Study Light Pollution - Scott Snyder
Students in middle school and high school can do observations or experiments to show they have an analytical grasp of astronomy.
Astronomy projects at science fairs are often the ones that generate the most interest and awards. Try one of these ideas for a winning project.
Astronomy Observing Projects for Older Students
- Sunspot Observations - This project requires a telescope and a solar filter or the ability to project the image onto a piece of paper. Make observations that show where the sunspots are on the sun and how fast it takes them to traverse the face of the sun, revealing the sun's rotation.
- Binary Stars and Variable Stars - Another project that requires a telescope or a good pair of binoculars is to observe changes in stars. Two options for observing stars is observing binary stars, which are pairs of stars that orbit around a common center, or variable stars that change brightness over time.
- Light Pollution - Pick a constellation in the sky to observe that has a variety of stars from bright to dim. Observe the constellation from different locations, such as a city, the suburbs, and the countryside. Are stars visible in some locations and not others? Try observing in one location under different lighting situations, such as with exterior lights on or off. How does light pollution affect our view of the sky? What can be done to limit light pollution? Explain what limiting magnitude is and determine a limiting magnitude for your various locations.
Astronomy Experiments for the Upper Grades
- Predict Solar Storms - Build a magnetometer to predict when solar storms are heading toward Earth. Explain why it is good to know beforehand if solar storms will affect us. Discuss how they trigger aurora and disruptions with satellites.
- Make a Working Sundial - Find plans online for how to set up a working sundial on the driveway or on the playground with permission. Explain why we are able to tell the time of day and the date by observing the sun and shadows.
- Astrology Debunker - Get the astrology column in the daily newspaper and cut off the labels for each advice section. Label the back of each section: for example, Aquarius = 1, Aries = 2. Then enlist students to read the column and find the one that best described their day. Ask the student for their "sign" and see if it is the same as the column they picked. Do a large sample to determine if the astrology readings match real life.
- Solve the Ancient Mystery of Retrograde Motion - Planets are named as such because the word means "wanderer," and planets did not follow the same motion as stars across the sky. Planets appear to move forward, halt, then back up for a time as seen from Earth. Create an orrery (solar system model) to show why this occurs. Use Mars as an example. Earth orbits the sun faster than Mars because it is closer to the sun. Earth will catch up and pass Mars as it is orbiting, making that planet appear to move backward. You can also see this with cars on the highway as you pass one moving more slowly. It may appear to be moving backward even though it is still moving forward.
Share any other great ideas for astronomy-related science fair projects in the comments below!
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Kelly Whitt - I have been a professional writer for more than a decade, covering many topics from science-based articles to do-it-yourself home ...
