In this activity, students will collaborate to discern methods of detecting extrasolar planets. Students will consider the nature of evidence and the limitations in each of these methods.
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Discovery of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Discipline:
In this class activity, students will be given "data" in the form of cutout paper stars from different stellar clusters. By making scatter plots of these data, they will look for correlations and ultimately discover the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram. Templates for the paper stars are provided in accompanying documents.
Blackbody
Discipline:
This activity helps students understand blackbodies and the role of photons in emitted and reflected electromagnetic waves. Students will also analyze graphical displays of data, calculate peak wavelength, and apply their understanding to novel scenarios.