Astronomy is the scientific study of the universe. The word comes from the Greek term meaning“naming the stars,” but astronomers study everything outer space contains, including planets, stars, galax-ies, black holes, and even the universe itself. They investigate where these celestial bodies are and whatthey’re made of, and also how they were formed and are evolving. Astronomy takes place on a massive scale:immense distances, gigantic sizes, and vast reaches of time.
Astronomy is not astrology! Astrology — the belief that thestars and planets can affect your personality and your future —is not science. It’s the science of astronomy that seeks to explainwhat happens in the universe.
Gravity is a key force throughout the universe, and reveals a lotabout how things in space work. The same force that keeps yourfeet on the surface here on Earth pulls gas and dust together so
stars and galaxies canform, and keeps smallerbodies in orbit aroundlarger ones.
Almost everything we know about the universe comes from thestudy of light. Every object in the universe emits light that containsmany different kinds of information. Light is a kind of radiation.Using telescopes that capture different wavelengths of light — suchas X-ray, microwave, and visible radia-
tion — astronomers learn about places far too distant to visit or even see.They use this information to answer cosmic questions like: How old isthe universe? What are stars made of? How far away is the next galaxy?
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This is a Content Guide for after-school educators to the Astronomy section of OLogy, a free, award-winning science Web site for kids (http://www.ology.amnh.org/). Please refer to the Introduction and User’sGuide and Using OLogy: Methods and Suggestions sections of the After-School Guide to OLogy for anoverview of the complete site, how it works, and what it has to offer.
Introduction
Sophisticated telescopes are our eyes to the universe. An unprecedent-ed number of large telescopes on Earth and in orbit are generatingexplosive growth in fields like the discovery of planets in other solarsystems and the search for extraterrestrial life. Ever-more-powerfuldata-crunching computers enable astronomers to probe the behaviorof the universe in ways that couldn’t be tested until now. This rate ofdiscovery is bound to accelerate. But the most important part of scien-tific discovery isn’t a telescope or computer — it’s the scientist, askingquestions and seeking answers.
Everything in the universe has a life cycle. All stars, including our Sun,are born, shine for billions of years, run out of fuel, and die. Galaxies
form and collide, with the larger ones oftenconsuming the smaller. Even the universe
itself is evolving. It began as a tiny, densefireball about 13 billion years ago and
continues to expand.
Astronomers think big. Astronomyinvolves huge numbers: billions,trillions, and even larger. For exam-ple, light from distant stars cantravel for millions of years andtrillions of miles before it reach-es us. Astronomers estimate thatthere are more than 100 billionstars in our galaxy, the MilkyWay. The questions that these scientists pursue — like “When did theuniverse begin?” and “Is there life on other planets?" — are also enor-mous in scale.
Are you looking for a drawing activity, or would you like your kids to read a story about how the universebegan, or the search for life on Mars? Would an online question-and-answer game fit the bill? Do you needan online activity, or something to do away from the computer? How about a learning experience thataddresses a key word or concept? The Site Map on page 3 will help you find resources that suit your after-school group.
Play this matchinggame about space phe-nomena like planets,galaxies, and nebulae
This song explainsyour “long address”— where you fit inthe vastness of theuniverse
A multiple-choice quiz thattests your grasp of fundamen-tal concepts in astronomy
Answer a ques-tion and findout how youranswers matchup againstother visitors’opinions
Meet astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson and three kidswho think space is awesome
Stella Stardust inter-views the Sun to getthe inside scoop onits past, present, andfuture
Facts about ourgalaxy, supplement-ed by a Q&A with anastronomer and exer-cises that bring theconcept of “billions”down to earth
Find out howastronomers figuredout that an expandinguniverse started withthe Big Bang, plus aninteractive cosmictimeline
• Moon Flip Book• Interview with Mars• Scavenger Hunt• Stargazing• Space Travel Guide• Big Dipper Mobile • Cosmic Cookies• Astro Books• Make Your Own
Stationery
Kids can have fun awayfrom the computer withprojects that use easy-to-find materials
You can use the Astronomy OLogy Web site in ways that fit your particular after-school program. Thesample units below — “Our Solar System,” “The Universe,” and “Scientists Who Study Space” — offer exam-ples of how to combine different types of resources around a topic. Depending on time constraints and yourkids’ abilities, you can divide the units into two or more sessions. Using theresources in the order provided within each unit is recommended, but you canalso mix and match resources to create your own paths through the site.
You will find two levels of skill question. (See “Skills” in the Using OLogy:Methods and Suggestions section of the Guide for a complete listing of theskill type associated with each unit). First, Comprehension Questions askstudents to explain what they think the text or pictures mean in order to findout if they understand what the text says. The next level, Challenge Questions,invites students to use the facts, ideas, and skills they have learned to figure out a puzzle, solve a problem, orimagine an intriguing possibility. Keep in mind that direct answers to these questions will not necessarily befound on the OLogy site, and that children will be asked to predict and extrapolate.
Astronomy Units
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Tips:• If time is short, you may want to put the respective URL’s into your browser’sFavorites or Bookmarks menu to help kids navigate more efficiently.
• As your kids go through the site, ask them to read and collect OLogy cards byclicking on the red asterisks scattered all over. They can form the basis of a culmi-nating event when you’ve finished a unit or explored the entire Astronomy sectionof OLogy. (See “Wrap-Up Astro Projects” on p. 8.)
• Print out the Site Map on page 3 and keep ithandy by the computer. This will help you to getoriented and locate things quickly.
Our solar system is made up of the Sun, all of the planets, asteroids, comets,and everything else that orbits this 4.6 billion-year-old star.
#1 Visit “Meet the Universe’s Main Attraction — Gravity”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htm Gravity is the force that holds our solar system, as well as all things in the universe, together. Try this thought experiment: What would happen if youturned off gravity?
#2 Read “One on One with the Sun”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/sun/index.htmGet to know the central player in our solar system. As the Sun “says” in thisinterview, “This is my show.”
#3 Check out “A Closer Look at Mars”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/mars/index.htmThis section introduces all the planets with a focus on Mars, the most Earth-like planet in our Solar System. Find out how we know so much about the“red planet” and why some think it might be or have been home to extraterrestrial life.
#4 Whip up a batch of Cosmic Cookieshttp://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/cookies.htmlAfter your kids learn about the planets, they can make their own versions —and eat them.
#5 Solar System Scavenger Hunthttp://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/scavenger2.htmlUse household objects to create a scale model of our solar system.
Comprehension Questions: What makes Mars and our Sun different fromEarth? Please explain, using terms like planet, star, solar system, gravity, life,rotation, revolution, day.
Challenge Questions: Compare and contrast the three major ways we have ofgathering information about planets in our solar system. What do you thinkare the advantages and disadvantages of each? What conclusions can youdraw from this analysis about what we think we know about the solar system?
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The universe is all the matter, energy, and space that exists, including the Earth, the solar system, all thegalaxies, and intergalactic space itself.
#1 Check out “How Did the Universe Begin?”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/universe/index.htmLearn about the Big Bang, and create your own cosmic timeline to get a sense of how and when it all began.
#2 Sing along with “Don’t Be Lost in Space”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/inspace/indexmi.htmOur galaxy is one of several thousand galaxies in the Virgo Supercluster, which is only a tiny piece of theuniverse. This song explains your “long address” — which gives you a sense of where you fit in the vastnessof the universe.
#3 Read about “The Milky Way Galaxy”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/milkyway/index.htmOur Solar System is just a tiny blueberry in the big oval pancake that makes up the Milky Way, an immensespiraling collection of stars, dust, and gas. Start with the “Introduction” and do the other activities if timeallows.
#4 Play “Cosmic Connections”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/cosmic/pages/game.htmMatch descriptions to pictures of space phenomena like colliding galaxies, the Eagle Nebula, and the super-hot disk around a black hole. These are found throughout the universe, farther than we can visit or some-times even see.
#5 “Build the Big Dipper”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/dipper.htmlRead the “Introduction,” which explains how stars that exist millions of miles apart in space look very differ-ent from Earth — where we group them into constellations. Then build your own model of the Big Dipper.
Comprehension Questions: Explain our address in the universe. Where do we fit in relationship to the otherplanets, the solar system, the local galaxy, our supercluster of galaxies (Virgo Supercluster), and the universe?
Challenge Questions: Create a model of our place in the universe using any objects at your disposal. Pleaseexplain the relative relationships you create among all of the objects, using what you know about thenature of the universe and Edwin Hubble’s discoveries. Hint: If the Earth is an M&M or a chocolate chip, howwould you represent the solar system, galaxy, and universe? [Use the “Solar System Scavenger Hunt” in“Stuff to Do” for ideas on how to make the model using available objects.]
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Throughout the ages, space has fascinated men and women, amateurs and professionals, and people of allages. Many different kinds of scientists are involved in astronomy today, because there’s so much to study.
#1 Read “Meet the OLogists: Neil deGrasse Tyson”http://www.ology.amnh.org/ologist/tyson/index.html Neil is the director of the Hayden Planetarium. Find out why he thinks he has the “coolest job in the world.”
#2 Encourage your kids to try “Stargazing”! http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/stargazing.htmlLearn the do’s and don’ts of looking up at the sky, including tips from astronomers about what to look forand how to record your sightings.
#3 Read “Meet the Universe’s Main Attraction — Gravity”http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htmFind out what Sir Isaac Newton figured out about gravity in 1687, and check out the Gravity OLogy card.
#4 Take a Q&A in “The Milky Way Galaxy”http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/gravity/index.htmSee what astronomer Julianne Dalcanton has to say about galaxies.
#5 Read “The Search for Martian Life”http://www.ology.amnh.org/astronomy/mars/pages/searchLife.htmIn this section, which is under “A Closer Look at Mars,” NASA scientist Maria Zuber explains why Mars mightbe or have been home to life.
Comprehension Questions: Explain what an astrophysicistlike Dr. Neil Tyson does. What aspects of his work do youfind most interesting and why? What questions would youask Dr. Tyson if you were able to meet him? How could youfind some of the answers yourself?
Challenge Questions: Maria Zuber thinks about the possibili-ties of life on other planets. You can join the search. Basedon what you know of life on Earth, where else in the solarsystem, our Milky Way Galaxy, or our universe do you thinkwe might find life — including microscopic forms of life?
You can do a culminating project to wrap up any of these units and celebrate your new “astronomyOLogists.”
• Create an online projectUse your card collection to create one of the online projects in OLogy’s Projects section. [This requires yourstudents to become OLogy members. Refer to pages 5 and 6 of the OLogy Introduction and User’s Guide foreasy-to-follow instructions.]
With their cards, your kids can:—Pick a story starter to do about their favorite celestial body.—Make a “stumper” about astronomy tools to quiz their friends.—Create a group of similar or related things in the universe, and describe how they’re connected.
• Start a Stargazers ClubCelebrate away from the computer by starting a Stargazers Club. Encourage kids to:
—Study the night sky (they don’t even need telescopes, but they do need a clear sky)—Record their findings in a Star Journal
(see http://ology.amnh.org/astronomy/stufftodo/stargazing_keep.html)—Pick a constellation to research.
• Have an Astro PartyCelebrate the conclusion of your Astronomy OLogy with a party with a celestial theme. Your kids could:
—Decorate the room with drawings of the planets they studied.—Have the kids design club membership badges or Stargazer certificates and present them to one
another as full-fledged astronomy OLogists.—Ask the kids to talk about what they’ve learned, and present their online and hands-on projects
to friends, family, and program staff.
• Visit a PlanetariumTake a field trip to the nearest planetarium. Find a location near you using the links on page 6 of UsingOLogy: Methods and Suggestions.
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The Scientific American Book of Astronomy by Timothy Ferris (Guilford, Ct: The Lyons Press, 1999) Fifty-four prominent researchers and writers contributearticles on everything from the climate on Mars to the ever-changing theories of dark matter, for a vivid portrait of what’s going on in the universe.
One Universe: At Home in the Cosmosby Neil deGrasse Tyson, Charles Liu, and Robert Irion (Washington: Joseph Henry Press, 2000)This book explores how the universe works with clear explanations, easy-to-understand illustrations, anddazzling photographs.
Space Encyclopedia by Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest (New York: DK Publishing, 1999) A well-organized reference book, with illustrations and descriptions of everything you ever wanted to knowabout the universe, from basic cosmology to how rockets launch satellites and astronauts into space.
New Astronomer: The Practical Guide to the Skills and Techniques of Skywatchingby Carole Stott (New York: DK Publishing, 1999) An illustrated guide to exploring the night sky successfully,with detailed star charts and information on navigation, equipment, and photographing celestial objectsincluding step-by-step instructions and easy-to-understand explanations.
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratoryhttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ JPL missions undertake the robotic exploration of the solar system for NASA, and also monitor our homeplanet. The site links to images, missions, events, resources for kids and educators, and more.
NASA Space Science Education Resource Directoryhttp://teachspacescience.stsci.edu/A convenient way to find NASA space science products for educators, searchable by grade level, topic, or keyword.
Starchild: A Learning Center for Young Astronomershttp://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/An inviting introduction to our solar system, including biographies of noted scientists, explanations of cos-mic phenomena, and the opportunity to submit your own Question of the Month.
The Space Placehttp://spaceplace.jpl.nasa.gov/index.shtmlA fun- and fact-filled NASA site for budding astronomers, including a “Space Science” section with experi-ments and clear explanations of the basic science that underlies astrophysical research.
asteroid – A small rocky or metallic body that orbits a star.
astronomy – The scientific study of the universe.
astrophysics – The branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of astronomical objects and phenomena.
Big Bang – An incredibly huge explosion that was the beginning of everything — time, space, and matter —and which occurred at some time between 13 and 14 billion years ago. According to current theory, the BigBang launched the ongoing expansion of the universe.
black hole – A region in space where gravity is so strong that space closes back on itself, allowing nothing,not even light, to escape.
comet – A small solar system body made of ice and dust that moves in an elliptical orbit around the Sun.
cosmos – The universe regarded as a whole, including all matter, energy, and space.
Crab Nebula – This glowing cloud of gas and dust 6,300 light years away is what’s left of a huge star thatexploded almost 1,000 years ago.
Earth – Our dynamic home planet, Earth has conditions — like liquid water, an atmos-phere, and moderate temperatures — that permit a great variety of life forms toexist.
energy – Any attribute of matter or electromagnetic radiation that can be converted intomotion. Energy makes things happen. It comes in many forms, such as heat and light. It often changes fromone form to another, but the total amount of energy in the universe remains constant.
extraterrestrial life – Living things that exist somewhere other than on Earth.
galaxy – A giant spinning collection of gas, dust, and stars held together by gravity.
gravity – Isaac Newton defined it as the force of attraction between any two masses. Over 300 years laterEinstein refined the definition to “the curvature of space by matter.” He realized that gravity, like everythingelse in the universe, can travel no faster than the speed of light.
light year – The distance light travels in one year — 5.88 trillion miles — and the unit that astronomers useto measure the vast distances of space.
matter – Something that has mass and can usually be perceived by one or more senses, and that constitutesany physical body or the universe as a whole.
meteorite – A fragment of rock or metal that has landed on the Earth from inter-planetary space. Most meteorites come from asteroids, but a few are from otherplanets or satellites.
Milky Way – This is the spiral galaxy that contains our solar system.
Moon – Many planets have moons, or natural satellites, which revolvearound them the way our Moon orbits the Earth. Our Moon is about a quar-ter the diameter of Earth, and is visible to us on Earth because of reflectedsunlight.
NASA – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the home of the United States civilianspace program. Thousands of scientists work with and for NASA, and conduct research in fields such as aero-nautics, astrophysics, space exploration, Earth science, and biology.
nebula – An immense, cloud-like mass of interstellar gas and dust, these are often found in the spiral armsof a galaxy.
planet – An astronomical body with enough mass for its gravity to make it spherical but not enough to generate nuclear energy. Planets orbit around stars or drift freely in space.
solar system – The Sun and all the objects bound to it by gravity (planets, satellites, asteroids, comets).
star – A luminous ball of gas held together by gravity that is massive enough and hot enoughto release energy by nuclear fusion.
Sun – The giant ball of hot gas at the center of our solar system, whose gravity holds thatsystem together and whose energy makes life on Earth possible.
telescope – An instrument that uses lenses, mirrors, or other devices to gather different kinds of light fromobjects in space and produce an image. It allows us to see stuff that’s really far away, and to see images thatare not visible to us because they are so far away or because the light they emit is not the kind humans can see.
universe – The universe is everything — all the matter, energy, and space — that exists. It is incredibly largeand expanding very, very fast.
Virgo Supercluster – A group of many thousands of galaxies, one of which is our Milky Way.
