Naked Eye Astronomy – As performed by the ancient astronomers.

Consider and answer the following introductory questions regarding the observed motion of the following celestial bodies: Moon, Sun, Planets and Stars.


Luxor Obelsik - Egypt / Question 1
What evidence did the ancient astronomers of China, Europe and The Middle East have that the celestial bodies observed in the day and night time skies moved around the Earth?
Question 2
What shaped path does their motion trace out as they move across the sky?

Question 3

Do all of the celestial bodies trace out this path shape all of the time? If not, which one’s do not, and what type of path shape does their motion trace out?

Question 4

What two pieces of evidence did the ancient astronomers have that the earth was spherical in shape?

Question 5
What evidence did the ancient astronomers have that the Sun and Moon were spherical? /
Aboriginal Southern Cross

Stonehenge – England
/ Question 6
What is a day?
Question 7
How long is a day?

Question 8

Does the length of a day change, or is it constant?

Question 9

Is the amount of daylight the same for each day of the year? If not, when is there more? Less? Is there a time when the amount of daylight is the same as the amount darkness? What causes this?

Men-an-tol, Cornwall England

Question 10

In what direction does the Sun rise? Does it always rise in the same spot on the horizon each day?

Question 11

In what direction does the Sun set? Does it always set in the same spot on the horizon each day?

Painted wall sundial – Tucson Arizona USA

Question 12

In which half of the sky would you need to look to see the Sun?

Question 13

At what time of day will the Sun be at its highest point in the sky?

Question 14

Does the Sun ever appear directly overhead at our school? If so, when? If not, is there anywhere in Australia when the Sun will appear directly overhead? When and where will this occur?

Analema MacSundial

weekly photo of the Sun taken at the same time for a year.

Question 15

What is the name of the line that the Sun is “on” and is in the process of crossing when it is at its highest point in the sky? What is special about this line?

pfitzgerald08 – introastroqstns