Making an Altitude Tracker

Use the Altitude Tracker printout and these directions to make your altitude tracker, with a few minor changes, as shown in the pics:

• Use a full length straw and place the tracker protractor at the far end of the straw.
• Fold the tracker protractor across the 90º mark and hole to put 90º right against the straw.
• Tape the protractor to the straw on both sides, and completely over the hole.
• Use coat thread, and put it through the hole and tie it around the straw.
• Don't put the holes around the edge of the protractor.
• Use yellow paper for the protractor and yellow highlighter on the marks for a UV reactive tracker

Alternate plans for an equally functional altitude tracker can be found here.  With this design, I still recommend taping it on the end of a straw, using coat thread and tying it around the straw, and using yellow paper and highlighters.

Tracking the Sun

1.  Use these directions (Lesson 2), and practice finding the altitude of the sun using your Altitude Tracker.

2.  Follow the directions below to find the azimuth and altitude of the sun using your Math and Altitude Tracker together, see pics below.

Put Pic Here

           1.  Put the viewing end of the Altitude Tracker on the center of your Mat.

2.  Point the other end toward the sun and resolve the shadow to find the altitude of the sun.

3.  Lay the Altitude Tracker straight down on the Mat to find the azimuth of the sun.

 4.  Repeat the process several times over the course of the day, up to once an hour.  

4.  Record your data on a data sheet like this.   

5.  Plot the altitude vs. azimuth to see the path of the sun across the sky.

6.  Repeat at the end of the unit to see how the path of the sun is changing with the season. 

For reinforcement of altitude and angles play a BASIC stargazing game at PBS

Return to Sky Path Astronomy Unit