Physics 111 Observing Project

The Assignment:

• Your assignment is to work in a group of up to four to observe and document the location and time of either the sunset or the sunrise over the course of the semester. The detailed steps are outlined below. I hesitated to show the image below, but this is what I want - but note that this sequence is for a full year. You won't have that much time. This series of sunrise photos was taken by Zaid M. Al-Abbadi at a site in Amman Jordan in 2017 - it was posted on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. You should use Al-Abbadi's photos as a guide. I would be joyfully surprised if any of you could produce such a beautiful photo sequence.
  
  
  Click here for a larger version of Al-Abbadi's photo sequence.

The Assignment Details:

• Choose Your Group. I'm going to let students select their own groups since this project may involve some coordination of observing effort. You may, if you want to, choose to work alone, but coordinating the observations as a group might make the effort easier.
  
  Assignment #1, due by 5pm Friday February 9: Form a group of up to four PHY111 students as your group. Email me (use alexansg@miamioh.edu, not the Canvas email) a list of the group members. If you're planning on working alone, send me an email stating that.
  
  
• As a group, decide whether you will observe sunrise or sunset - once you choose, you can't change. Find a suitable and convenient location to make your observations - note, you must make all of your observations and documenting photos from the same exact location with the camera pointed in the same direction!
  
  Use an actual compass or a compass on your phone to identify east (if you're doing the sunrise) or west (if you're doing sunset). Select your exact observing location so that some prominent feature is close to due east or west.
  
  
• Make and document your observations. Coordinate among your group to obtain a minimum of five photo documentations that span the semester.
  
  A few things to note:
  • Like all observational astronomy (except perhaps radio astronomy) done from the Earth's surface, you're at the mercy of the weather. Use a weather forcasting app to determine whether you'll have clear enough observing conditions - don't waste clear mornings or evenings. Most weather apps also list the local sunrise and sunset times, but those times assume that you have a totally unrestricted view of the horizon.
  • Try to get a set of observations that span the semester, i.e. from early February to mid May, and be sure to get at least one observation near the equinox when the Sun is rising due East or setting due West.
  • If you are doing the sunrise, go ahead and use an observing app like SkyView to see how far the sun is below the horizon. If you're doing the sunset, I'm not sure if an observing app would help. But note this: a screenshot from an observing app is not adequate photo documentation.
  
  
  
• Final Report: Your group's final report should show your documentation photos in a similar manner to Al-Abbadi's photos above. Each photo should show the date and the exact time it was taken.
  
  Final Assignment, due by 5pm Friday May 10: Submit your photos in a one-page document (pdf preferred) that shows the group's name and lists all of the members of the group. Email the file to me; use alexansg@miamioh.edu, not the Canvas email.
  
  
• Let me know if you have any questions.