Try this experiment to measure the number of stars you can see.
- Make an "Observing Device" from a bathroom tissue or paper towel tube. Measure the
diameter of your tube. Cut its length to be three times its diameter. Through the tube, you
will see only a small portion of the sky. It would take 144 tubes to cover the whole sky.
- One by one, face in each of the 4 compass directions (North, South, East and West).
- Hold the tube 3/4 of the way up from the horizon in each direction and count the number of
stars seen through the tube. Hold the tube half-way up from the horizon and repeat the count.
Repeat the procedure again with the tube pointed a third of the way up. Repeat observations for
the other directions. Record your data below.
| Area | 3/4
up | 1/2 up | 1/3 up | Total |
| North | ...... | ...... | ...... |
...... |
| South | ...... | ...... | ...... |
...... |
| East | ...... | ...... | ...... |
...... |
| West | ...... | ...... | ...... |
...... |
| Total | ...... | ...... | ...... |
...... |
| Grand Total | | | |
.......... |
- Add up the number of stars for all 12 sightings. If it takes 144 tubes to cover the sky, then
you have observed 1/12th of the sky. Multiply your sub-total by 12 to estimate the total number
of stars in the sky. Estimated total number of stars:_________
(includes the stars above and below the horizon)
- Add up and compare the three measurements in each direction. Why do you see more stars in certain directions?
