Bright Star and Constellation Identification

This is an optional lab that will be done later in the semester.  There will be sign up lists available at that time.  You will identify bright stars, constellations, asterisms, (you will have to know which is which) or other objects in the sky to your professor or lab assistant.  You will have a chance to learn some of these during our naked eye/binocular lab, and during our telescope lab.  However, I encourage you to go out on your own or with a friend to try to learn the sky.

• For each object you correctly identify, you will get 1/2 a point.  However, the minimum number of objects to identify to get any points is 10 objects.  Anything less than that is worth no points. 
• You can get up to 10 points maximum for identifying 20 objects. 
• You can not "double up" points on some constellations that may have a strong correlation to a well-known asterism.  (I.e. Ursa Major and the Big Dipper would count as one object.) 
• Also, you can get no more than 1.5 points in any constellation - this by identifying the constellation and two bright stars in it.  (I.e. don't memorize all the star names in the big dipper)
• The stars you identify should be bright, or have some significance such as being a double star.  (I.e. Mizar would be considered acceptable because it is a significant double, but Alcor, it's companion, would not be counted as a separate object.)  Although Polaris is rather dim, it would be acceptable because it is the pole star.  (A very significant one!)
• Bring a page with your name and lab section on it and objects you are planning to identify.  Give this list to your instructor and they will check the items off as they are identified.  Remember your objects.  You can not look at the list, but you can ask for hints as to other objects that might be on this list.
• The acceptability, or accuracy of identification of any object is at the discretion of your instructor.  Depending on the circumstances, partial credit might be given for partial identification.