Download Developments in astronomy

Developments in astronomy
This activity will form the main part of the lesson. It is a ‘How science works’ task.
Outline
The main objective is to sort the milestones in astronomy into chronological order and then
to use the information this provides to propose positions on the timeline for an additional
selection of developments in astronomy.
This can be carried out as a whole class activity or students can be divided into groups.
You may need to discuss the terms ‘years ago’ and ‘AD’ to enable students to construct
and understand the timeline.
Version 1 Whole class activity
Print out the milestones on pp.2-4 below and the pictures on the accompanying PDF. Cut
them up so there are 30 cards in total. They could then be laminated to use again.
Set up a washing line in the lab/classroom. Depending on the group, you could add
markers to show each five hundred years, AD and BC.
Hand out one card to each student. Get them to look carefully at their cards and to think
about what it is referring to, e.g. what era, ideas, event it is representing? Students then
have to find the person with the matching card and use a paperclip to join their cards
together. They then decide together where on the timeline their milestone fits and peg it
up.
Then the developments can be displayed and, working with partners, students decide
whereabouts on the timeline each should go. Alternatively, groups of students could be
given one development to put in place. They will need easy access to the washing line.
Students have to be able to explain and justify their decisions.
Version 2 Group work
Each group has a copy of all the milestones and pictures. They match the milestone with
the correct picture. They then construct a timeline and fix each milestone to it. A long strip
of graph paper or a washing line could be used for the timeline. The groups can compare
their timelines.
Then the group works together to assign the developments positions on the timeline. They
should be able to explain and justify their decisions.
Moving on
The most recent developments in astronomy can be discussed and added to the timeline.
Students could choose a milestone and write/describe how this has changed people’s
understanding of Earth and space or how it altered people’s beliefs. What do they think
the future holds? What changes in technology need to occur to help us to progress our
understanding?
© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2012
19644
Page 1 of 6
Developments in astronomy
5 000 years ago
100 AD
The Egyptians had a basic
understanding of the
movements of the stars. They
recognised five planets,
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
and Saturn, moving around the
Earth.
Ptolemy, a respected
astronomer, said that the Earth
was at the centre of the
universe. All the planets and
stars revolved around the
Earth.
1054 AD
4 000 years ago
Chinese and Arab astronomers
recorded the explosion of a
supernova. It was so bright that
it shone five times more brightly
than Venus and could even be
seen in the daytime!
Stonehenge may have been
designed as an astronomical
instrument. It lines up roughly
with the position of the rising
sun on the longest day of the
year (summer solstice).
The remains of that explosion
have formed the Crab nebula.
2 300 years ago
1961 AD
The calculations of another
Greek, Aristarchus, hinted that
the Earth travels around the
sun.
Russian Yuri Gagarin was the
first man in space.
Here are his workings out!
© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2012
19644
Page 2 of 6
Developments in astronomy
1609 AD
1931 AD
Galileo saw craters on the
moon and some of the moons
of Jupiter, and he described
Saturn as having ‘ears’.
Jansky discovered radio waves
coming from outer space.
1969 AD
Armstrong and Aldrin walked on
the moon.
A year later a robotic Soviet
space probe returned from the
moon. This was one of the first
of many probes to be sent to
explore the solar system.
1781 AD
British astronomer William
Herschel discovers Uranus, the
first planet to be discovered
using a telescope.
1925 AD
1990 AD
The first detailed images of
distant galaxies were seen. We
can now see 14 billion light
years into the universe.
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19644
Edwin Hubble used the 100
inch (2.5m) telescope to show
that there are numerous
galaxies beyond the Milky Way
and that the universe is
expanding; leading to the ‘Big
Bang’ theory of how the
universe was created.
Page 3 of 6
Developments in astronomy
1675 AD
1543 AD
A Frenchman, Cassini,
discovered that the rings of
Saturn are split into two parts.
Nikolai Copernicus proved that
the Sun is at the centre of the
solar system.
1872 AD
Henry Draper produced a
photograph of the fifth brightest
star in the sky, Vega.
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Page 4 of 6
Developments in astronomy
Developments in astronomy
Advances in our understanding of the universe have come from improvements in
technology.
Can you estimate when these developments took place?
1. Improvements in technology and design enable large mirrors, up to
2.5m, to be manufactured. Astronomers can now see more deeply
into the universe.
2. The Space Shuttle sets the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit above
the Earth’s atmosphere. It can see 50 times deeper into space than
any telescope on Earth.
3. Sputnik is the first artificial object to orbit Earth. It is unmanned.
4. The great Italian mathematician and scientist Galileo Galilei
experiments with lenses to produce one of the world’s first
telescopes.
5. William Fox Talbot invents a light sensitive paper. He produces
some of the first photographs.
6. Knowing that lenses disperse and refract light, Sir Isaac Newton
experiments with concave mirrors. He constructs the first reflecting
telescope. Astronomers are now able to view the solar system in
more detail.
7. Cassini space probe is launched. Its mission is to explore the rings
and moons of Saturn.
8. The first radio telescope is built to receive cosmic radio waves.
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Developments in astronomy
Answers
Images
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Distant galaxy – 1990 AD
Armstrong on moon – 1969 AD
Aristarchus – 2 300 years ago
Ptolemy – 100 AD
Hubble – 1925 AD
Gagarin – 1961 AD
Galileo moon drawing 1609 AD
Cassini – 1675 AD
Herschel – 1781 AD
Egyptian astronomy – 5 000 years ago
Jansky and radio waves – 1931 AD
Crab nebula – 1054 AD
Stonehenge – 4 000 years ago
Vega – 1872 AD
Copernicus – 1543 AD
Developments in astronomy
1.
Improvements in technology and design enable large mirrors, up to 2.5m, to be
manufactured. Astronomers can now see more deeply into the universe.
– Between 1872 and 1925.
2.
The Space Shuttle sets the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit above the Earth’s
atmosphere. It can see 50 times deeper into space than any telescope on Earth.
– Between 1969 and 1990.
3.
Sputnik is the first artificial object to orbit Earth. It is unmanned.
– Between 1931 and 1961
4.
The great Italian mathematician and scientist Galileo Galilei experiments with lenses
to produce one of the world’s first telescopes.
– Between 1543 and 1609.
5.
William Fox Talbot invents a light sensitive paper. He produces some of the first
photographs.
– Between 1781 and 1872.
6.
Knowing that lenses disperse and refract light, Sir Isaac Newton experiments with
concave mirrors. He constructs the first reflecting telescope. Astronomers are now
able to view the solar system in more detail.
– Between 1609 and 1675.
7.
Cassini space probe is launched. Its mission is to explore the rings and moons of
Saturn.
– After 1969.
8.
The first radio telescope is built to receive cosmic radio waves.
– Just before 1931.
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19644
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