GEARS Astronomy fits the GPS
For example – NASA recently announced the discovery of 5 new extrasolar planets by the
Kepler spacecraft. How can you use this exciting discovery and the data in your classes? Use it to teach about shadows, light, brightness, Doppler shift, telescopes, or the atomic nature of light!
S4P1. Students will investigate the nature of light using tools such as mirrors, lenses, and prisms. a. Identify materials that are transparent, opaque, and translucent.
S8P4. Students will explore the wave nature of sound and electromagnetic radiation. a. Identify the characteristics of electromagnetic and mechanical waves. c. Explain how the human eye sees objects and colors in terms of wavelengths.
SPS7. Students will investigate the properties of waves. b. Relate frequency and wavelength to the energy of different types of electromagnetic waves and mechanical waves. f. Explain the Doppler Effect in terms of everyday interactions.
SCSh3. Students will identify and investigate problems scientifically. d. Graphically compare and analyze data points and/or summary statistics.
SCSh7. Students will analyze how scientific knowledge is developed.
a. Students will recognize that the universe is a vast single system in which the basic principles are the same everywhere.
One ‘Unit Plan’ for high school physical science would be to compare and contrast the radial velocity search method which relies on the Doppler Shift of spectral lines with the transit detection method used by Kepler. (Planets are opaque!)
Start with the overview video http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/Planet_Finder/planetfinder.html
1.
Light frequency, wavelength, and energy a.
Automatic calculator – wavelength and frequency and quantum energy http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/ems1.html#c1 b.
Java applet – shows amplitude energy separate from quantum/per photon energy. http://www.micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/wavebasics/index.html c.
Interactively measure wavelength and frequency. http://amazingspace.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/light/makewaves-frames.html d.
And color vision http://phet.colorado.edu/simulations/sims.php?sim=Color_Vision
2.
Spectral lines – a.
equipment version – use a diffraction grating for each student (or diffraction glasses or Project Star spectrometer or a cereal box+CD spectrometer) in a darkened room with a gas tube in a high voltage power supply. Tubes containing different gases emit different patterns of colored lines.
(http://www1.assumption.edu/users/bniece/Spectra/Contents.html)
Want to learn more astronomy and how to use real astronomy data in your high school classroom? Apply for a GEARS summer workshop.
Get an application at the GSTA, from Zo Webster (webster_zodiac@colstate.edu) or from http://cheller.phy.georgiasouthern.edu/~shigdon/GEARS/GEARS%20Teacher%20Workshops.html
.
Georgians Experience Astronomy Research in Schools (GEARS) is funded by NASA grant NNX09AH83A through the GA Department of Education, and is supported by Columbus State University and Georgia Southern University.

b.
simulation version. Simulate the experience by showing what different materials would look like if did above experiment.
http://mo-www.harvard.edu/Java/MiniSpectroscopy.html c.
Spectra of elements on periodic table Spectrum Explorer downloaded from http://lite.bu.edu/. Or java applet version http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/a2.html d.
Tie lines to atomic structure (SPS1) http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/quantumzone/index.html
3.
Doppler shift a.
Simulations for wavelengths (appropriate for sound). http://www.loncapa.org/~mmp/applist/doppler/d.htm, http://www.walterfendt.de/ph14e/dopplereff.htm b.
Simulation versions for light. http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/light/dopplershift.html
4.
Planetary effects on stars – periodic stellar wobbles – and how we detect them. a.
Astrometry – looks for position changes due to wobble (SIM – future mission http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/SIM/index.cfm) b.
Radial velocity surveys – looks for changes in spectral line wavelength due to motion towards and away from observer (radial changes) as star orbits center of mass. http://library.thinkquest.org/C003763/flash/extrasolar1.htm describes the overall strategy but neglects the spectral line aspect. This shows a single spectral line. http://astro.unl.edu/naap/esp/dopplereffect.html. The following shows multiple lines – but is confusing because it looks like the star is exploding rather than you getting closer to it. http://www.wwnorton.com/college/geo/egeo/animations/ch1.htm c.
Center of mass – relates to SPS8e – mechanical advantage/work/balance. http://astro.unl.edu/naap/esp/centerofmass.html
5.
Planetary effects on stars – periodic brightness changes – and how we detect them a.
Transit search – Kepler mission. Kepler.nasa.gov. Kepler has dozens of educational resources on its site. i.
Transit simulator http://astro.unl.edu/naap/esp/animations/transitSimulator.html ii.
Download the first five planets worth of data from http://archive.stsci.edu/prepds/kepler_hlsp/ b.
Optical detection – seeing the light from the planet directly – future mission –
Terrestrial Planet Finder. http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/TPF/tpf_index.cfm
A central source of information about the planet searching efforts undertaken by humans. http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/
Want to learn more astronomy and how to use real astronomy data in your high school classroom? Apply for a GEARS summer workshop.
Get an application at the GSTA, from Zo Webster (webster_zodiac@colstate.edu) or from http://cheller.phy.georgiasouthern.edu/~shigdon/GEARS/GEARS%20Teacher%20Workshops.html
.
Georgians Experience Astronomy Research in Schools (GEARS) is funded by NASA grant NNX09AH83A through the GA Department of Education, and is supported by Columbus State University and Georgia Southern University.