XVI. Design Your Own Project.

If you are experienced with telescopes or have a special interest in some aspect of astronomy that you would like to observe for yourself, then see your instructor about possibly making up a special project. Your project must include some aspect of actually observing the sky. There are numerous things that you can do. Examples include:

• Using a telescope to monitor the positions of the moons of Jupiter.
• Watching eclipses of Jupiter’s moons.
• Watching Earth’s lunar or solar eclipses.
• Observing deep space objects.
• Observe and track asteroids.
• Build a telescope.
• Make an accurate sundial.
• Photograph or sketch the Moon in detail labeling the major craters and maria.
• Measure the ellipticity of Moon's orbit: use a small telescope to measure Moon’s diameter over a month.
• Are you a law enforcement employee or health care worker? Why not plot the phase of the moon against “strange” human behavior. See your instructor for hints and ground rules.
• Plot part of an analemma, the Sun’s actual path in the sky against the “mean Sun’s path.”
• There are thousands of other things you might try if you want. Literally, the sky’s the limit. You can get loads of ideas off of the internet too. See your instructor if you have an idea and to get helpful advice.