Curriculum Requirements
- Features of the Universe (eg black holes, quasars) and processes of change (eg gravitational pull resulting in condensation of matter, life cycle of a star in terms of the reactions within it)
- Ideas about the formation of the solar system and evidence about the origin, frequency and other relevant information comparing components of the solar system and their effects on each other
- The Earth's movement, orientation, gravity and energy source, and the Sun's role in these
- Telescopy and the detection of objects and changes through emitted or reflected light or other electromagnetic wavelengths
- The effects of gravity on the Earth and its effects on other astronomic bodies
- Changing ideas of astronomy through time and across cultures
- Effects of change in astronomic activity on life (eg sunspots)
- Functions of artificial satellites and probes and concepts underpinning their motion (eg escape velocity, orbits, sling-shot effect around moons or planets)
- The concept of light years and other measurements in the Universe
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Film - Oasis in Space - 24 minutes
- Life on other planets
- Characteristics of our solar system
- Scale of the solar system
- Moon and planet patterns
- Why is liquid water crucial to life
- Search for water on other planets
- Conditions needed to create and sustain life
- Understanding the vastness of space
Or
Film - Saturn Lord of the Rings - 22 minutes
Subjects Covered
- Previous missions to the gas giants
- The Cassini-Huygens mission
- Use of the sling shot effect to reach the gas giants
- Saturn's ring system
- Saturn's moons
- The huygens probe
- Landing on Titan
Plus
Planetarium Show (Short) - 20 minutes
- View the Milky Way and star patterns in the sky. Common constellations will be identified as being visible at different times of the year.
- The types of "stars" of which constellations consist will be examined more closely
- Comparison of other stars to the Sun, fly by of the Sun, Betelgeuse (a red giant star) and a white dwarf star.
- Demonstration of the Earth's orbit relative to the Sun and the Moon's orbit relative to the Earth.
- Demonstration of a total solar eclipse from a viewpoint on the Earth
- Demonstration of the moon's phases
- Demonstration of the vast distances in the Cosmos. The Earth is in a solar system, the solar system is in our galaxy the Milky Way, the Milky Way is but one of many galaxies
Question Time - 5 minutes
Or
Planetarium Show (Extended) - 40 minutes
Under Development
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Night Sky Tour
- Students will be given a 1 hour tour of the night sky with particular emphases on the moon, the brightest planets, the Milky Way and the brightest nebulae and star clusters.
- We will also view binary star systems to demonstrate that the majority of star systems contain 2 of more stars
- A view of an open star cluster will show different coloured stars at various stages of their life cycle
- A view of a galaxy external to the Milky way will demonstrate that the Milky way is but one of many galaxies
- In each case objects will first of all be pointed out with the naked eye. Once identified, students will then have the opportunity to view the objects through binoculars and then through the large telescopes.
- Constellations which were shown in the planetarium will then be identified in the night sky and we will recall any associated stories.
- Students will then try identifying objects in the night sky using electronic, hand held personal sky guides.
- The night sky tour is completed with 5 minutes of question time
Solar Observing
- Discussion on solar safety
- Telescope views of the Sun using automated telescopes and Hydrogen Alpha solar filters.
- View the Sun at various magnifications including the full solar disk, individual sun spots and solar flares
- 5 minutes of questions time
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