Educational Activities

  • Distances in Astronomy

    Astronomy is a discipline pursued at a distance. And yet measuring the physical distances to astrophysical objects takes both ingenuity and phenomenal advancements in technology. The following activities will help students understand distances in astronomy, from powers of 10 to measuring the incredible breadth to distant planets, stars and galaxies.

    — Powers of Ten (PDF, Plus additional PDF of images and answers)
    — Parallax (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: size of microorganisms and atmospheric particles

    — Chemistry: size of atoms, nanotechnology, bonding, and atomic scale

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: size and geochemical cycles

    — Engineering: engineering notation

    — Mathematics: algebraic computations and geometric applications

    — Physics: metric system and scientific notation

  • Light

    The most powerful tool in astronomy is light — photons traveling billions of lightyears across the cosmos before getting scooped up by an array of radio dishes or a single parabolic mirror orbiting the Earth. By collecting these photons in different filters, or spreading them across a spectrum of wavelengths, we have placed ourselves within the vistas of seemingly endless time and space.

    — Light & Color (PDF)
    — Spectra & Chemical Composition (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: color perception, vision, wavelengths of light traveling through different media (e.g., how different algea types grow in difference light) and bioluminescence

    — Chemistry: chemiluminescence, phosphorescence and flourescence

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: mineral identification and soil compositions

    — Engineering: materials science

    — Mathematics: inverse relationships

    — Physics: wave properties, frequency, speed wavelength, transmission of light through various media and filters

  • Planetarium

    Nothing is more powerful than a vast starry sky displayed above you. Except perhaps, an advanced planetarium that allows the user to speed up and slow down time, change location, and even zoom in on distant phenomena.

    — Observing the Night Sky (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: night vision and photoreceptors (cones, rods)

    — Chemistry: effects of pollutants on seeing

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: amount of daylight, seasons and archaeostronomy connections

    — Engineering: satellite trajectories

    — Mathematics: degrees, arc minutes and arc seconds

    — Physics: concave/convex lenses and focal points

  • Thermal Energy

    Heat is energy. Most of our primary methods of creating electrical power come down to generating heat & coal, natural gas, even nuclear. The heat energy stored in the cores of planets drives their geologic activity, and determines whether a planet is geologically dead (like Mars), or active (like Earth). With special materials called thermoelectrics, we can examine the use of heat as an energy source.

    — Heat Energy (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: extremophiles and thermal ocean vents

    — Chemistry: endothermic/exothermic reactions and burning splint tests

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: energy types and sources

    — Engineering: spaceship designs that withstand extreme temperatures

    — Mathematics: Newton's law of cooling, heat transfer and temperature changes

    — Physics: conductors and insulators

  • Planetary Geology

    Based on distant orbiting satellites we can date worlds, understand various surface features and even model their interior structures. Planetary geology is a powerful tool that helps us understand why nearby planets, such as Venus and Mars, are vastly different from our home.

    — Detecting Distant Exoplanets (PDF)
    — Planetary Geology (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: environmental regions, habitable zones and detecting life on other planets

    — Chemistry: chemical composition of soils

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: chemical composition of atmospheres, moon spirals, magnetic forces and earthquake waves used to model Earth's interior

    — Engineering: space probes designed to fly by or land on other planets

    — Mathematics: Kepler's laws of planetary motion and coding/decoding images

    — Physics: planet properties (mass, volume, density, gravitational field, atmosphere, magnetic field)

  • Zooniverse

    Zooniverse — the renowned home of citizen science projects — allows private citizens across the world to make meaningful contributions to science. Many projects have produced unique scientific results, ranging from individual discoveries to classifications that rely on input from thousands of viewers. Here are a few activities to help students become engaged in science in a meaningful way.

    — Galaxy Zoo (PDF)


    Interdisciplinary Uses

    — Biology: ocean life, cancer cell research, genetic, plankton, california condors and notes from nature

    — Chemistry: star formation and explosions in the Sun

    — Earth/Geology/Environmental Science: climate data from ship logs, tropical cyclone data, the Moon's surface, and Mars

    — Engineering: echolocation

    — Mathematics: modeling and decoding

    — Physics: galaxy formation, sunspots, planet formation, exoplanets and black hole jets