Learning Astronomy in the 21st Century

by Paul Doherty PhD

Senior Staff Scientist, The Exploratorium

A program for the

National Council of Science Museums

Powerpoint of the Presentation Learning Astronomy in the 21st Century.

Main Websites used in this presentation

Paul Doherty website http://www.exo.net/~pauld

Exploratorium Website  http://www.exploratorium.edu

The Exploratorium Science Snackbook Online http://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/

Resources for Part 1, Learning Astronomy by doing astronomy and by using hands-on models.

Build a spectroscope using a compact disk 

Peel a compact disk to make a transmission diffraction grating.

Project a Rainbow with a compact disk

View a spectrum with a compact disk

Crater Illusion

Measure the rotation of the earth

Rectified Globe, see the sunlight on the earth and feel the seasons.

How to View a partial solar eclipse

The Dance of the Earth and the Moon

Take a walk in Lunar Gravity

Making a crater using a tray full of salt.

Gravity Well explorations

Curved Space, gravity from nearby masses distorts spacetime.

Doppler Model

Expansion of Light, as light travels through the vacuum and the vacuum expands so does light.

Use a wineglass stem to simulate gravitational lensing

A few fine resources

Exploratorium Relativity Exploration http://www.exploratorium.edu/relativity/

Second Life  http://secondlife.com/

Nasa Eyes on the Solar System  http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/eyes/    A Unity based virtual world.

The Meta Institute for Computational Astrophysics http://www.mica-vw.org/

Galaxy Zoo http://www.galaxyzoo.org/

Planet Quest http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm

Astronomy Picture of the Day http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

World Wide telescope  http://www.worldwidetelescope.org/Home.aspx

Space Weather http://spaceweather.com/

Sky and Telescope http://www.skyandtelescope.com/