NASA
Things Are Not Always What They Seem
Science is magic that works. Magical color-changing beads and a coffee can that follows voice commands are just two examples of magic tricks that rely on science. After completing a hands-on activity and an experiment investigating the...
NASA
The Atmospheric Filter
What is the difference between a comet and a meteoroid? An educational lesson includes five demonstrations of how the atmosphere can inhibit our ability to measure many things in the galaxy.
Curated OER
Get the Picture!
Astronomers practice downloading data from a high-energy satellite and translate the data into colored or shaded pixels. As a hands-on activity, they use pennies to simulate high-energy satellite data and they convert their penny...
Curated OER
The Speed of Galaxy Q2125-431
In this speed of a galaxy worksheet, students use a given equation for the speed of an object and they use the spectral lines for Hydrogen Alpha and Beta from the Seyfert galaxy to answer 6 questions. They determine the observed...
Curated OER
Fermi Detects Gamma-Rays from Messier
In this power law function worksheet, students use data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space telescope to apply the power law function to physical phenomena. Students use a graph to solve four problems.
Curated OER
Day and Night
Students using experiments try to demonstrate how observations can be affected by the cycles of night and day.
Curated OER
A Look At Sunspots
Learners research how the development of new technology has increased our knowledge of how the sun works. This lesson is part of a three-part series aimed at showing students how our knowledge of the universe must be inferred through the...
Curated OER
Observing Bursts from an X-ray Burster
Students study the use of X-ray data to make size and energy estimates of the source and the processes occurring there. They use XTE observations of the object GRO 1744-28 to determine whether bursts occur periodically and the duration...
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light, Star Bright
This online exploration provides an opportunity to identify the different properties of waves and the relationship that exists between energy, wavelength, and frequency. Correlate images from the Hubble Telescope to the wavelength,...
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light, Star Bright
An online exploration where students learn the basics about light and the properties of waves and the electromagnetic spectrum. Students will also learn how to measure wavelength and frequency so they can understand the electromagnetic...
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light Star Bright: Electromagnetic Radiation
Use this tool to learn facts about the range of the electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Amazing Space: Star Light Star Bright
Learn all about stars and the electromagnetic spectrum in this series of activities.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Can We Measure the Wavelength of Light Emitted From Stars?
This activity is designed for students to apply their knowledge of mathematics and physics to "real life" situations. Students are presented with the situation that they are on a camping trip and wish to know the wavelength emitted by a...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Stellar Fingerprints: The Spectra of Stars
Identify the composition of stars by applying the ideas of quantum theory. Investigate the field of spectroscopy, and examine the spectra of stars to locate the emission and absorption lines of hydrogen.
University of California
Interactive Extreme Ultraviolet Skymap
A map showing a view of the night sky is given; sources of extreme ultraviolet light are marked. Visitors analyze the spectrum from these parts of the sky and attempt to determine which star type the spectrum most closely resembles.
Other
Sky Server: Color
SkyServer answers why stars have different colors and shows what you can learn by studying the colors of stars, galaxies, and other objects.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Life's Big Questions: How Did the Universe Begin?
Investigate the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the universe by researching the light spectrum and the actions of light waves. Create models that illustrate red shift in a moving star and the expansion of the universe.
California Institute of Technology
Ipac: Iras Gallery
This site from IPAC is a series of images of various celestial objects and regions as viewed in infrared light. Each photo is accompanied by a caption.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Rainbow Fire
Astronomers can determine the atomic composition of distant stars by measuring the spectrum of light emitted by the star. Sound cool? Well in this project you can do something similar by observing the color of flames when various...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: The Dark Side of the Universe: Doppler Shift [Pdf]
Investigate how astronomers detect movements of stars by studying the Doppler effect on the star's light spectrum. Construct a model that illustrates this concept underlying red shift.
NASA
Nasa: Imagine the Universe: Welcome to the World of Multiwavelength Astronomy!
This Imagine the Universe site provides an introduction into the multiwavelength universe and astronomy. Site provides graphics, links to a quiz, facts on this topic as well as teacher resources.