Lick Observatory trip - January 3, 2011
Lick Observatory trip - January 3, 2011
Andrea Rios-Dominguez - President
Alec Lepe - Treasurer
Lick Observatory trip - January 3, 2011
The 120" Reflector Telescope
Total Lunar Eclipse - Dec. 20-21, 2010
(note curve of earth's shadow in partial phase - why is the totally eclipsed moon red?)
Hartnell Robotics Olympics
(double click on image to start video)
2010-2011 Club Officers:
co-Presidents |
Greg Caguimbal & Julia Ashen |
Secretary |
Andrea Rios Dominguez |
Treasurer |
Rebecca Causey |
Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
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2009-2010 Club Officers:
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co-Presidents |
Greg Caguimbal & Elizabeth Pedraza |
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Secretary |
Arthur Avila |
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Treasurer |
Rebecca Causey |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
2008-2009 Activities
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co-Presidents |
Jenny Lei & Robert Franklin |
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Secretary |
Elizabeth Pedraza |
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Treasurer |
Greg Caguimbal |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
2007-2008 Activities
Congratulations to Reina Tovar (1st place) and Rebecca Causey (2nd place)!
click HERE to link to Mrs. Bandy's wonderful photos!
2007-2008 Club Officers:
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co-Presidents |
Ashley Bumatay & Robert Franklin |
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Secretary |
Reina Tovar |
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Treasurer |
Natalie Hoyt |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
2006-2007 Activities
June 4-6, North Salinas High School, room 101, 7:00 - 7:50 AM
Abstracts:
Lunar Crater Hunting; Brian Chen, Michael Sanders, Jonathan Esteban
Sizes of moon craters are determined using HOU software, with a view to identify a common pattern or trend. The average size of moon craters is determined, and notable craters are described. Common features between small and large craters are revealed. Varying geographical features of the lunar surface are described. What mysteries lie on the dark side of the moon?
Luna's Orbit; Kayla Gonzalez, Kathy Garcia
We must figure out the apogee, the closest distance of the moon's orbit from the earth, and the perigee, the furthest distance of the moon's orbit from the earth, by analyzing moon images and using the methods of geometry.
Asteroid Hunt Project; Gerald Junsay, Lukas Bonick, Claudia Garcia
We were part of an international asteroid-discovering project. Images were sent to us for analysis, and we used Astrometrica software to look for moving objects. Though we didn't find any previously unknown objects, the mere chance of spotting and being credited with the discovery of an asteroid urged us to go on.
Following the Trail of Tails: Comets Light up the Dark Night; Chris Bandy
A presentation of comets in our solar system. I will touch the background information and physical data of comets, and focus on the positions and paths of recent and famous comets.
One "Messy" Chart; Pamela Valenzuela, Jessica Zamora
A heavenly array of Messier objects as well as significant celestial bodies arranged precisely on an onyx setting.
Cataclysmic Variable Stars: SS Cygni; Kristine Kemper
By examining images of SS Cygni, the change in magnitude can be observed and graphed over time. Also examined will be what makes this particular variable star "cataclysmic" and the difference between normal variable stars and cataclysmic ones.
Super Saturn's Size; Jenny Lei, Jessica Teats, Vincent Vallente
Have you ever wondered how to find out how massive Saturn is? If you have - well, you're in luck! We have found a way! By using images of Saturn and its moons, we can find the orbital radius and period of a moon and then solve for the mass of Saturn.
Using an Asteroid's Light Curve to Find its Rotational Period; Jose Sanchez
I will be using the HOU software to locate an asteroid in a sequence of images. As the asteroid rotates, its brightness changes. A graph of the asteroid's brightness versus time can be used to determine its period of rotation. The presentation will include a brief demonstration on how I was able to locate the asteroid using image processing software.
Physics Quiz
1st place: Gerald Junsay, Jonathan Esteban, Ruben Tellez
2nd place: Ashley Bumatay, Jackie Estrada, Jenny Santos
5th place: Allen Roman, Alex Soria, Carlos Jacobo
Egg Drop
1st place: Huy Vu
Robert Hernandez & Ty Cabaniilla
Elizabeth Pedraza & Judee Sharon
Esther Hwang (with Sunny Duong, not pictured)
SECOND PLACE, ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
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(set up & guided by grads. Michelle Bandy and Ashley Leitzell)
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2006- 2007 PHYSICS CLUB
2006- 2007 Club Officers:
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co-Presidents |
Ashley Bumatay & Jonthan Ibadlit |
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Secretary |
Crystal Ferrer |
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Treasurer |
Jenny Santos |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
left to right: Jonathan, Jenny, Ashley, Crystal
2005-2006 Activities
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The Drop Zone
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Abraham Ramirez , ex-Viking (NSHS Class of 1998) and former Physics Club member, was our guest speaker at the December 7 meeting. Abraham discussed his experiences in the engineering programs at Cal State Fullerton, the University of Santa Clara, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and he outlined a few suggestions for college preparedness. One important message Abraham related to the audience: hard work is a vital ingredient needed to succeed in technical studies and in a career after graduation.
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co-Presidents |
Antoinette Bumatay & Edgar Navarro |
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Secretary |
Kelvin Bungcayao |
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Treasurer |
Jason Ngo |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
left to right: Jason, Antoinette, Edgar, and "Lord Kelvin"
(normal)
(thinking)
2004-2005 Activities
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President |
Desiree Leitzell |
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Secretary |
Soniya Sikand |
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Treasurer |
Francisco Paredes |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
2003-2004 Activities
Program:
Focus on Asteroids
Extinction of the Dinosaurs ; Jeff Sweet
Asteroids . . . Wow!; Jessica Sidhu & Harshna Prasad
Asteroid Search; Alex Soltero & Arlene Tamayo
Asteroid Rotational Period; Luis Corvera & Marco Soto
Stellar Globe; Grace Bagaloyos
Magnitude of SS Cygni; Vill Eala
The Periods of Jupiter's Goddesses ; Angelica Meza
Red Planet?; Darwin Fernandez
Age of Star Clusters; Jarrett Bato
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Violeta Cruz checks out the "drop zone"
Violeta releases her egg vehicle
Egg Drop Contest site
Did the egg survive? . . . scrambled egg!
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This year's Physics Club officers were elected during the September 10 meeting:
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President |
Jarrett Bato |
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Secretary |
Mindy Wright |
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Treasurer |
Madonna Varela |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
June 3-6, 2003 7:10-8:00 AM
North Salinas High School
Room 101
Series of binary star images were taken using an internet link to a telescope at Yerkes Observatory. Brightness variations for each binary were used in an attempt to determine the orbital period of each.
A detailed analysis of the sun's apparent motion using observations taken over several months.
The rotational period of an asteroid can be determined by analyzing its light curve.
By comparing the relative brightness of a star image using colored filters, we can draw conclusions about the star's true color and thereby estimate its temperature.
An explanation of last summer's COSMOS project; star cluster analysis is a valuable tool in testing the model of stellar evolution.
Some people think the sun is pretty boring but the sun (like any star) has fascinating dynamics, and things aren't as constant as they may seem.
I went on an "asteroid hunt" - guess what I found?
Using filtered images, we estimated the true color of these familiar objects and then drew conclusions about chemical compositions.
Star chart matching and image processing analysis enabled us to determine the light curve of this unusual star.
Personal observations of the planets over recent weeks were used to construct a chart of their motions relative to fixed references.
A comparison of observations made in different locations in the Salinas area.
Special Session -"The Battle of the Telescopes"
Astrophotography; Michelle Bandy
Telescopic Observations; Elise Ramirez
Congratulations to Ashley Leitzell for her second-place finish in the Physics & Astronomy division of the Monterey County Science and Engineering Fair, held March 9 at CSU Monterey Bay. Ashley was the lone entrant from NSHS this year. Her project, Analying Binary Stars, involved analysis of images of four different eclipsing binary stars. Ashley obtained many of the images herself by remotely operating a rooftop telescope at Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin via an internet hookup. Ashley is the first high school student to operate the telescope in this manner! Using Hands-on Universe image processing software, Ashley constructed light curves of each eclipsing binary in an attempt to determine periodic color index variations. Although the county fair has now come and gone Ashley intends to do extensive follow-up work on her project, as many new images are needed in order to obtain conclusive results. The work in progress will be posted here at a later date. Stay tuned!
Club members voted to make an expenditure that will make a lasting difference: purchase a telescope to be used on club and astronomy class stargazing outings. We are now the proud owners of a 10-inch newtonian reflector, the Atlas 10 EQ telescope manufactured by Orion Telescopes. Addtional accessories include a solar filter and a nice pair of binoculars. Now that we're so well equipped, all we need is some clear weather!
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Advisor |
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2001-2002 Activities
The pesky fog that has plagued us this semester stayed away for a change, allowing locals to observe one of nature's treats under perfectly clear early evening skies. Elizabeth Ornelas and Melyssa Vargas set up a solar panel connected to a voltmeter, hoping to detect a measurable decrease in the sun's energy output during the eclipse. Sure enough, that's exactly what they found. Their results are shown below.
June 6 and June 10, 2002; North Salinas High School, room 101, 10:15 - 11:30 AM
Abstracts:
Stellar Nursury, A Study of the Wild Duck Cluster; Stephanie Avila
This project is focused on discovering the age and distance of the open star cluster M11, the Wild Duck cluster, through analysis of images taken in blue and green filters of which certain standard stars allowed me to create B-V versus absolute magnitude graphs. Link to the project report.
The Rotational Period of Two Asteroids; Ashley Lietzell and Cindy Lau
Asteroids spin as they orbit the sun. By constructing light curves of asteroids using images taken at different times, their rotational periods can be determined.
Black Holes Really Suck; Dominic Quilaton, Carleen Liu and Jimmy Gilbert
A compilation of the available data on stellar and galactic black holes.
Color Coded Light: Properties of Quasars; Ana Paz-Rangel, Adrianne Rojas and Iris Ramirez
We will analyze the Ring Nebula and the "Blue Snowball" in red, blue, and visual filters in order to determine their true colors and probable chemical compositions.
Eclipsing Binaries; Meghan Fuson
The masses of two stars in an eclipsing binary system can be determined through measurements of the system's magnitude.
The Mass of Saturn; Ivan Alcantar, Stefania Maricchio and Jen Yee
Using images of Saturn and its largest moon, Titan, we will determine the mass of Saturn. Link to the project report.
Variable Star SS Cyg; Oscar Alcala and Ron Colorina
The changing magnitudes of SS Cyg are calculated by comparing its brightness to that of a standard star of known magnitude. The star's period is determined using a graph of SS Cyg's changing magnitude vs. time.
Armageddon?; Jose Marin and Debra Wong
Many people fear that asteroid collisions will end life on Earth. However, asteroids are an exciting element in the realm of astronomy. This project deals with their detection.
Is the Universe Expanding?; Nicole White, Lynn Prudencio and Melissa Tsukamoto
By comparing the R, G, B values of galaxies and determining their differences we can infer whether or not the galaxies are moving away from us, and possibly provide proof that the universe is expanding.
Wow! North High students have done it again at the Monterey County Science and Engineering Fair! Jennifer Innocenti and Jackie Page won second place in Environmental Engineering with their study of nitrate leaching rates in various soil types. Sarah Balbi's scientific comparison of contrasting freestyle swimming stokes was awarded first place in the Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics category. Stephanie Avila won several awards with her outstanding astronomy project, including special awards of excellence from the Army, the Navy, and the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy, as well as first place in the Physics & Astronomy category. Sarah and Stephanie have qualified to compete in the California State Science Fair, which will be held in Los Angeles this May. Congratulations to all on your outstanding work!
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At the summit!
The sun sets into the fog bank, but it's clear above!
left to right: James, Ahmad, Chris, Liz, Lynn, Colby, Jonathan
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co-Presidents |
Colby JamesJonathan Jacobson |
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co-Secretaries |
Lynn PrudencioLiz Tiglao |
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co-Treasurers |
Ahmad CoxChris Tomas |
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Historian |
James Golden |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
2000-2001 Activities
June 11- 12, 2001; North Salinas High School, room 101, 10:15 - 11:30 AM
Abstracts:
Going for a Spin: Determination of Asteroid Rotation Period; Alex Del Rio and Michelle Metcalf
The geometric irregularities of an asteroid give it varying albedo over its surface. This causes the brightness of a spinning asteroid to vary periodically. By analyzing a series of asteroid images taken over many days its light curve can be constructed, which then reveals the asteroid's rotation period.
Light Intensity of Galaxies; Chad Deupser and Nick Shepherd
Is there a mathematical relationship relating brightness and position for the light emitted by galaxies? Images of spiral, elliptical, and irregular galaxies were analyzed in an attempt to answer this question.
Messier Madness; Ashley Cruz and Patricia Thomas
After graphing all of the Messier objects on a polar plot, several patterns became evident for certain classes of objects. Particularly interesting is the grouping of globular clusters in the region of Saggitarius.
Far, Fast, and Furious: Properties of Quasars; Jose Alcala and Eli Carrillo
After searching for and locating data for many quasars, various properties were analyzed and evaluated. The results are summarized in a PowerPoint presentation created by the authors.
Galactic Categorization; Rex Niduaza and Baotien Nguyen
Which types of galaxies are most common among the easily imaged (brightest) objects in the night sky? A galactic population analysis was performed through careful study of many galaxy images.
Color Analysis of Celestial Objects; Joseph Han and Carlos Carma
Is there a mathematical relationship relating brightness and position for the light emitted by galaxies? Images of spiral, elliptical, and irregular galaxi
Solar Phenomena: An In-Depth Look at the Sunspot Cycle; Stephanie Avila and Aimee Firmalo
Is solar activity influenced by planetary alignments? An analysis of the sunspot cycle over centuries of time helps to answer this question.
Cruising in the Night Sky; Richard Kim and Alex Padilla
How many stars are visible in the night sky on a clear, moonless night? Observations made in urban and rural locations help to provide both best-case and worst-case scenarios.
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Heather Black made her second trip to the California State Science Fair on May 21 - 22. Her repeat appearance was remarkable enough, but more excitement was to come. Heather's project, The Lines Inside: Holographic Interferometry and Thermal Expansion, was awarded an Honorable Mention medal in the senior Physics and Astronomy category. Heather thus becomes only the second NSHS student to earn recognition at the state level. Congratulations to Heather on this very successful culmination of her outstanding project!
The COSMOS summer research program offered by U.C. Santa Cruz has kindly given North High students preferred status and full financial aid for the summer 2001 cluster in Astronomy and Vision Science, thanks to a grant associated with UCSC's Center For Adaptive Optics. As of this writing, Meghan Fusion, Stephanie Avila, Ryan Spriggs, have already been accepted to the Astronomy cluster. Additional acceptances: Colby James to the Chemistry cluster and Melyssa Vargas to the Oceanography cluster. Congratulations to all!
Congratulations to Irene Brisson, Kendie Quilaton, and Heather Black on the excellent presentations of their research projects which were entered in the Monterey County Science & Engineering Fair March 9-10. Irene has been working on a very difficult analysis of standing waves in a rectangular sheet under tension. Kendie studied vibration patterns in two types of bridge design. Heather made double exposure holograms to detect microscopic amounts of contraction in a cooling object. Her project was awarded second place in the Physics, Astronomy, Mathematics, & Software category and she also won a special award from the U. S. Navy & Marine Corps. Heather will be making her second consecutive trip to the California State Science Fair to be held May 20-21 in Los Angeles. This is the fifth year in a row that NSHS has sent one or more students to the State Science Fair.
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Gone are the views of Fremont Peak and Mt. Toro that one used to enjoy while walking to or from the physics lab in the100s hallway. The green expanse of lawn that formerly fronted the main building has been replaced by a new classroom wing. The new building has two new chemistry labs and three general science classrooms in addition to two computer labs and several standard classrooms which are currently being used for social studies classes. The change in environment has caused some of us in the old building to feel downright claustrophobic! Ah, the price of progress...
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left to right: Stefanie, Heather, Natalie, Eli
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co-Presidents |
Stefanie BlancoEli Carillo |
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Secretary |
Heather Black |
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Treasurer |
Natalie Acosta |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
1999-2000 Activities
After years of joking with students about washing his van if they needed money to help pay for school expenses, Mr. Sweet finally got taken up on his offer. Seniors Lan Huynh and Jose Garza, both needing to pay fines for damage to their physics textbooks, arrived for their last day of high school armed with detergent, sponges, and towels. Fortunately the afternoon was very warm - just perfect for "water activities". When the job was finished everyone was amazed at how bright and white the van is when it's clean (a very rare state). After Lan and Jose used their wages to pay off their financial obligations, they were officially cleared for graduation. With Mr. Sweet's plans for summer camping trips, it is doubtful that his van will stay clean for very long.
June 12- 13, 2000; North Salinas High School, room 101, 8:15 - 9:30 AM
Abstracts:
Star Light, Star Bright; A Mathematical Analysis of Venus' Orbit; Heather Black
This project is to explain how the apparent visual magnitude of the planet Venus depends on its distance from the Earth, and to devise a mathematical formula relating magnitude and distance. As Venus changes distance from the Earth its brightness should follow the Inverse Squared Law, but as it moves in its orbit Venus' % illumination and angular size change, making Venus a variable light source. By gathering actual Distance and Magnitude data for Venus over a long period of time, then analyzing this information graphically, a formula was derived which describes the mathematical relationship between magnitude and distance. I found that when Venus is .42 AU away from the Earth, its brightest magnitude occurs, -4.62. Surprisingly, this is neither the closest nor the farthest distance from Earth to Venus. All derived formulas were found to be very accurate predictors of Venus' visual characteristics. Link to project write-up
Finding Plate Scale Using Globular Clusters; Kim Cantero and Lan Huynh
Images of many globular clusters taken from the same telescope were analyzed using HOU image processing software. Using the known sizes and distances of each cluster, the plate scale of each image was calculated. We then compared the resulting plate scale values to see if a pattern or similar results showed. We concluded that imatges taken from the same telescope have the same plate scale.
Blue, Green, and Red; Juan Castro and Jose Garza
Filtered images of a mystery star and the Trapezium were analyzed in order to compare the relative amounts of blue, green, and red light emitted from each object. The B - V color index of the Trapezium was calculated using an assumed standard magnitude.
Asteroid Search; Miguel Gudino and Christian Ramirez
Images were downloaded from the HOU asteroid search site, then analyzed in pairs using image processing software. Several likely asteroid candidates were found. The orbital speed of each candidate was then determined, assuming that the asteroid is located in an average position in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Concerning SS Cyg; Joshua Torrance
The brightness of five different images of the variable star SS Cyg were determined. The results were then graphed in order to determine the star's period. Once completed, there was an extra task of finding the distance of this star from earth if it were a Type I cepheid variable. Although it provided good practicical application for concepts learned in class, this last exercise doesn't apply to SS Cyg because it is a cataclysmic variable star.
A Wrinkle in Time; Irene Brisson and Ying Ying Chu
The Boomerang Project has recently produced evidence that suggests that the universe is flat. In in-depth research of cosmological theory was done with the goal of explaining this development.
The Moons of Uranus; Pete Anderson and Ken Baughn
Using HOU image processing software, an image of Uranus and one of its moons was analyzed. The distance between the moon, Titania, and Uranus was found, along with their respective radii.
Planetary Nebulaeäthe Illusionists; Aaron McDougal and Heather Black
Images taken with colored filters can be used to tell many things, such as gases present and the color of objects. Using HOU tools to analyzes such images, the true color of the planetary nebula called the "Blue Snowball" was found, along with the gases present in M57, the Ring nebula in Lyra.
Black Holes; Vaneza Espinoza, Alyssa Sigala, Jen Weisberg
An informational web page containing statistical data on black holes was developed.Click here to view the page.
NSHS was represented by two fine projects at the state science fair in Los Angeles May 22 and 23. Heather Black and David Ramirez both made substantial improvements to the projects that were awarded co-first prizes at the county level. David's railgun project so impressed the state judges that he was given the third-place award in Physics and Astronomy. (Click here for picture.) David thus becomes the first-ever North High student to earn recognition at the state level - great job David!
North High students entered six interesting projects at this year's Monterey County Science and Engineering Fair. Elma Payongayong and Ying Ying Chu studied the effects of different visible wavelengths on bacterial growth. The project entered by Ashley Cruz and Katy Brott investigated how the work done by a swimmer changes with speed. Irene Brisson's experiment dealt with the degradation of magnetically coded information on cassette tapes caused by magnetic fields. Special congratulations go to Tony Zamora, David Ramirez, and Heather Black for earning special recognition at the Monterey County Science Fair! Tony's exhibit To See, or Not to Sea; A Study of Atmospheric Haze was named the Best Senior Division Project in Meteorology or Oceanography by the Fleet Numerical Meteorology & Oceanography Center in Monterey. David's project Railgun Traits and Heather's Star Light, Star Bright: A Mathematical analysis of Venus' Orbit were awarded co-first prizes in the Physics & Astronomy division, thereby qualifying each of them for the California State Science Fair. Heather's project was given an additional award by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
David and Heather are continuing work on their projects, and both students will be taking their improved versions to the State Science Fair in Los Angeles on May 22-23. (This is the fourth consecutive year that North High students have made it to the State level.)
Physics Clubbers spent the last school day of the 1900s in style, visiting the Exploratorium in San Francisco on our annual field trip. New members got to see the frog exhibit mentioned in last year's note -the frogs haven't left yet. After a day filled with hands-on physics activities, we arrived back at school tired but happy - especially knowing that there is no school for the next three weeks!
Public Night on Fremont Peak
Several Physics and Earth club members journeyed up to the Fremont Peak Observatory Association's Public Program the evening of October 2. After hiking to the mountain's summit we were treated to some interesting physics demonstrations by Hartnell Physics Society member (and former NSHS physics student) Cain McDonald as darkness settled on the mountaintop. Then it was out to the 36-inch reflector for stunning views of the Andromeda galaxy, Jupiter, and Saturn. Conditions were surprisingly good despite the diffuse smoke from the wildfires currently burning in the Ventana wilderness.
Physics Club '99
Physics Club 1999-2000 Officers
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co-Presidents |
David RamirezAlyssa Sigala |
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co-Secretaries |
Lan HuynhRosalie De Los Santos |
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co-Treasurers |
Stefanie BlancoYing Ying Chu |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
1998-99 Activities
June 7- 8, 1999; North Salinas High School, room 101, 8:15 - 9:30 AM
Abstracts:
What's Hot, What's Not; Analysis of the Nuclei and Outer Regions of Galaxies; Valerie Bedon and Tiffany Black
Using image processing software, the cores and surrounding regions of several galaxies were analyzed for total luminosity. The results show that the greater area of the outer regions does not compensate for the lesser luminosity per area compared to the galactic core. Despite the small size, the core contributes more total luminosity than the sum of the surroundings.
Diffraction Pattern Analysis; David Ramirez
The resolving power of any optical system is limited by diffraction. This study examined the details of brightness variations within the bright orders in single-slit, double-slit, and grating patterns. Using a light probe and computer interfacing, brightness variations both within and between bright lines were documented. Additionally, the equipment picked up orders unseen to the human eye.
The Color Wanderers; Ruben Flores and Omar Rosa
Images of Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto with blue, green, and red filters were studied. The differences between the three are attributed to their differing atmospheric compositions.
Color Variations in an Eclipsing Binary; Starr E. Knight
Images of the eclipsing binary TX Ursa Majoris were taken 10 days apart. Once the variable star was identified, the relative blue to visual color ratio was determined for each date. Relative to the first date, the light at the later time was found to be "bluer", indicating that either the hotter star had become more "uncovered" or that the cooler star had become more "covered" as the two orbited each other.
Population Distribution of the Messier Objects; Tony Zamora and Monica Andrade
After looking up the coordinates of all the Messier objects, each position was plotted on a coordinate system representing the celestial sphere. Especially high concentrations of objects are noted in Virgo and Saggitarius. Not surprisingly, the majority of Messiers are located north of the ecliptic.
Comets: The Class of 1999; Roger Mueller and Thomas Montoya
Hale-Bopp is still with us, along with Comet Lee and many others. None are of visual magnitudes so the general public is largely unaware that the current skies include these celestial visitors. The travel paths of several current comets were plotted and exhibited.
Comparison of Distant and Nearby Galaxy Types; Ian Francisco
The galaxies in a Hubble Deep Field image were analyzed and categorized as either elliptical or spiral. The ratio of spiral to elliptical turned out to be much greater than the figure given in astronomy texts for the local region or the universe in general. Since the image gives a glimpse of a much earlier universe, the results are consistent with the current theory of galactic evolution.
The Search for Celestial Death; Jordan Saunders and Keenan St. John
Are there any asteroids headed our way? Images were downloaded from the HOU asteroid search site, then analyzed in pairs using image processing software. Several likely asteroid candidates were found. One interesting result is that two asteroids were shown to be speeding up. Is this effect relative or real? Only further analysis can aswer this question.
Analysis of Venus' Magnitude Variations; Karen Smith
The Redshift planetarium database was used to determine the magnitude, distance from earth and % illumination of the planet Venus on many dates as the planet moved along its orbital path. Graphical analysis was performed to determine how the magnitude and percent illumination depend on Venus' distance from earth, and on how % illumination and magnitude are related. To see the graphs click here.
Quasar Hunt; Mark Menor and David Gonzalez
After locating a catalog of over 600 radio quasars via the internet, the coordinates of each was plotted on a transparent grid. Next, the grid was wrapped into a circle and a sphere representing the earth was suspended in the center. The resulting model represents how this quasar population is distributed on the celestial sphere. Conclusion: quasars are found in just about every part of the sky!
The Radio Connection; Derek Becker and Ken Kamimura
Is there another civilization out there sending out messages, either intentionally or unintentionally, with radio emissions? If so, the SETI project aims to make this vital discovery. The reasons for preferring the radio band were discussed, along with the likely patterns in an "intelligent" signal, each demonstrated with an audible analog on cassette tape.
The "SETI at Home" program was discussed and demonstrated. Anybody who possesses a computer with adequate RAM and processor capability can now be a participant in the SETI project. Data collected at the Aricebo radio telescope along with processing software can be downloaded over the internet for analysis on a home computer. When analysis is complete, the result files are sent back to SETI headquarters in Berkeley and another data batch is downloaded for analysis. The program can be used as a screen saver, working away only when the computer is otherwise idle. Anyone interested in participating in this effort should see http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
E.T. Phone Home?; Jeanna Guerrero
What are the odds that another civilization of intelligent, technologically advanced beings is currently present in our galaxy? It seems that the most critical factor is the average length of time that a civilization can survive without destroying itself once technology is developed. On the pessimistic side, if the average "technological lifetime" is only 100 years, then there are probably only about 10 other advanced civilzations in the galaxy. However, the ultimate optomistic estimate leads to the expectation that there are 10 million other civilizations out there capable of communicating with other worlds. Optomistic views are the basis of the CETI program.
Club Members Bring Back the Sun on Annual Hike/Picnic
The last Saturday morning of the school year dawned foggy as usual, but our intrepid group of adventurers was undanuted as we hit the trail in the public land area formerly known as Fort Ord. Supplied with food, water, good company, and even a graphing calculator (Chuong is never without his!) we not only had a great time trudging over hill and dale but also were witness to a revival of pure sunshine as the fog lifted and clear blue skies prevailed. Let's hope for plenty of the same all summer!
1999 STATE SCIENCE FAIR - Neon beats Mustang
Jayvir Patel and Mike Heath took their project, Determining and Comparing the Air Drag Forces on Automobiles, to the California State Science Fair, held in Los Angeles on May 24-25. By measuring the deccelerations of a dozen different vehicles coasting along the same straight level course, Mike and Jayvir were able to calculate and compare relative air resistance forces. Which of the cars tested has the least amount of air drag? A Plymouth Neon came out #1, besting among others a Ford Mustang, which was the 7 th ranked car.
1999 Hartnell Physics Olympics
Viking physics students performed at olympian levels during the Hartnell Physics Olympics, held April 29 at Hartnell College. Chance Holtzwart, Maria Wirth, and Lan Huynh led the way with their first place finish in the "Physics Quiz" and third best score (among high school teams) in the Lazer Maze. Hong Huynh, not to be outdone by his sister, designed the winning egg drop vehicle. Juan Castro, Ken Baughn and Juan Sanchez had the best score among high school teams in the Lazer Maze and were runners up in the Quiz. The teams of David Ramirez, Mike Heath and Jayvir Patel; Rachel Fisher and Shawn Simas rounded out three of the next four places in the Quiz. Sun Kim built the best balsa wood bridge from NSHS, and Jayvir Patel was given a special award for artistic and engineering merit for his creative egg drop vehicle. All together our students brought home over $200 in prizes, and we had fun, too!
NSHS students shine at the Monterey County Science Fair
Congratulations are in order to our physics and astronomy students who took on the challenge (not to mention doing hours and hours of extra work) to enter projects in the 1999 Monterey County Science Fair. David Ramirez and Shawn Simas used a light sensor and motion detector to do a high-tech analysis of light interference patterns. Valerie Bedon and Tiffany Black used image processing techniques to compare luminosities of different types of galaxies. Jayvir Patel and Mike Heath did a comprehensive aerodynamic study of automobiles, discovering to their surprise that a Plymouth Neon has less air drag than a Ford Mustang. Valerie and Tiffany were awarded second prize in the highly competitive Physics & Astronomy division, and Jayvir and Mike took first place in the Fluid Dynamics, Aerodynamics, and Thermodynamics category. Our lads now plan to expand their project by testing more cars in preparation for the California State Science Fair to be held May 24-25. Wish them luck!
After having to postpone our December trip due to transportation problems, we finally completed our annual pilgrimage to the Exploratorium on March 16. Club members were treated to the usual outstanding hands-on exhibits covering virtually the entire span of physics topics. An additional treat was seeing the faascinating frog exhibit which is temporarily on display. Highly recommended - go visit if you can!
Physics Club 1998-99 Officers
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President |
Valerie Bedon |
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V.P. |
Stephanie Thomas |
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Secretary |
Lan Huynh |
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Treasurer |
Alyssa Sigala |
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Webmasters |
Martin Busch and Shawn Park |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
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Physics Club '98
From left to right: (genius in back): Albert Einstein; (back row): Jayvir Patel, Charles Monighetti, George Martinez, Shawn Simas, Martin Busch, Stephanie Thomas; (second row): Michael Del Mundo, Alyssa Sigala, Rachie Soria, Maria Wirth, Henrietta Lev Itt, Lisa Wong, Josh Sleeper, April Mabalot; (third row): Binh Duong, Stephanie Blanco, Lan Huynh, Rachel Fisher, Valerie Bedon; (in front): Shawn Park
1997-98 Activities
June 8 - 9, 1998; North Salinas High School, room 101, 1:30-3:00 PM
Abstracts:
Comets; Natalie Mills
The origin and nature of comets was discussed. Several comet images were analyzed, with particular attention being given to the relative sizes of coma, gas tail, and dust tail in each case.
Albireo, The Double Star; Lisa Wong
Images of Albireo taken with blue and visual filters were analyzed. The brighter (yellower) star was found to have magnitudes Mv= 3.1 and Mb=3.4 whereas the dimmer (bluer) star magnitudes are Mv=5.1 and Mb=3.4. The resulting color indexes (+.3 and -1.7) and corresponding surface temperatures (8000 K and >20,000 K) are in general agreement with published data. The known angular separation of 34.5" was used to calculate the plate scale of the telescope-CCD system, which came out 1.33" per pixel.
Galactic Light Intensity Analysis; Elma Payongayong and Martin Busch
Relative brightness vs. distance from the galactic nucleus was determined for elliptical, spiral, and barred spiral galaxies. Ellipticals tend to have a regular, predictable decrease in brightness moving out from the center. The relationships are inverse, although not always 1st power. The light curves of the spirals do not fit a simple mathematical model, but the higher concentrations of stars in the spiral arms are clearly seen.
Special Session - Asteroid Searches:
Killer Rocks; Morgan Kennedy and Chuong Ngo
65 million years ago an asteroid left a huge crater below the northern tip of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. This is now thought to be the likely cause of the drastic environmental changes that wiped out the dinosaurs. As recently as 1996 an asteroid came almost as close to the earth as the moon's orbit. An estimated 1600 asteroids larger than one-half mile in diameter cross the earth's orbit; only about 200 of these have been discovered. Keeping a watchful eye for asteroids on possible collision courses with earth may be extremely important!
An analysis of images from the HOU "Asteroid Seach Archives" did turn up a likely looking candidate. Since the HOU Asteroid Search program is on hold for now the find was not reported to "headquarters" at this time.
Project Asteroid; Alysia Torrance
Analysis of HOU images yielded FOUR asteroid candidates! All of the asteroids were in the constellation Hydra, near RA 8h 21min, Dec 4°, 12' on the date the images were taken (December 1997). This is very near the ecliptic in the constellation Cancer, thus if the candidates are indeed asteroids they are likely located in the asteroid belt.
Crab Nebula: Radio vs. Visual; Jason Cruz
Identically-sized images of the Crab Nebula taken in radio and visible wavelengths provide some interesting contrasts. Most striking is the absence of foreground and neighboring stars in the radio image; none of these visible objects emit a significant amount of radio energy. Comparison of many slices through "the crab" show a hot core in both ranges, and only small differences in relative intensities moving radially away from the center.
Plate Scale; Leslee Pacheco
Images of objects having known sizes and distances were "sliced" in order to determine the plate scale of each. Although almost all of them were taken with SBIG ST-7 telescopes, the plate scales had large variations. The results show that the "f-stop" of the telescope and the size of the CCD chip must be known in order to calculate the plate scale.
Moon Craters; April Mabalot
Moon images were analyzed with HOU software in order to compare sizes and features of moon craters. A moon crater database was created in order to learn about what is "typical" in the crater population. Data included diameters in pixels and km, special features such as multiple cratering or remarkable depth, and the presence or absence of a central peak.
Starry Neighborhood; Christa Cacciata and Lynn Whealdon
Through analysis of digital images, Christa and I wanted to construct our own H-R Diagram for the open star clusters NGC6939 and "Wild Duck", and the globular clusters Meisser 5 and Messier 12. We hypothesized that the open cluster's diagram will be more concentrated along the middle where the main sequence line exists; and that the globular cluster's diagram will be more varied and spread out.
We started by asking the Hands-On Universe network to send us images of the clusters that we selected, using both blue and visual filters. We found the brightness of all the stars in the image; and with a known star and its known magnitude, we were able to calculate the blue and visual magnitudes for each star. With that information we calculated the color index which therefore allows us to find the temperature. We then used the distance-luminosity formula to calculate each star's absolute magnitude.
The Graphical Analysis program allowed us to construct our very own H-R Diagram. We used the temperature as the "x" axis and the absolute magnitude as the "y" axis. Although the diagram does show that the globular clusters have a greater variation of star types than the open clusters, the populations don't line up in the expected way along the main sequence. There seems to be some sort of calibration problem which to date we have not been able to identify.
(click here to see the complete report)
Christa Cacciata and Lynn Whealdon took their second consecutive trip to the 1998 California State Science Fair to present their astronomy project Starry Neighborhood in the formidible Physics and Astronomy category. After warming up by studying the physics of the rides at Disneyland, our young astronomers were ready to take on any and all questions that the judges might throw at them. On the day of the fair, a morning filled with interviews was followed by afternoon visits to the IMAX theater and the California Science Center. Conclusion: science projects, although a lot of work, can also produce a lot of fun!
Thanks to Lynn and Christa for being such fine representatives of North Salinas High School at the California State Science Fair during the past two years! (Who will carry on the tradition in 1998-99?)
Success at the Monterey County Science Fair
All three projects entered by NSHS students in the 1998 Science Fair won prize ribbons and qualified for the California State Science Fair. Abraham Ramirez' first-place engineering project involved building and testing an original bridge design that he hopes will help bridges better cope with the energy from seismic waves. Ciciley Jones, Susy Mendoza, and Sharon Pilapil study how the electical resistance of a wire changes with temperature was awarded second place in physics. Christa Cacciata and Lynn Whealdon won the first place Earth & Space Science award for their project in which they analyzed telescope images of two kinds of star clusters in order to compare their star populations. Lynn and Christa will be taking their project to the state fair (this is their second consecutive trip to state level!). Congratulations to all for a super job!
On December 19 our group finished 1997 in style by traveling to The Exploratorium in San Francisco. One of the most fabulous science museums in the world, The Exploratorium's exhibits are designed for active participation by all who visit. Of special interest was a temporary section on the Science of Sports, which featured a virtual bobsled run and a device that measures relative impact forces on one's knees when jumping down from a height of about one meter. Adding to everyone's enjoyment of the outing was the knowledge that the end of the day marked the beginning of the three week Winter Break!
Top scores in the optical imaging contest held in this semester's physics classes:
200 - Jennifer Deering, Ken Kamimura, David Ramirez (congragulations , a perfect score!)
199 - Jamie Grossen, Blair Blakeley (almost perfect!)
193 - Ray Cavagna, Shawn Littleton, Mark Menor
175 - Cindi-Renee Sloan, Laurie Rutkowski, Tony Zamora
Congratulations to Abraham Ramirez for his winning entry in our flagpole contest. Abraham measured the length of the pole's shadow and compared it to the length of the shadow produced by an object of known length. His result of 8.89 m almost perfectly agreed with the accepted height of 8.9 m. Abraham's prize: a $20 gift certificate at the Wherehouse. Sam Wright won the consolation prize for the most creative method. Sam viewed the pole in a plane mirror lying flat on the ground and calculated the pole's height using the similar triangles formed when applying the law of reflection. Sam received a NSHS Physics Shirt for his effort.
North High's physics students now have some modern tools to use for data acquisition & analysis, internet access, and multimedia research. Thanks to a technology grant obtained by Assistant Principal Caresani, four new Macintosh 6500 computers with 17" Applevision AV monitors are newly installed in the lab. Additional equipment purchased with grant funds include a laser printer, an interface box for hooking up sensors to the computer, two graphing calculators, two calculator based laboratory (CBL) units, and a few CBL sensors. Thanks to Mr. Caresani for this much needed "shot in the arm"!
l->r: Vanessa Salinas, Deborah Murphy, Van Tran, Abraham Ramirez, Jayvir Patel, Samuel Ramirez, Sarah Thompson, Matt Sterling, Andrea DeAnda, David Ramirez, Tony Zamora, Laura Flores
Physics Club 1997-98 Officers
|
President |
Andrea DeAnda |
|
V.P. |
Valerie Bedon |
|
Secretary |
Sarah Thompson |
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Treasurer/Webmaster |
Matt Sterling |
|
Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
1996-97 Activities
Lynn Whealdon and Christa Cacciata took their project, Sticky Situations: A Force Analysis of Chewing Gum Over Time, to the California State Science Fair in Los Angeles on May 19-20. Our two "gum engineers" completely redid their project after winning the top engineering award at the Monterey County Science Fair. Lynn and Christa cleverly modified a CBL force sensor to create an "electronic tooth" with which to collect digital data. After chewing on gum samples for various lengths of time, tensile limits and compression forces were recorded for ten different brands of chewing gum. The results show that Hello Kitty and Trident are the easiest on a gum chewer's jaw, whereas Apple and Bubbliscious require the most work to stretch and compress.
Twenty-one North High students participated in the Physics Olympics hosted by Hartnell College on May 1. This year's event was the most ambitious ever, with contests in balsa wood bridge building, projectile motion, a "car clash" demolition derby, a laser maze, and a challenging "physics quiz" . NSHS students came out on top in two events: Sean Smith, J.R. Barlow, and Lee Torres won the car clash, and Kristy Bevill took first in the quiz with Richard Duldulao right behind her in second place. Congratulations to all participants on a job well done!
Two North High projects won awards at the recent Monterey County Science and Engineering Fair! Congratulations to Christa Cacciata and Lynn Whealdon for their second place engineering project, Sticky Situations (A Force Analysis of Chewing Gum over Time) and to Isaac Mendoza for his second place astronomy project in which he calculated Jupiter's mass using data obtained by analyzing digital images with image processing software. Christa, Lynn, and Isaac have joined the elite group of students who have qualified to enter science projects in the California State Science Fair. Best of luck to all as they forge ahead to improve their projects for the next level of competition!
North High has been associated with the LASE (Laser Applications in Science Education) project for the last five years. LASE has provided technical support, financial incentive, and publication opportunities that have motivated countless students all over the country to pursue optics projects involving lasers. (In 1992 two NSHS students, Michael Moustakas and Manual Tinoco, each won $400 first prize awards in the first ever LASE-sponsored optics fair.) LASE LOG is a scientific journal to which high school students can submit articles documenting their laser experiments. LASE also maintains a web page which includes text of past LASE LOG articles as well as recent experiments submitted by current students.
Three recent additions to the LASE page are the work of NSHS students: (1) Mai Dang, Tami Kim and Lee Torres report on the outcome of their holography experiment; (2) Kristy Bevill's outstanding experiment in which she determined the index of refraction of liquid nitrogen; and (3) the "high tech" speed of light experiment by Ryoji Bunden and George Ruiz. Congratulations to all for your outstanding work!
Check out these experiments and you'll see just some of the ways that lasers can be used to explore the world!
Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is organizing an air monitoring project in which students build sampling and analysis devices in order to measure the concentration of airborne soot in the local atmosphere. (More information can be found at their web site: http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/pollution-main.html) Over 200 schools have expressed interest in joining the project. This school-based measurement program has been operating in Slovenia since 1992. There are currently 60 Slovenian schools sharing data on the internet, and in tiny Estonia, the 12 schools that measure soot in the atmosphere comprise the only air pollution monitoring network in the country! North Salinas physics students Jason Sanchez and Matt Sterling joined a local network which collected data during January and February 1997. You can check out project results on the ELSI data search page.
Top scores in the optical image contest held in this year's physics classes:
190 - Andrea DeAnda, Vanesa Salinas, Van Tran
188 - Deme Barber, Walter Halstead, Terri Hawkins
187 - Sammy Picazo, Ryan Pierce, Lee Torres, Armando Martinez
178 - Annie Brown, Marsha Dansby, Mike Mier
172 - Daryl Hunt, Shaun Solis
Great job, everyone!
Kristy Bevill achieves distinction in UCSB Prize Exam in Physics!
Only 376 students from a field of 5375 taking the challenging examinations in biology, chemistry, computer science, math, and physics scored well enough to qualify for the advanced exams. "The Prize Competition is designed to provide an interesting challenge to California high school students in a format which allows them to compare their talents and achievements with other students in the state", according to mathematician Max Weiss, Mathematics Professor Emeritus and founder of the competition.
Kristy's excellent work on the advanced exam prompted the College of Creative Studies at UCSB to give her a personal phone call in order to woo Kristy to their school. It remains to be seen if they can tempt Kristy away from her previous top college choices!
On October 5, Jenn Stidham, Andrea Smith, Laramie Winfield, Julia Sweet and Mr. Sweet took the long, scenic drive up to Fremont Peak for the public viewing program presented by the Fremont Peak Observatory Association. It was a fantastic evening, warm with clear skies. In addition to the 20" Challenger reflecting telescope housed in the observatory building, there were two or three dozen smaller telescopes brought by amateur astronomers trained on a variety of interesting stellar objects. Within a couple of hours we observed several galaxies, two nebulae ("Ring" and "Dumbell"), Jupiter and Saturn, a star cluster, and a comet (Hale-Bopp). The view of Saturn was particularly impressive; a highly magnified but sharp image produced by a large refracting telescope. All in all, it was a super evening; a fun time was had by all!
Physics Club 1996-97 Officers
|
Co-Presidents |
Sarah Albin, Jenn Stidham |
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Secretary |
Kristy Bevill |
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Treasurer |
Jason Rivera |
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WebMaster |
Matt Sterling |
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Advisor |
Jeff Sweet |
