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Paper Plate Education
"Serving the Universe on a Paper Plate"

Activity: Plotting Globular Clusters

Denote the earth at the center of a plate and mark 24 hours of right ascension around the perimeter of the plate.  Plot globular clusters or brightest stars according to right ascension toward the perimeter of the plate and analyze the patterns to determine their galactic locations.  Also note any patterns that fail to emerge on your plate as well. 

Table of Globular Clusters:
(click to open)

Graphing the table of globular clusters would look like the one below.  Compare it to your paper plate result.

Table of globular cluster coordinates and graph (above) are courtesy of Richard's Astronomical Observatory at http://rao.150m.com/index.html. 

Table of Brightest Stars:

HD # Star Name M RA Dec SpecT D R
48915 alpha CMa Sirius -1.46 06 45 8.9 -16 42 58 A1 V* 8.6 1.7
45348 alpha Car Canopus -0.72 06 23 57.2 -52 41 44 F0II 74 ?
128620 alpha Cen Rigil Kent -0.01 14 39 36.2 -60 50 07 G2V+K1V 4.3 1.18
124897 alpha Boo Arcturus -0.04 14 15 39.6 +19 10 57 K1IIIbCN-1 34 25.1
172167 alpha Lyr Vega 0.03 18 36 56.2 +38 47 01 A0V 25.3 2
34029 alpha Aur Capella 0.08 05 16 41.3 +45 59 53 G8 41 13
34085 beta Ori Rigel 0.12 05 14 32.2 -08 12 06 B8 I* 815 63
61421 alpha CMi Procyon 0.38 07 39 18.1 +05 13 30 F5 IV 11.4 2
10144 alpha Eri Archenar 0.46 01 37 42.9 -57 14 12 B3Vpe 69 5.0
39801 alpha Ori Beteigeuse 0.50 05 55 10.3 +07 24 25 M2 I 650 226
122451 beta Cen Hadar 0.61 14 03 49.4 -60 22 22 B1III 320
187642 alpha Aql Altair 0.77 19 50 46.9 +08 52.6 A7V 16.8 1.6
213468 0.77 A0V 2.19
29139 alpha Tau Aldebaran 0.85 04 35 55.2 +16 30 33 K5 III 60 46
116658 alpha Vir Spica 0.98 13 25 11.5 -11 09 41 B1 III + B2 V 220 6.6
148478 alpha Sco Antares 0.96 16 29 24.4 -26 25 25 M1.5I* 425 510
62509 beta Gem Pollux 1.14 07 45 18.9 +28 01 34 K0 III 40 10
216956 alpha PsA Fomalhaut 1.16 22 57 39.0 -29 37 20 A3Va 22 1.5
197345 alpha Cyg Deneb 1.25 20 41 25.8 +45 16 49 A2Iae 1630 ?
111123 beta Cru Mimosa 1.25 12 47 43.3 -59 41 19 B0.5III 460
87901 alpha Leo Regulus 1.35 10 08 22.3 +11 58 02 B7V* 69 3.5
168740 1.36 A2 1.8
52089 epsilon CMa Adhara 1.50 06 58 37.5 -28 58 20 B2II 570 ?
108248 alpha Cru Acrux 1.58 12 26 35.9 -63 05 56 B1* 510
60178 alpha Gem Castor 1.58 07 34 35.9 +31 53 18 A1V* 46 1.7
108903 gamma Cru Gacrux 1.63 12 31 09.9 -57 06 47 M3.5III 120
158926 lambda Sco Shaula 1.63 17 33 36.4 -37 06 13 B1.5IV 325 6.6
35468 gamma Ori Bellatrix 1.64 05 25 07.8 +06 20 59 B2III 303 8.1
35497 beta Tau El Nath 1.65 05 26 17.5 +28 36 27 B7 III 130 5.2
80007 beta Car Miaplacidus 1.68 09 13 12.1 -69 43 02 A2IV 2.6
37128 epsilon Ori Alnilam 1.70 05 36 12.7 -01 12 07 B0Iae 31
209952 alpha Gru Al Na'ir 1.74 22 08 13.9 -46 57 40 B7IV 91 3.6
112185 epsilon UMa Alioth 1.77 12 54 01.7 +55 57 35 A0pCr 49 3
68273 gamma Vel Regor 1.78 08 09 31.9 -47 20 12 WC8+O7.5e 17
20902 alpha Per Marfak
(Algenib)		 1.79 03 24 19.3 +49 51 41 F5Ib 270 55
95689 alpha UMa Dubhe 1.79 11 03 43.6 +61 45 03 K0IIIa 105 ?
54605 delta CMa Al Wazor 1.84 07 08 23.4 -26 23 35 F8Ia 650 300 (?)
169022 epsilon Sgr Kaus Australis 1.85 18 24 10.3 -34 23 05 B9.5III 160
71129 epsilon Car She
(Avior)		 1.86 08 22 30.8 -59 30 34 K0II* 330 70
120315 eta UMa Benetnasch
(Alkaid)		 1.86 13 47 32.3 +49 18 48 B3V 3.9
159532 theta Sco Sargas 1.87 17 37 19.0 -42 59 52 F1II 140 40
40183 beta Aur Menkalinam 1.90 05 59 31.7 +44 56 51 A2IV 84 2.5
150708 alpha TrA Ras al Muthallath
(Atria)		 1.92 16 48 39.9 -69 01 40 K2 II 130 37
47105 gamma Gem Almisan
(Alhena)		 1.93 06 37 42.7 +16 23 57 A0IV 78 3
193924 alpha Pav Joo Tseo
(Peacock)		 1.94 20 25 38.8 -56 44 07 B2IV 160 5
74956 delta Vel Koo She 1.96 08 44 42.2 -54 42 30 A1 V 70 1.89
44743 beta CMa Murzim 1.98 06 22 41.9 -17 57 22 B1II-II 300 9
81797 alpha Hya Alphard 1.98 09 27 35.2 -08 39 31 K3III 200 37
12929 alpha Ari Hamal 2.00 02 07 10.3 +23 27 45 K2IIIabCa-I 74 21.4
T CrB 2.00 15 59 30.1 25 55 13 sdBe+gM3+Q
8890 alpha UMi Polaris 2.02 02 31 50.5 +89 15 51 F7:Ib-IIv 470 19.5
15191
? 175224		 sigma Sgr Nunki 2.02 18 55 15.8 -26 17 48 B2.5V 160 4.5
4128 beta Cet Deneb Kaitos
(Diphda)		 2.04 00 43 35.3 -17 59 12 K0III 57 14
37742 zeta1 Ori Alnitak 2.05 05 40 45.5 -01 56 34 O9.5Ibe* 400 20
358 alpha And Alpheratz
(Sirrah)		 2.06 00 08 23.2 +29 05 26 B8IVpMnHg 120 3.6
6860 beta And Mirach 2.06 01 09 43.9 +35 37 14 M0IIIa 76 21.8
12533 gamma1 And Alamach 2.06 02 03 53.9 +42 19 47 K3-IIb* 400 83.2
123139 theta Cen Haratan
(Menkent)		 2.06 14 06 40.8 -36 22 12 K0IIIb 56 8.9
38771 kappa Ori Saiph 2.06 05 47 45.3 -09 40 11 B0.5Iav 550 38
159561 alpha Oph Ras Alhague 2.08 17 34 56.0 +12 33 36 A5III 67 3.15
131873 beta UMi Kochab 2.08 14 50 42.2 +74 09 20 K4 III 120 37
214952/td> beta Gru Al Dhanab 2.10 22 42 40.0 -46 53 05 M5III 270
19356 beta Per Algol 2.12 03 08 10.1 +40 57 21 B8V 100 3.16
102647 beta Leo Denebola 2.14 11 49 03.5 +14 34 19 A3V 42 1.8
110304 gamma Cen Koo Low 2.17 12 41 30.9 -48 57 34 A1IV 130
194093 gamma Cyg Sadr 2.20 20 22 13.6 +40 15 24 F8Ib 470 30.9
78647 lambda Vel Suhail 2.21 09 07 59.7 -43 25 12 K4 Ib-II 220
3712 alpha Cas Schedir 2.23 00 40 30.4 +56 32 15 K0IIIa 230 40.7
139006 alpha CrB Alphecca
(Gemma)		 2.23 15 34 41.2 +26 42 53 A0V 67 2.7
164058 gamma Dra Etamin 2.23 17 56 36.3 +51 29 20 K5III 148 23.6
36486 delta Ori Mintaka 2.23 05 32 00.3 -00 17 57 B0* 600 16
432 beta Cas Caph 2.25 00 09 10.6 +59 08 59 F2III 45 2.0
80404 iota Car Tureis
(Aspidiske)		 2.25 09 17 05.4 -59 16 31 A8Ib ??? 192
66811 zeta Pup Suhail Hadar
(Naos)		 2.25 08 03 35.0 -40 00 11 O5Iaf 800 16
116656 zeta UMa Mizar 2.27 13 23 55.5 +54 55 31 A2VpSrSi* 190 1.6
151680 epsilon Sco Wei 2.29 16 50 09.7 -34 17 36 K2.5III 69 16
129078 alpha Lup 2.30 14 41 55.7 -47 23 17 B1.5III 130
118716 epsilon Cen 2.30 13 39 53.2 -53 27 59 B1III
eta Cen 2.31 14 35 30.3 -42 09 28 B1.5Vne
133275
? 143275		 delta Sco Dschubba 2.32 16 00 19.9 -22 37 18 B0.3IV ?
95418 beta UMa Merak 2.37 11 01 50.4 +56 22 56 A0V 76 2.5
2261 alpha Phe Ankaa 2.39 00 26 17.0 -42 18 22 K0III 76 10.2
206778 epsilon Peg 2.39 21 44 11.1 +09 52 30 K2Ib 26.5
160613 kappa Sco 2.41 17 42 29.1 -39 01 48 B1.5III 6.9
217906 beta Peg Scheat 2.42 23 03 46.4 +28 04 58 M2.5II-III 38.7
203280 alpha Cep Alderamin 2.44 21 18 34.7 62 35 08 A7V 49 2
103287 gamma UMa Phecda 2.44 11 53 49.8 +53 41 41 A0Ve 88 2.4
58350 eta CMa Aludra 2.45 07 24 5.6 -29 18 11 B5Ia 270 60
197989 epsilon Cyg 2.46 20 46 12.6 +33 58 13 K0III 13.2
5394 gamma Cas Cih var. (2.47) 00 56 42.4 +60 43 00 B0IVe 200 23
218045 alpha Peg Markab 2.49 23 04 45.6 +15 12 19 B9V 2
81188 kappa Vel Cih 2.50 09 22 06.8 +55 00 38 B2 IV 6.9

Table of brightest stars (above) is courtesy of Chris.Kronberg  at http://www.seds.org/Maps/Stars_en/

Contributed by Jim Comienski.

Reference: handout from Cleveland Regional Association of Planetariums meeting at Lakewood High School (around 1999).

 

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