My Special Place (in the SDSS Database)

Description

In this lab, students learn how to select and save objects from the SDSS database using SkyServer.

Procedure

In this lab you will choose your very own place to use as a starting point for exploring the SDSS sky. You will also learn how to navigate the SDSS database using SkyServer, find and record objects, and turn in a SkyServer NoteBook. Although it's fine to work with someone on this assignment, each person in the class should find and use a different place.

• 1. Navigate to Voyages: My Special Place in the SDSS Database. Ignore the boxes labelled "My Special Place - pdf" and "My Special Place - Word".

  2. Enter the SkyServer database by following the instructions under "Choose a Constellation". You will end up in the SkyServer Navigate tool.

  3. Continue to the "Explore and Record" section to choose an object to be the center of your region as instructed. This is your special place in the sky. You can return to this place later by entering the right ascension and declination (RA and Dec) of this place into SkyServer. Your numbers will be different, but mine looked like 114.43491 and 45.6856. We always write RA first, and then Declination. You can learn more about RA and Dec in Voyages: Understanding Right Ascension and Declination.

  4. Click on an object in the field to select it. Note how the right side of the page shows the type of object it is (STAR, GALAXY, or "QSO", which is a quasar) and a close-up of the selected object.

  5. SkyServer allows you to save objects to an online notebook. Use the "Add to notes" link on the right side of the page to save a few stars to your SkyServer notebook.

  6. Save a galaxy to your notebook you may have to pan around to find one. If you have trouble selecting the galaxy, the instructions under the picture in the "Explore and Record" section have some good hints.

  7. Click on "Show notes" to view your notebook. You should know:

     1. • You can get a thumbnail image by clicking on the "Explore" link.

        • Clicking "Navigate" sends you back to the familiar Navigate tool, centered on that object.

  8. Follow the instructions under the "Working with Notebook" section to download your notebook as an html file.

  9. Finally, upload that html file to this assignment. I will look and check that you have at least two stars and a galaxy saved to your notebook. That's it! Now you know how to use SkyServer!

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