GCSE Astronomy Controlled Assessment B4: Constellation Photography

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GCSE Astronomy Controlled Assessment B4: Constellation Photography

Design

For my piece of coursework I aim to observe and photograph (using long-exposure photography) three different constellations in the winter sky. I will go out on three separate dates and take photos and then choose final ones which are the best. I will then use my finished photographs to identify the colours and magnitude of stars by using reference stars (data on which will be collected from official sources).

Explanation for important terms:

-Constellation: A part of the sky containing a pattern of stars.

-Sky glow: illumination of the sky causing an orange glow in urban areas due to streetlamps and floodlights. This hinders astronomical observations as faint objects cannot be viewed.

-Magnitude: the brightness of a star for which as numbers rise by 1, the brightness goes down by 2.5 times. Beyond 6 (the dimmest stars that can be seen with naked eye), binoculars or telescopes are needed.

-Colour: the surface colour of a star depends on its temperature with red being cooler stars and white being the hottest stars. The colours of the stars can only be seen in bright light as