How quickly does light travel long distances? A short video simulates light going from the earth to the moon at two different paces. Scholars relate the distance to the rate to understand which simulation is correct.

In this scientific notation worksheet, students read about the discovery of new planets. They use scientific notation to identify the number of miles from one planet to the next. Students determine how long it would take to travel, when...

Why do shadows look different in the summer than in the winter? What causes day and night? How can a sundial be used to tell time? Answer these questions and more through two engaging lessons about light and shadows. Fourth and fifth...

In this comet tails and stars worksheet, students read about the star Mira and the vast clouds of gases it emits. They use a photograph from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer satellite to solve 5 problems about the scale of the image, the...

Sixth graders compare distances between objects in the solar system. They investigate how light years are measured and when using them to measure how distances compare with one another. They write an essay exploring the possibility of...

Middle schoolers study the basic concepts of the Global Positioning System and how it increases the accuracy of navigation. They examine trilateration and how the speed of light is used to calculate distances.

Students explore physics by completing measurement problems in class. In this speed of light lesson, students discuss the importance of knowing the speed of light and how it affects many aspects of human life on Earth. Students identify...

For this measuring speed in the universe worksheet, learners use photographs of 3 astronomical phenomena including supernova explosions, coronal mass ejections and solar flare shock waves to find how fast they move. The photographs show...

Using their knowledge of right triangles, pupils find out how far a ship is from a light house. Class members determine how far around the world a ship would be sailing at a constant speed.

In this orbit of stars in galaxies instructional activity, students are given an equation that models the orbital speeds of stars as they relate to their distance from the nucleus of a galaxy. Students solve 5 problems using this...

In this supernova activity, students read about the expanding supernova shell that was discovered by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Students solve two problems including finding the scale of the given images and determining the average...

In this nebula worksheet, students read about the Crab Nebula and calculate the average speed of the expanding gas. They determine the size of the smallest clumps of gas and they draw the diameter of the solar system to scale.

In this nebula learning exercise, students read about the Chandra X-ray Observatory that captured the given image of a pulsar and its nebula. Students solve 3 problems including using similar triangles and proportions to find the image...

In this finding mass in the cosmos worksheet, students use the equations for the force of gravity, the centrifugal force pushing a planet outwards and the speed of a planet to solve 2 problems. They find the mass of primary bodies given...

In this XZ Tauri and coronal mass ejections worksheet, learners use 3 photographs taken by the Hubble Space Telescope to solve 4 problems. They find the scale of the images, they determine the number of kilometers the XZ Tauri cloud...

In this black hole worksheet, students solve 3 problems given the equation used to determine the speed of a falling body using its mass, the constant of gravitation and the distance it will travel.

In this lunar meteorite hazard worksheet, students read about the speed of meteorites that crash into the Moon. Students solve 2 problems including finding the impact rates of the meteorites on the Moon, determining the number of years...

Review conversion of decimal numbers into SN form with these examples of common astronomical applications and quantities. Young learners rewrite those numbers with scientific notation and with the correct units. The answers are available...

High schoolers solve five problems including finding the cross sectional area of two bodies, determining the swept out volume of a moving body, finding the average particle volume of a body and determining the collision time for a body.

For this single variable equations worksheet, students solve 5 problems using different equations to solve for one unknown. They use Hubble's Law to find the velocity of a galaxy knowing the distance it travels.

In this dying star worksheet, high schoolers read about the Spitzer Space Telescope that detected the dying star-Messier-57. Students solve 6 problems including determining the total power produced by the dying star, they find the total...

In this variables and expressions worksheet, high schoolers solve 7 problems using different mathematical formulae to find the length of Earth's day in the future, the distance to the galaxy Andromeda, the temperature of a gas cloud...

Students assess how algebra, telescopes, space exploration and optics are so important in astronomy. They encounter studies on the Hubble Space Telescope, Hubble Deep Field and how algebra helps to determine the effects of contamination...

Students explore hurricanes and tornadoes by conducting an experiment. In this weather pattern lesson, students define many extreme weather vocabulary terms and discuss the relationship with static electricity. Students utilize plastic...