1. Introduction

   The World Wide Web (or Web for short) has become a valuable tool for finding information about all sorts of topics - no matter how obscure. Used properly, the Web provides access to up to date resources and news. In astronomy, this type of current information is especially useful, as you will find out in this lab.

2. Getting Started

   Before starting anything, make this page a bookmark so you can easily refer back to it, or open two netscape windows -- keeping this exercise in one window and using the other window to explore the web. Ask someone if you need help with this.

   A convenient place to start is with some links that have already been collected for you. Here are some of our favorites. Spend some time exploring each site -- see what types of materials are available. Then come back to this exercise to further test your web acumen. [Note: If you don't already know, any word or phrase which is highlighted and underlined is an item you can select to get to another web site.]

   For example, at the Purdue Weather Satellite page you can find hourly satellite images.

   One of our favorites is the Astronomy Picture of the Day -- check out the index and browse through the myriad of pictures of objects with descriptions.

   And of course, check out the Space Telescope Science Institute's web site for the latest from the Hubble Space Telescope!

   The Messier catalog is a list of 110 objects in the sky which are reasonably bright and visible in small telescopes. You will view some of these objects during the semester. Two (of the many) good sites for images of Messier objects are the O.R.S.A. site and the Virtual Observatory.

   The Colgate Astronomy Links page contains links to these and many other sites. You will use the Colgate Astronomy Links page for this exercise.

3. Astronomy at Yahoo

   Yahoo is one of the most popular databases on the Web. In the Science section, under the heading of Astronomy, there are several categories which one can browse through for useful information. One item to note on the Astronomy at Yahoo page is the Indices. These are a "Pandora's box" of information - they contain even more collections of astronomy web pages.

4. The Scavenger Hunt!

   You are not confined to the resources you may use. But you may find the resources available at Yahoo and the links provided by the Colgate Astronomy Links Page to be useful. Blank spaces have been provided for you if you decide to print this page. Or you can just write down answers on a sheet of paper, and turn in your paper to a teaching assistant at the end of the laboratory period. Give the name and URL (Location) of each page when requested. The great thing about the Web is that there is more than one right answer. Be patient and have FUN!!

   • Example - Really cool astronomy homepage at Colgate, a list of nifty astronomy links, and some current quasar data

     Name: Colgate University's Astronomy Home Page

     URL: astronomy.colgate.edu

     URL: astronomy.colgate.edu/links.html

     URL: astronomy.colgate.edu/quasaroptical.html

   • Three astronomy magazines and the topic of a major article from each

     1. Topic:

        Name:

        URL:

     2. Topic:

        Name:

        URL:

     3. Topic:

        Name:

        URL:

   • Searching the Astronomy Picture of the Day

     1. What is the topic of today's picture?:

     2. Just have fun -- look at several galaxies, nebulae, etc.

        List five pictures you found particularly interesting.

        Object, date:

        Object, date:

        Object, date:

        Object, date:

        Object, date:

        .

     3. Find an article on your favorite Galaxy or Nebula.

        Give object, date of article and URL:

        .

        Using imbedded links, find some background information on this object

     Name of site and URL:

     .

     4. Find information on Isaac Newton.

        Date of article and URL:

        .

   • Searching The Hubble Space Telescope images

     Find information on a galaxy

     URL:

     Find information on a supernova remnant

     URL:

     Find information on a region of star formation

     URL:

   • Year that KNAC was founded and number of schools in the consortium

     Hint: You've seen this acronym when you were exploring the Colgate Astronomy Home Page

     Year:

     # of schools:

     Name:

     URL:

   • The Hubble Deep Field

     What is it?:

     Why is it important?:

     URL:

   • The Messier catalog

     Who was Messier and why did he make his catalog:

     What Messier object is a supernova remnant?:

     Identify at least one planetary nebula:

     Identify at least one globular cluster:

     Identify at least one open (galactic) cluster:

     Identify at least one emission nebula:

     Identify at least one galaxy:

   • The Sun

     Find some pictures of the Sun taken at different wavelengths

     URL:

   • When and where the next total solar eclipse is

     Hint: A popular astronomy magazine has a lot of information on this

     When:

     Where:

     Name:

     URL:

5. The End

   This concludes the WebLab introdution. I hope you realize what a vast resource the Web can be when looking for information about astronomy or anything else you can imagine... If you have any questions, ask an instructor, teaching assistant, or send email to the contact address at the end of the page.

version 1998 January 27; for Astronomy 102 (Stars, Galaxies and the Universe)

Lab developed by David Berger ('97) and Prof. Thomas Balonek, Colgate University.

Please contact: tbalonek-AT-mail.colgate.edu for questions, comments, ...

Last modified: August 18, 2006