Observing the night sky is an important part of this class. A major goal of this assignment is to observe the changes that occur in the sky over time. Consequently, it is extremely important that you be diligent and consistent about your sky journal. Another reason for this assignment is to get you to look up and observe things around you; don't keep your nose buried in the sand.

Write in your sky journal every night. Use a separate notebook for your sky journal, since it will be turned in periodically (every month or so) for review. Date each journal entry and write down the the exact time and location where you do your observing. (It is helpful to keep these the same every time as much as possible because you can use terrestrial landmarks to locate things and because you will notice the proper astronomical cycles better. But still write the time and location down for each entry, even if it is at an unusual time.) The secret candy is M&Ms.

Take 5-10 minutes to observe the sky, and pay special attention to the moon (both its location and phase). Regarding planets, stars, and constellations, note what is up and what isn't. Note well the changes from night to night. Some early morning observations would be very educational too. You may also make entries in your journal relating to the sun. If you watch the sunrise from the same location every (or every other) morning, you will notice changes that will be interesting as we approach the solstice. Another way to track the sun is to drive a stick into the ground and mark the shadow in the dirt at the same time (about noon) each day. This would also make good journal material.

One of the best ways to do these sky journals is to sketch what you see. Drawings are highly recommended to supplement your written words. Or maybe we should say it is a good idea to supplement your sketches with some written words.