Student Activity: Using a Mariner’s Astrolabe

An astrolabe illustrates how the sky looks at any given time of day and throughout the year. This is accomplished by drawing the sky (star patterns) on the astrolabe with moveable parts to adjust for the date and time. The traditional sky map astrolabe allowed people...

Teacher Demo: What Makes Up a Planet?

The International Astronomical Union classifies solar system bodies into three categories: planets, dwarf planets, and small solar system bodies (including comets, asteroids, and meteoroids). There are eight planets in the solar system with two distinct groupings. The...

Teacher Demo/Student Activity: Bending Water

In this demo, a polyethylene rod is charged by rubbing with wool. The charged rod is then used to bend a stream of water flowing from a tap. Different substances have different attractions for electrons. When two materials are rubbed together, electrons will leave the...

Teacher Demo: Bright Star or Close Star?

When you gaze up in the night sky some stars will be very bright while other stars are barely visible to the unaided eye. With the aid of binoculars you may be able to observe different colours in the stars. The brightness and colour of a star depends on three...
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