The North (Wall) Star
Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects — sun, moon, planets or stars. This activity starts with a basic, but very important and useful, celestial measurement: measuring the altitude of Polaris (the North Star) or measuring the latitude.
Students explore celestial navigationCopyright U.S. Coast Guard http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eagle_Cadet_celestial_navigation.jpg
Mathematical words and concepts used in celestial navigation, such as angle, average, quadrant and elevation, are common vocabulary for all types of engineers. For example, an environmental engineer might wish to collect water samples from a polluted stream, compute the average toxin level, and see if the stream elevation has any effect on the toxicity. Measuring altitudes and angles are also important in the work of aerospace engineers who position satellites in orbit, and civil engineers who design structures.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain the advancement of navigational techniques based on historical contributions.
- Invent a simple device to read latitude.
- Describe the interactions of objects in the universe.
- Explain how the measurement of angles and altitudes is used in engineering.