STAR CONSTELLATION FACT RESEARCH PROJECT
Instructions: Groups of several stars look like they can form pictures in the night sky. Different cultures (Greek, Native American, Chinese, Hindu, African, Navajo, Lapp-Sami, Polynesian and Egyptian to name a few) have different tales of these mythical creatures that range from a lion, a great warrior, and a dragon. Even though these stars appear to be very close to each other they can actually be very far apart.
Task: You will be picking a constellation from Miss Jackson’s list and researching both the constellations and the stars that make up the constellation in the computer lab on ______. You will need to find the following information:
a. Name of stars and meaning of the stars
b. Which star is the closest to Earth and how close is it (in light-years)
c. Is the constellation circumpolar, seasonal winter, seasonal fall, seasonal spring, or seasonal summer?
d. Which star is the brightest and what is that stars absolute magnitude?
e. Any of names that the constellations are known as (ex. the constellation Leo is also called the lion or a name from a different culture)
f. Summarize a least two stories about that constellation from two different cultures (Keep in mind that different culture may have a different name for your constellation. If you can’t find your constellation in another culture pick another constellation from your 2nd culture and tell that story and donate a small area on your poster or brochure to put that story.)
g. Picture of the constellation
h. At least two other facts (ex. person who named or discovered it)
Presentation: You may create a poster, power point, or brochure. To save paper I ask that you do not print out your project. Instead when you have completed your project come up to me and will pull it from your drive and grade it together on your computer.
Academic Honesty Clause: You project needs to be your own work. Cheating or plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a zero.
Constellation: ______
Presentation Date: ______