Night Sky Treasure Map

Ruth Craft has created another useful tool for discovering riches buried within the night sky. The Night Sky Treasure Map is a simplified planisphere that depicts the seasonal constellations. The star-finding wheel shows summer, winter, and circumpolar constellations that are featured at the 2016 Science Alive astronomy activities centers. Activities at several stations will explore wonders of the night sky that can be found within each of the famous star patterns. Come make-and-take your own Treasure Map in the Lower Level of St. Joseph County Public Library in downtown South Bend, IN, on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, from 10 AM to 4 PM.

If you can't join the hunt at Science Alive, you can make your own Night Sky Treasure Map. Print out a draft of the Treasure Map Star Wheel and Treasure Map Dial files. Make two simple cuts with scissors and secure with a paper fastener. Set your month to the bottom, face south, and hold overhead. Voila!

Featured star patterns include:

• Ursa Major

• Ursa Minor

• Cassiopeia

• Pegasus

• Taurus

• The Pleiades

• Orion

• Scorpius

• Sagittarius

• Cygnus

Thanks, Ruth, for again sharing your handiwork.