Instructional Video

3 Weird Stars You Can See with the Naked Eye

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

From the ground, the big dipper looks like it's made up of seven stars. Closer inspection with the naked eye reveals one star in the handle actually contains two binary stars. By viewing with a telescope, more detail uncovers the set of six stars, three sets of binary stars, all hidden in this one dot. Using an installment from the SciShow Space series, an engaging video details the weird star along with other oddities requiring no telescope to view.

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CCSS: Adaptable
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Instructional Ideas
  • Challenge scholars to take pictures of any constellations they identify and circle the binary stars
  • Visit a local observatory to learn more about these, and other, strange stars
Classroom Considerations
  • Relies on prior knowledge of stars, constellations, and telescopes
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • Encourages science without technical equipment
  • High-energy presenter helps maintain viewer attention
Cons
  • None