Project: Workshop - 2018-1-27 From Earth to Interstellar Space

From Earth to Interstellar Space

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Updated 2/23/2024

Written by: Frances Dellutri, NSS Director of Education, Libertyville, IL

Workshop presenters;
Margie Corp

Kathy Gustafson

Frances Dellutri

Lynne Zielinski

Grade (Age) Level: Ages 6- 12

Key Topics Associated with Standards:
Astronomy, Drakes Equation, Golden Record, Heliospause, Magnetic Field, Pioneer, satellite, Solar System, Voyager

Background:

This material is the product of a workshop presented at Yerkes Observatory, Williams Bay, WI by Lynne Zielinski and Frances Dellutri to teachers of ages 6-12. The workshop followed the path of Voyagers 1 and 2 as they leave our solar system headed for deep space. Time was given to discuss the implications of such interstellar travel.

Various presentations and activities centered around the actual path of the satellites as well as the communication of the satellites back to Earth. A tour of Yerkes Observatory was included in the full day workshop.

Jan 27, 2017 Workshop Flyer File

This flyer is in a pdf form for easy printing and displaying

Agenda for Workshop

Agenda for Workshop: "From Earth to Interstellar Space" File

The History of the Voyager Mission

This PowerPoint explains the Voyager Mission in terms of the development and the objectives, the triumphs, and the ongoing importance of a mission begun 40 years ago. A snapshot of The Golden Record. a is also included in this presentation, a type of 'message in a bottle' for intelligent beings found else wehre in interstellar space. The introduction sets the stage for the other activities in the "From Earth to Interstellar Space' Workshop.

Math to the Voyager Slingshot Trajectory File

The planetary configuration allowed the Voyager to gain speed and shortened its voyage to the edge of interstellar space. This is a simple mathematical explanation of just how those slingshots helped the Voyagers!
Voyager Paper Model File

These plans were created by John Jogerst and are permitted for personal or educational use only. Not for commercial use.
The scale is 1:48 and best to be printed on cardstock.

Making a 2-D Model of the Voyager Spacecraft Distances

The Voyager spacecrafts have travelled astronomical distance, a concept often hard to imagine. With this 2-D model, students can begin to grasp the incredible accomplishments of a spacecraft launched with 1977 technology and which has now sailed into interstellar space.
Information on the heliopause and termination points fo the heliosphere add to the interest of this model.

PowerPoint to Accompany Voyager 2-D Activity File

This PowerPoint has notes that may prove useful when using it.
Instructions for 2-D Model from the sun past the heliopause. File

This activity, with distances measured in AU (Astronomical Units) will impress participants with the great distance the Voyager spacecraft have traveled in interstellar space.
Voyager Captures Sounds of Interstellar Space URL

Voyager 1 transmitted sounds to the Deep Space Network from Interstellar Space. The video shows the occurrence and the sounds that were transmitted.
Rushing Water Example for Heliosphere URL

The heliosphere is the bubble-like region of space dominated by the Sun, which extends far beyond the orbit of Pluto. This video demonstrates the direction and speed of particles in the heliosphere.
Voyager at the Edge of the Heliopause URL

The most recent information from Voyager 1 and 2 suggest Voyager 2 is encountering 'bubble-type' energy formations at the edge of the heliopause
Example of a 2-D Model of Voyager Distance Progress File

This example includes the sun, planets, termination point , heliosheath, helioshpere, and magnetic bubble region, information reported by Voyager 1.

Capturing A Whisper From Space

This exercise gives

gives students and teachers a mathematical model of how the Deep Space Network antennas work and how the antennas concentrate electromagnetic radio waves in a single direction. The lab involves testing different sized sound receivers to understand the importance of the size of the receivers on the antennae of the Deep Space Network.

Capturing A Whisper From Space Activity File
Capturing A Whisper From Space Worksheet File

Participants determine mathematical and scientific principles that affect the results of this lab.
Additional Standards for 'Capturing A Whisper From Space' File

Updated standards are found in this document.
Speaking in Phases Activity File

The tiny spacecraft we have sent to explore our solar system “phone home” across millions of miles of space using only about as much electricity as the light bulb in your refrigerator! How do they do it?
This activity is fun and you will create rhythms to decode information!

The Golden Record

Prior to the Voyager mission, Pioneer 10 and 11 carried a plaque which identified the place and origin of our humanity for future space travelers. The Golden Record for the Voyager mission was much a much more involved project than the Pioneer plaques and was a compilation of approximate 120 images, 50 greetings in spoken languages, and about 90 minutes of music as a message of the civilizations on Earth in 1977 sent into interstellar space for intelligent life found elsewhere. The building of the record is discussed to prepare participants for an activity in determining the best representations that would go on a Golden Record of today for intelligent life to discover perhaps billions of years in the future, after our world ceases to exist.

For more information on the Golden Record which was attached to Voyager 1 and 2, go to NASA's Golden Record .

Activity: In groups of 2 -3 compose a list of the sounds of humanity that your group feels would capture our Earthly humanity.

Whole New Worlds, Aladdin's History of Exoplanets - A Capella URL

Tim Blais in a physicist from Canada who did a capella stuff while in
school. He had a video on string theory (Bohemian Gravity) go viral about
when he finished his masters, and so started working on amazing
science education / A Capella music cover songs. The song is a parody of the Aladdin movie title song, "A Whole New World" and sings about findings of exoplanets since they were first detected n 1990. This 8.5 min video has a lot of information on exoplanets - would they harbor civilizations of intelligent life?

Determination of Possible Intelligent Civiliaztions in the Milky Way Galaxy

How can we estimate the number of technological civilizations that might exist among the stars? While working as a radio astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, Dr. Frank Drake conceived an approach to bound the terms involved in estimating the number of technological civilizations that may exist in our galaxy. The Drake Equation, as it has become known, was first presented by Drake in 1961 and identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilizations. Although there is no unique solution to this equation, it is a generally accepted tool used by the scientific community to examine these factors.

Drakes Equation PowerPoint File

This presentation provides background information on the Drake and Saeger mathematical approaches for estimating the occurrence of life outside Earth.
Estimating the Occurrence of Life Outside Earth File

This exercise involves using two mathematical models to estimate the possibility of life outside Earth. One model was developed by Frank Drake in 1961 and his estimates for intelligent life form occurrence. Sarah Saeger has modified the equation to consider the presence of any life forms on exoplanets. Try the two methods and see where the numbers lead you!
The Search for Another Earth URL

This 21 minute video presents some interesting information to ponder.

Postcards to Space!

Send a Postcard to Space through NSS Supported Blue Origin Club For The Future initiative!

Learn more about how Blue Origin is sending YOUR postcard to space so you can have a space artifact!

Visit: SpacEdge Academy Postcards in Space Course

An image of Postcards to Space sign is noted.

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