Navigating the Night Sky
Work out where popular constellations and planets might be found tonight and on your birthday by making your own planisphere and learning how to use it.
You will need:
Our free loan box, which includes pre-printed planisphere sheets! You will still need; scissors, glue, and Sellotape, and access to view the horizon and sky.
OR
Our free downloadable planisphere printable, thin card to print it on, scissors, glue, and Sellotape, access to view the horizon and sky. A compass is handy, but optional.
This lesson is targeted at the Northern Hemisphere, you can get a custom planisphere for your location easily here: https://in-the-sky.org/planisphere/
Objectives (UK National Curriculum 2014)
KS4 Space physics – The main features of the solar system
KS3 Magnetism – Earth’s magnetism, compass and navigation
KS2 Earth and Space – Use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky
Extension;
Describe the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the sun in the solar system
Describe the movement of the moon relative to the Earth
Describe the sun, Earth and moon as approximately spherical bodies
