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Blog Post #2
Introduction
Introduction
After countless hours of figuring out what my research project will center around, I finally settled on the music of constellations as mentioned in the previous post. Excitedly, I began writing down each and every constellation along with their respective stars.
After checking the list, I proceeded with primary data collection. The objective of writing down each spectral type is to take note of the class. The spectral types describe what type of star it is, and therefore will correspond with a frequency, dynamic, and the length of the note.
This information will grant the creation of a music composition for each constellation. Continuing my project will allow us to hear the music of the stars.
My Progress
My Progress
An image of one of the constellations I used in my project. Starting from the head of the constellation, then down the artwork from left to right (if needed), each star will be written into the music in this way.
Key Milestones
Key Milestones
One of the most important key milestone I've reached is completing the account of every single star that is part of a constellation. Using a program called Stellarium, I have gone through each constellation, figured out the order of each star, and wrote it down in said order.
Another critical milestone in my project was the successful attempt to code my Google Sheets to make my data collection significantly easier. For example, I coded a threshold with a simple "IF/WHEN" functions to determine the dynamics (volume) of each note from the magnitude (brightness) of each star.
What's Going Well
What's Going Well
Throughout my project, there have been ups and downs, but my research and data collection is moving at a steady pace. I have stayed up-to-date with my timeline of progress, and I am beginning the process of assigning the frequency to each star.
I am flowing through my project, finding new ways to efficiently progress, and following my timeline.
An image of my data collection sheet meant to illustrate how quickly I am filling categories and furthering my research. This image shows a list of constellations followed by stars, magnitudes, dynamics, spectral type, size class, and temperature class. The columns with the capital letters and single numbers were filled by the code I wrote.
Challenges
Challenges
A challenge that I faced was not being able to progress my research in my respective time frame. At the rate I was going, I would have been significantly father behind. To fix this, I opened another computer and worked on two screens at once, allowing me to collect data at a much faster rate.
Another challenge that I faced included the inefficient rate in which I was progressing. Typing six-hundred ninety-four stars and all their statistics would take weeks to accomplish. To solve this issue, I took a brief break from my data collection to teach myself to code on Google Sheets. I coded a series of "if/when" lines to assist in my transfer of magnitude to pitch. This change made me collection significantly easier.
Data Highlight
Data Highlight
There has been a significant data trend amongst my data collection. This is represented by the majority of dynamics being within the "Mezzo" range. This is significant because it means that the majority of stars in my measured region are 1.5 and 3.49 magnitude (brightness). This could conclude that ancient astronomers were focused on the dim stars that they were able to see, while making the brighter ones a more prominent feature of their respective constellation.
Reflection
Reflection
Throughout my experience as a researcher, I have learned more about myself along with furthering my studies of the stars. I have acquired knowledge of the constellations, their backgrounds, and the stars within them, all while discovering who I am when I research. Taking on this project at the beginning of the school year seemed so ambitious, and I was scared I would not be able to accomplish it. With the late start I had with choosing my topic, I became intimidated by that which I loved to learn more about: astronomy and music. Throughout this process, I became more confident, learned to recognize my mistakes, and manage my time efficiently. As my research continues, I know I will run into more obstacles and challenges, but this time I know that there is a solution to any problem I may come across. I am no longer intimidated by my own research as I find myself coming out of my shell and burying myself into my research.
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