at 6:OO

ee

Betelgeuse
Shield

k
brightest

North Star

P.M.

and midnight (winter).

ness. On a scale of 0 to 4, the brightest is 0 to 1 and the


dimmest 4. Students should try to answer the following
questions:
Does Orion stay in one place during the night?
In the 3-night period, does the number of stars within
Orion change?
If so, why does it change? (For example, is it affected by
weather or environmental conditions such as smog, light
pollution, and heat currents?)

2. Students should continue to observe, even if they cannot see any stars because of clouds. This will help them
understand diurnal changes and environmental factors.
Also, it will show them how a constellation changes over
time as noted in Figure 3.

'0

.@

Rigel

dimmest

ACTIVITY 3: COUNT THE STARS


After the preceding activities, students should be ready to
make their grand count of the stars. Check the weather forecast before beginning the activity; it is important to have a
clear sky for the first few days. Students should compare
their predicted number with the number they arrive at when
doing the activity.

Pre-activity class discussion (Engagement)


Figure 2. Student example of how to use the light scale.

Betelgeuse and Rigel, have a brightness magnitude between


0 and 1 (the lower the number, the brighter the star). If students do this activity in a season other than winter, they can
choose any constellations that are easily observed around
9:OO or 1O:OO P.M.

Procedure
1. Students should observe and sketch Orion for 3 consecutive nights when Orion is in the winter southern sky.
When sketching, they should classify the stars by bright-

In one place, at one time, what percentage of the sky is


visible?
How many stars are visible to the naked eye at one time?
What are some methods for counting these visible stars?

Materials
Ruler
Compass
Toilet paper or paper towel tube
Procedure (Exploration)
Part I

4. Divide the entire night sky and from it select a sample of stars. Students can gather star samples beginning at

Fall 1998

Sketch 1
9:15 P.M. Dec. 1
clear sky

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

a-

\!

i'\

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19

a-

Sketch 2

Sketch 2

10:15 P.M. DeC. 1


clear sky, but less so
than at sketch 1

9:30 P.M. Dec. 2


overcast sky

Figure 3,Examples of constellation sketches (draw to indicate star location).

the zenith point, which is directly above their heads.


2. Divide by the set beginning point and then by altitude
or height from the horizon.

3. Finally, divide the night sky into 25 regions as shown


in Figure 4. If preferred, choose another number such as 50
or 60 when dividing the sky.
Part 2 (Observation using the tube)
1. After the night hemisphere has been divided into 25
regions, students should look toward each region and then
count the stars they can observe through their tubes.
2. Next, students should record the number in the chart
(Figure 5).
3. Students should decide what percentage of the night
hemisphere their observation area includes. Students
observe the 25 regions through the tube, and this area is 25
times the area which they found at one spot. That area is the
area of the circle at the end of the tube. What is meant by
the total area of the entire night hemisphere? Let's assume
that the length of the tube is the radius of the entire night
hemisphere (Figure 6 ) .

4. To calculate the total number of stars from their data,


students should do the following:
Step 1. Measure the length and the radius of the tube. Let
the length be H and the radius r. The visible part is half the
celestial sphere. Students should use Formula 1 to determine the area of the hemisphere: 4 H2 7c / 2 = 2 nH2.
This formula will allow students to calculate the area of
the observable night sky.
Step 2. By using 7c r2,the students can obtain the area
which they can see through the tube at one time.
Step 3. Let N be a ratio of the total area of the hemisphere
to be seen through the tube at one time. N = 2 7c H2 / 7c r2 or,
2 7c H2 = N x 7c r2.
Step 4.The whole area of the night hemisphere is N/25 x
the total observed area throughout the 25 regions (see step 3).
2 7c H2 = N I25 x (25 x 7c r2).
Step 5. Students should calculate the total number of
stars with the formula: Total area of hemisphere x the total
number of stars observed through 25 regions + Total area of
25 regions. Calculate N/25 x the total number of stars by
observing 25 regions. Find an average number. For exam-

20

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

Vol. 35, No. 3

zenith

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270"

I.

Dividing the sky into 8


points, aided by the use
of the compass

90"

11. Dividing by altitude


at a 90" direction

111. Combination of I and I1

Figure 4. Dividing the night sky.

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

Fall 1998

21

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a = angle in Figure 41
p = angle in Figure 41

0" beginning points


Direction

0"

45"

90"

135"

180"

225"

270"

315"

Altitude

22.5O
45"

67.5"
Zenith (90")

Total:

Figure 5. Example of a star observation chart.

ple, H = 10 cm r = 1 cm. Total number observed from 25


regions = 100. Then, N = 2 71: lo2/71: 1 = 200. The total number of stars = 200/25 x 100 = 800.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 1 to 5 for 3 more nights. Fill out
Table 1 and then calculate the average number. Average
number of stars = Sum of total numbers of stars for lst, 2nd,
3rd. and 4th + 4.

Evaluation

Figure 6. Illustration of sphere showing tube radius and


length.

Students should compare this average number with the


one that they predicted. If there is a difference, what
accounts for it? Were there any differences between observation spots?

22

SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

Vol. 35, No. 3

Table 1. Table for Calculating the Average


Number of Stars

First
night

Second
night

Third
night

Fourth
night

Total number
of stars

traditional type uf activity.

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Conclusion

-Jeffrey

Lockwood, Sahuaro High School, Tucson, AZ

How many stars did the students find? Was the number
close to 200 billion? If the students found fewer than this
number, teachers can hold a class discussion to discover
some of the causes. The discussion can include factors such
as cloud cover, smog, city lights, and weather conditions.
Students can also compare their numbers and discuss the
reasons for some of the differences. This activity is also useful because it teaches recycling through using the toilet
paper roll for a telescope.

Although Galileos first telescopes lacked precision and clarity,


with them he was able to make astonishing discoveries. With
these Project STAR 16-power telescopes similar to those
developed by Galileo:

References
Oxenhorn, J. M. 1982. Exploring the earth, sea, and sky. New
York: Globe Book Company.
Tomlinson, G., and A. Beckman. 1991. Count your lucky stars.
Science and Children 28(5): 21-23.

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see how lenses work when put together without using an


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build a telescope and see the universe the way Galileo


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catalog Including: spectmmeter6, holographicdiffractiongratlng and morel
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Tel 800-537-8703, Fax 6 1 7-628-8606
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