Planetary Astronomy Topic

Historical Astronomy

Concept 1 demo

Close-up of a dark globe with white grid lines. Two small red-and-black magnets stand on a meridian, separated by a white measuring tape. The upper magnet casts a visible shadow.

Measuring the Earth

Recreates Eratosthenes' method for measuring Earth's circumference using a globe, a light source, and two magnets. Students use shadow lengths and proportional reasoning to calculate the globe's circumference, then verify …

Solar System Mechanics

Concept 7 demos

Close-up of scale planet models on a clear acrylic surface: a small white marble on a hex nut, two peppercorns, a large decorative marble on a metal ring, and tiny dots barely visible on the surface

Scale Inner Solar System

Creates a 1:10 billion scale model of the solar system using everyday objects, matching the Colorado Scale Model Solar System. Students pace out planetary distances in the lecture hall to …

Desktop globe on gold stand next to an illuminated bare bulb in a wire-cage lamp fixture, on a table against a dark background

Seasons

Demonstrates that Earth's seasons result from its 23.5-degree axial tilt, not distance from the Sun. Students observe how the tilt causes varying solar angle and day length across hemispheres as …

Globe representing Earth at center of a round wooden platform, with four styrofoam balls on metal rod stands positioned at different orbital locations around it

Phases of the Moon

Students learn that lunar phases result from the Moon's changing orbital position relative to the Sun and Earth, not from Earth's shadow. A lamp (Sun) and balls held by student …

Earth - Moon Mechanics

Concept 3 demos

Hand holding small solar panel against dark slate sphere with white grid lines at equatorial position, demo multimeter displaying 0.370 V in large red LED digits

Solar Flux

A solar panel pressed against an illuminated globe produces voltage proportional to incident light intensity, showing how solar flux varies with latitude and angle of incidence. Students measure the dependence …

Three fabric Earth globes of increasing size (small, medium, large) and a small white fabric Moon globe, arranged left to right on a dark surface

Earth and Moon Relative Size

Challenges students to identify the correct Earth-Moon size ratio from three Earth globes paired with a Moon globe. Most students significantly misjudge the ratio (~3.7:1 in diameter), making this an …

Ring stand with laser pointer clamped to it, aimed at a white foam block target. A corner cube retroreflector wrapped in white foam and secured with a hose clamp on a metal handle lies on the table

Lunar Laser Ranging Example

Demonstrates retroreflection using a corner cube reflector — the same technology deployed on the Moon by Apollo astronauts. Students see that the reflected beam returns to the source regardless of …

Views from Earth - 2

Concept 1 demo

Transparent celestial sphere on clear acrylic stand with a small blue Earth globe at center, white star dots and constellation lines on the outer sphere, and a Starry Night branded base

Celestial Globe

A transparent globe marked with constellations and stars (down to fifth magnitude) surrounds a small Earth, showing the geocentric perspective of the sky. Students see how observer latitude, time of …

Planetary Properties = Globes, Hemispheres & Maps

Concept 1 demo

Political globe on gold stand with half-meridian ring, showing Americas

Globes

Collection of Earth and lunar globes for teaching coordinate systems, planetary features, and spatial reasoning. Inflatable and cloth globes are suitable for throwing to students for interactive activities.

Planetary Properties - 3 = Planetoids, Minor Objects

Concept 1 demo

TRAPPIST-1 Scale Model

A meter-stick scale model of the TRAPPIST-1 system shows seven Earth-sized planets orbiting an ultra-cool red dwarf, all within one meter. Students see that the entire system fits inside Mercury's …

Planetary Properties - 4 = Planetary Characteristics

Concept 2 demos

Washington School Collection of numbered rock and mineral specimens arranged in a grid tray with white compartments

Rocks and Minerals

Students learn to identify igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks and trace quartz through the complete rock cycle. Connects geological processes to planetary surface formation and comparative planetology.

Steel ball partially sunk into peach-colored Silly Putty in a glass bowl, with putty already overflowing the bowl edges

Earth Interior

A steel ball sinks slowly into Silly Putty over the course of a lecture, modeling Earth's mantle — solid on short timescales (seismic waves propagate through it) but fluid on …