Topic outline

  • General Information for Teachers

    BULLETIN BOARD

    Project - "Moon Over Us: Phases and Faces" 

    (January-February 2022)

    Age Group: 13-16 years old


    The Internet Address for this project is:

    https://spacedge.nss.org/course/view.php?id=236

    1. All teachers/mentors of this project, after you have created your Padlet.com account kindly refer to the Activities tab on how to create your Padlet account & make a Padlet for our Moon Over Us Project. There are currently 08 challenges associated with the currently active project. Participants are requested to go through the Challenges Section which explains them in finer details.
    2. A Beginner's Level Video about Astrophotography Through Mobile with clicking the Images of the Moon with Mobile Device(s) as a special package is now available for public viewing in the Project under 'Challenge 02: First Day Videos'.
  • Introduction

    Authors: Bonnie Thurber, Hongfeng Guo, with SN Sugumar, Amritanshu Vajpayee                                                                                                     Updated July 2022

    Grade Levels/Ages: 13-16, Middle School + High School

    Subject Areas: Science, Astronomy, Space Science, Language Arts, Art, Mathematics

    Standards:  USA Grades 7-10

    Short Description:  In this project, students become cultural astronomers. They take a survey about the moon; draw images or take digital pictures of the moon once a week or more at approximately the same time each evening for one month to get the full cycle. After posting their images with time, date, latitude, and longitude, students research and compare each others' images of the moon; create Padlets that include poetry, history, beliefs, stories, and research. Students use dialogue, comments, and discussion to share their valuable insights. The project ends with a final survey and sharing reflections. Students receive SpacEdge Web Badges and certificates for completing Challenges in the project. Students also receive a certificate for completing all sections of the project and the final survey. 



    Welcome to "Moon Over Us: Faces and Phases"- Shared Project!

    欢迎来到“我们头顶的月亮”

    Moon Phases 2022


    Northern Hemisphere


    Source: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
    Published: November 18, 2021

    Site link: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/2670/moon-phases-2022/


    Southern Hemisphere


    Source: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
    Published: November 18, 2021

    Site link: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4956


    This a sketch done by Fred Sun of China that includes moon phases.


    Welcome to the Jan-Feb 2022 edition of Project "Moon Over Us-Faces and Phases". This Project promotes the observations of the Moon by the students from different continents. Students learn about the Moon, its distance from the Earth, and how it changes its shape. Each evening they observe and sketch or take pictures of the Moon from the first Waxing Crescent right after the New Moon to the Full Moon (waxing cycle of the Moon) and then back to the New Moon (waning cycle of the Moon).  As this is happening, the students are to add the images to their respective class Padlet webpage(s) with their observations inclusive of a portion of landscape about the changes each day. Observation submitted over the Padlet should indicate the geographical location, date, time with time zone, the phase of the Moon captured and the instrument used to capture the Moon. 

    In the Project, the students and teachers from around the world exchange results and analyze the differences in the images of the Moon phases and discuss this information by commenting on each others Padlet pages as a mandatory activity.

    In addition, students research and may share the history, beliefs, stories, legends, poetry, paintings, drawing and sketches of different faces of the Moon. 

    The result is an intercultural exchange of explanations about the differences and similarities of each country from their skies, the data gathering technology, and cultural traditions. This is considered a STEAM project.

    在“我们上方的月亮”里,学生可以学习更多关于月亮在空中运动的知识。在这里,来自世界各地的学生和教师分享关于月球的信息, 并且在每个人的网页上讨论这些信息。


  • Challenge 01: Take the Initial Survey (Pre-Project Survey)

    Highlighted

    Challenge 01 is a Pre-Project Survey, to enroll on the project "Moon Over Us: Phases and Faces, Jan-Feb 2022" .

    • This is a mandatory pre-requisite to ensure the team participation making it eligible for the challenges. 
    • After the participants complete & submit the survey successfully, they are awarded a badge upon evaluation of their individual answers.

    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 01 of the Project.

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 01 of the Project.)


  • Challenge 02: First Day Videos

    Task 01: Visualize The Moon Upside Down from different hemispherical views



    Task 02: Learn about the Phases of the Moon from the Video 



    Task 03: To learn whether the phase of the Moon is waxing or waning? 

    https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-Whether-the-Moon-Is-Waxing-or-Waning

    Task 04: Student Activity (Name the Moon Phase) 

    • Understand all the Phases of the Moon in English and your native language & discuss with the teacher.

    Student Activity (self learning): 


    Add-On Resource 

    Mobile Astrophotography- A Begineer's Guide


    Complete the four tasks mentioned above and take the self-test and the quiz accurately and you earn the badge!

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 02 of the Project.)

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 02 of the Project.)


  • Challenge 03: Creating and Sharing Images 2 or 3 Times A Week During the Active Period of the Project

    A) For teachers: 

    • View the following video on How to Create Your Own Padlet 

    • Clink on the link below to reach our iSTEAM Moon Over Us International Padlet Project :

     Moon Over Us-Phases & Faces (Jan-Feb 2022): Global Observations


    A Few Sample Padlets active under the Fall Moon Over Us Project:        

    B) For Everyone: 

    Take photographs, videos, and record audio (optional) of the Moon over your home each evening. Save the images in .jpg or .png format with the name, latitude and longitude and upload individual images to your classroom Padlet.

    Example:

    1. Your Student's Name : Bíbíshá Khátrí
    2. His/her Location : Ranipauwa_11, Pokhara 
    Don't Forget: 

    1. Time of Observation: Around 08:30 am (Local Standard Time)
    2. Phase of the Moon Observed: Waning Gibbous
    3. Geographical Location of the Observer(s):

        1. Longitude : 28.2199⁰N
        2. Latitude : 83.9976⁰E

    Cresent Moon over Dubai

     Image Courtesy: Adithya Venkatesh

    Dubai (25.2620° N, 55.3987° E), October 10, 2021

    Padlet link: National Astronomy Challenge - Moon Over Us


    A few important additional points to be taken care of:

    1. Say something about the image: Do provide a caption to your image and try to describe it in your post.
    2. When taking the photo, the Moon needs to be low enough in the sky so you can include the ground, trees, or buildings to ensure the picture is right side up. Sometimes the Moon is visible in morning or evening or night (or even afternoon as well).  Take an image as per the visibility of the Moon and make sure your label says the correct time and date for the image.
    3. If the sky is too overcast, please draw a picture of what the Moon should look like and upload the same to the Padlet.

    Fred Sun's Gibbious, Beijing, China

    从2月1日至7日,每晚拍摄你家上方的夜空以及月亮。你需要拍照片,或者录像录音(非必需)。

    C) For Students:

    1. Record the exact time, date and the place, the image was taken.  记录你拍照的确切时间和地点。
    2. Save the image(s) in .jpg or .png format with your name, the image type, time, date, latitude and longitude. 
    3. Upload individual image(s) to your Classroom Padlet.  
    4. Example of student images and recording data in a classroom Padlet from our previous edition of Project Moon Over Us:       

           https://padlet.com/sandeeplamsal/il46zm282y2vjuwv 


    This is an activity that needs to be completed 2-3 times a week during the entire Project.


    When you have images of the eight phases of the moon, please create a collage or other art work that includes the 8 phases. (New Moon may be blank). 

    活动3:拍摄你的社区

    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 03 of the Project.

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 03 of the Project.)

  • Challenge 05: Creating The Representation of The Observed Images of The Moon

    Collage 01

    Collage Courtesy: Muhammad Taha Khan

    Padlet link: National Astronomy Challenge - Moon Over Us



    Collage of Collages

    Collage Courtesy: Ipshita Kapila

    Padlet link: Moon Over Us 2021, Jawahar Novadaya Vidyalaya, Una, Himachal Pradesh


    • When you have all your images uploaded to Padlet, create a collage, video or other piece of art work. 保存你的图像为Jpg格式,并且稍后上传到网站。

    • Video or audio recordings can be 30 seconds or shorter and can be recorded with a laptop computer when you take a picture.
          录像或者录音可以是在你拍照时的少于30秒的笔记本电脑录音。


    • You will use these media items later in this project.

          你会需要在活动中用到这些媒体设备。

    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 05 of the Project.

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 05 of the Project.)

  • Challenge 04: Adding Comments to Padlet School Pages

    活动4:网上讨论《我们上方的月亮》

    • Log in to your Class/School/Team/Club Padlet from the given link: https://padlet.com/
    • Please select at least one gallery from your Class/School/Team/Club Padlet and at least two galleries from other Padlets. 
    • Read the information and comment on the Padlet post(s).

    如果你在中国,请选择一页中国学生的网页和两页美国学生的网页,阅读上面的信息然后写下你的评论。请优先选择还没有人评论的网页。

    The comment may contain complete sentences with the answers to these questions: 

    • What did you find on the page that caught your eye? 
    • What information is accurate on the page? 
    • What do you like about the page? 
    • After comment, if possible, ask a question as well so the creator may reply.

    你的评论需要由完整的句子组成,并回答以下问题:你在网页上发现了什么东西非常吸引你的眼睛? 网页上的什么信息非常的详细?你喜欢这个网页的什么地方?

    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 04 of the Project.

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 04 of the Project.)

  • Challenge 06: History and Beliefs About The Moon

    Choose from:

    1. Poetry or story;

    2. Moon photography;

    3 Drawing or sketching. 

    This is a special activity to bring out the creativity of the students on a Classroom Padlet.

    Please have your students post the beliefs about the Moon on your Classroom Padlet as per the local traditions. You may include the information about any (or all) of the following topics:

    • What do you know about the Moon, any mythological reference or anecdotes ? (Intercultural dialogue)
    • Has the Moon been closer to the Earth than it is now?
    • Do some research, what is your favourite fact about the Moon ?
    • Do some research, what is your favourite idea of how the Moon changes its shape (phase)?
    • Can you tell a story, or write a poem,or illustrate something you love or know about the Moon?


    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 06 of the Project. Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 06 of the Project. Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 06 of the Project.

    (Representative Images for badges to be received after completing different activities in the Challenge 06 of the Project.)


  • Challenge 07: Taking The Images of The Moon with NASA's MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network

    • Taking A Simple Image of The Moon with A NASA's MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network.
    Video Resource on "How to Request an Image through MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network"


    • Learning the processing of MicroObservatory image files through a simple software JS9-4L available in the MicroObservatory website.
    Video Resource on "How to Open a FITS Image through MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network"


    Video Resource on "How to Process a FITS Image through MicroObservatory Robotic Telescope Network"


      • NASA only has one telescope that does this. It is located in the USA so the angle of the moon is from the Northern Hemisphere. 
      • You will receive a notice via email when your image has been taken.
      • If you have a different telescope available to you, please feel free to use it so we see the moon from a different angle. 
          • Please save the image as both a .fits/.fts file and a .jpg/.png.  
      • Upload the saved .fts /.fits and .jpg/.png file on your Team Padlet. 
      • We will be using the .fts/.fits file in the rest of this activity and the next one. 
      Thank you!

      Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 07 of the Project.

      (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 07 of the Project.)


    • This is a simple version of JS9 image processor for .fts or .fits files.  It comes with directions. Please have your students read them carefully and follow them to save the image.  We will be using this simple image processor a lot. If you already know softwares like JS9 or SalsaJ, you may also use either of them. There are quite a few image processing software esp. astronomical image processing software, but owing to the simple, basic and easy implementation interface we are staying with JS9-4L.  

      Useful links to explore the softwares mentioned above:
      1. JS9-4L
      2. JS9
      3. SalsaJ

       

       





      1. Please examine the webpage link provided above and study the types of craters and the complexities of the simple looking features on the Face of the Moon. 
      2. Participants should post their favourite crater and name it. Within the crater they need to count the pixels to measure the distance across the crater using the software JS9-4L.
      3. Participants need to take a picture of a location present on the Earth which they think shall fit inside the crater to near perfection. With the image as a .jpeg, .fits etc. (ie, acceptable format by NASA), open the same in JS9-4L, equate the pixel size of the image of the location with that of the crater. Superimpose the two images with location/structure in the foreground and the crater in the background. 

      • Click the link above and read the instructions 
      • Create a Crater on the Moon or the Earth.
      • Attend the classes for activities to measure the Moon Crater Radii.

      Measuring the craters

      Activity of crater radii measurement, Image courtesy: Malavika P Madhu

      Padlet link: Team Citistars

  • Challenge 08: Take The Final Survey (Post-Project Survey)

    This is a mandatory activity to ensure that the project is completed by the team.


    Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 08 of the Project.

    (Representative Image for badge to be received after completing Challenge 08 of the Project.)

  • Additional Resource: Looking At The Moon in Stellarium

    If your skies are too polluted to see the Moon, you may use the Stellarium for your night sky. 

    Stellarium is a great tool to use in your classroom with a projector. 
    • Click  link to open resource.
       

      Discuss
  • Add on Cybrary Resources to the Project

  • Topic 12

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

    Visit: SpacEdge Academy Postcards in Space Course