This lesson provides a way for students to determine the relationship between the distance from a light source and its brightness. Once students discover the relationship, they can begin to understand how astronomers use this knowledge to determine... (View More) the distances to stars and far away galaxies. (View Less)

This series of six activities encourages students to think about the characteristics of life and the possibility of looking for life on Mars. The first three activities from Destination: Mars establish the criteria for recognizing life. The other... (View More) activities use the criteria for more advanced investigations. These activities are part of an astrobiology guide called the "Fingerprints of Life" which contains background information for students, worksheets, extension activities, suggested assessments, and alignment to standards. (View Less)

In this activity, students construct an analytical spectroscope and analyze the spectrum produced when various substances are heated or excited with electricity. This activity is part of Unit 2 in the Space Based Astronomy guide that contains... (View More) background information, worksheets, assessments, extensions, and standards. (View Less)

In this activity, a Whiffle® ball containing a battery-operated buzzer is twirled in a circle to demonstrate the Doppler effect.  The demonstration is an illustration of how stellar spectra can be used to measure a star's motion relative to Earth... (View More) along the line of sight. This activity is part of Unit 2 in the Space Based Astronomy guide that contains background information, worksheets, assessments, extensions, and standards. (View Less)