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Observing Our Sun and Solar System

Jackie Allan Matt Bobrowsky Lou Mayo Christine Shupla Jim Thieman. Observing Our Sun and Solar System. Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178. Opening Observations. Examine the “stuff” on your group’s table.

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Observing Our Sun and Solar System

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  1. Jackie Allan Matt Bobrowsky Lou Mayo Christine Shupla Jim Thieman Observing Our Sun and Solar System Image: Lunar and Planetary Laboratory: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=178

  2. Opening Observations Examine the “stuff” on your group’s table. What do you know about what you see? What questions do you have? Write down your group’s questions on one of the large tablet sheets.

  3. Our focus for today: Examining the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter Using the various methods developed by scientific explorers over time Divide into heliophysicists, venusian scientists, and jovian scientists http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/moon_phases/about.shtml

  4. Beginning Observations • Record observations • What could early observers see when they looked at the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter (before Galileo)? • Record your group’s thoughts on your chart Your answers may have included: • Positions of these objects in the sky • Time for cycles of motion • Brightness and changes in brightness • Eclipses • Probably not sunspots or Venus’ phases

  5. Beginning Observations Lou’s Observational Activities: Time to gather some data!

  6. Beginning Observations What can be learned from the motions of the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter in the sky and where and when they rise and set? Answers may include: • Angular motion • Length of year • Relative distances: order of objects from Earth

  7. Beginning Observations What other questions do we have about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter, beyond their positions? How do we get more and better science data? What is the next step?

  8. Telescopic Observations • Record observations • What could early telescopic observers see when they looked at the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter (Galileo up to early late 19th century)? • Record your group’s thoughts on your chart Your answers may have included: • Sunspots and Prominences • Phases of Venus • Moons of Jupiter • Bands and Great Red Spot on Jupiter

  9. Telescopic Observations How did these observations change our understanding of the Universe? Here is a strong connection to the International Year of Astronomy—new methods of observing create new questions and wonder!!

  10. Telescopic Observations Time to gather some data! Now lets play with golf balls to model what we observe!

  11. Telescopic Observations Sunspots

  12. Telescopic Observations What can be learned from observing sunspots, Venus’ phases, Jupiter’s moons, Great Red Spot, etc? Answers may include: • Evidence that Earth orbits the Sun! • Sun’s rotation • Jupiter’s rotation • Orbital periods of Jupiter’s moons • Mass of Jupiter • Solar Cycle

  13. Telescopic Observations What other questions do we have about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter? How do we get more and better science data? What is the next step?

  14. Spectroscopic Observations • Record observations • What could early telescopic observers see when they looked at the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter (up to today)? • Record your group’s thoughts on your chart Your answers may have included: • Solar flares • Corona & chromosphere of the Sun • Absorption lines from Sun, Jupiter, Venus’ atmosphere

  15. Spectroscopic Observations Absorption spectra

  16. Spectroscopic Observations Absorption spectra

  17. Spectroscopic Observations What can be learned from the spectroscopic data of the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter, and observations at other wavelengths? Answers may include: • Discovery of helium • Composition of the Sun • Carbon dioxide atmosphere for Venus • Jupiter’s hydrogen and helium composition

  18. Spectroscopic Observations What other questions do we have about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter? How do we get more and better science data? What is the next step?

  19. Observations in Space • Record observations • What can modern scientists see when they look at the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter using current orbiting and fly-by missions? (SOHO, Galileo, Magellan, etc.) • Record your group’s thoughts on your chart Your answers may have included: • Wavelengths blocked by Earth’s atmosphere (some radio, x-ray, ultraviolet, etc.) • More detailed spectra and images • Radar information

  20. Observations in Space Observational Activities: From http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/explore/lessons/matching_activity.html Time to gather some data!

  21. Observations in Space Can you match the extreme ultraviolet image to the magnetic activity images? If so, what does that tell us?

  22. Observations in Space What can be learned from orbiting and fly-by missions of Venus, the Sun, and Jupiter? Answers may include: • Magnetic field information • Radar topography of Venus—volcanos! • Aurora information of Jupiter

  23. Observations in Space What other questions do we have about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter? How do we get more and better science data? What is the next step?

  24. Landing and Sample Returns • Record observations • What can landing and sample return missions learn about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter? • Record your group’s thoughts on your chart Your answers may have included: • Detailed Composition of the Sun, Venus, Jupiter • Extrapolate that information to understand our Solar System’s and Earth’s history

  25. Landing and Sample Returns Observational Activities: Time to gather some data!

  26. Landing and Sample Returns What can be learned about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter with past and future landing and sample return missions? Answers may include: • From the Genesis sample return: composition of the early solar nebula that formed our Solar System • From Venus: surface conditions, types of rocks will give us history of geologic activity, maybe dates? • Jupiter: Galileo mission gave us conditions inside the atmosphere, composition, winds, etc.

  27. Landing and Sample Returns What other questions do we have about the Sun, Venus, and Jupiter? How do we get more and better science data? What is the next step?

  28. Observe the Solar System

  29. Evaluation of Today’s Workshop • 1. St. Louis Postcard: What one action step will you take to integrate materials/strategies that you learned about today into your own astronomy practice to help your audiences discover the universe during IYA? • 2. Green Index card: Describe one or two key insights or strategies that you learned through today's workshop. • 3. Red Index card: What suggestion(s) do you have for future NASA IYA workshop providers to better meet your needs for planning and implementing IYA learning opportunities?

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