VII. Counting the Stars

1. To count the number of stars in the night sky that are visible to the naked eye, you will use a small cardboard tube. The center tube of a roll of toilet paper is ideal. On a clear, dark, moonless night, hold the tube up to your eye then count and record the number of stars that you can see through the tube. Hold the tube steady, with your eye at the center of the tube’s opening, during each star count. Do this eight times, choosing random areas of the sky to measure. Be sure to sample all directions equally.
2. Add your eight star counts and record the total number of stars in your sample.
3. Now you will estimate the total number of naked-eye stars visible in the entire night sky by multiplying the total number of stars in your sample times the ratio of the area of the entire night sky to the area of the sky you saw through you tube. In other words, divide the length by the diameter, square the result and then multiply by the total number of stars in your sample. Your answer is an estimate of the total number of stars in the night sky that are visible to the naked eye.
4. Follow this procedure three times: once in a city, once in a rural location away from city lights (back in Ogden Valley, for example) and once in a location of your choosing. Make sure you record the locations, dates, and times of your three sets of observations. In which location can you see the most stars?  Explain (in some detail) why. Why are astronomers concerned about the effect of light pollution from cities near their telescopes?  How big of a problem is light pollution, and what could be done to alleviate the problem?