Before you start, make sure you have reviewed our Educators/Caregivers Launch Pad.
The steps in blue below are the steps also included on the Youth Road Map. As the educator, familiarize yourself with each of the steps before you assist your youth. You may even want to go through all of the steps and create your own exhibit just like they will.
Star Formation / Birth
Life and Death of a Planetary System
Chapters 1 and 2 are about Star Formation
Runtime: 3 Minutes
Watch Out For: ViewSpace is a great resource to understand the different types of light used when studying astronomical objects. When using this site, begin with this page to help understand how the website works.
Flight Through Orion Nebula in Visible and Infrared Light
This is a detailed, multi-wavelength visualization of the Orion Nebula stellar nursery. You can also explore a 360 Video version here.
Runtime: 3 Minutes
Stellar Evolution Scavenger Hunt
Watch Out For: This activity might be difficult for younger audiences. To make it more accessible, instead of organizing them by sequence, have youth organize them by type of object. Discuss why they put the object in each category.
Watch Out For:
- Eagle, Orion, Trifid, and Lagoon are good star forming nebulas to take images of with MicroObservatory. They are not all visible in the sky all year, but at least one should be available at any time.
- Youth will need an email address in order to get access to their images.
- It will take at least 24 hours to acquire an image, so allow two days for this part of the project (one for collecting, one for processing).
Youth can process the image they took, or use one from the archives.
Watch Out For: It will take at least one day for images to be available to process after requesting them. Plan accordingly.
Hubblesite is a great place to search for astronomical images. Your youth do not have to use the images linked below, but they should be a NASA image. We recommend file sizes no larger than 700 KB.
Orion Nebula:
Hubble's Sharpest View of the Orion
Eagle Nebula:
Your youth should use these templates, which are PowerPoint files, to create their exhibits. Encourage your youth to follow the specified guidelines for text and picture boxes.
Be sure to include proper credits for your images. You may include a logo of your program, school, or organization if desired.
Download A Template:
Watch Out For: If you do not have printing capabilities, you can display these on screens as PowerPoint presentations.
Main Sequence / Adult Life
Runtime:3 Minutes
*This video is also available in Spanish by clicking "Also Available In Spanish" underneath the video player.
Watch Out For: This video introduces the term "plasma." A definition of plasma can be found on this page
Star Child (Portugese)
Star Child (Spanish)
Watch Out For: There is a beginner "Level 1" and more advanced "Level 2" version of this resource. Do not download the videos from the Level 2 version of the resource. Because this is an older website, some videos may be in a discontinued format.
Where Does the Sun's Energy Come From?
Runtime: 2 Minutes 30 Seconds
Runtime: 1 minute 49 seconds
*This video is also available in Spanish by clicking "English" underneath the video player and changing it to "Spanish".
Runtime: 2 Minutes 32 Seconds
Watch Out For: This is a video of a stellar fusion demonstration with clay. You can also do the demonstration with your youth.
Watch Out For:
Youth can process the image they took, or use one from the archives.
Watch Out For: It will take at least one day for images to be available to process after requesting them. Plan accordingly.
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Image Database
Watch Out For: SDO has a number of images of the Sun. Make sure your youth understand what the image they select is showing them.
Your youth should use these templates, which are PowerPoint files, to create their exhibits. Encourage your youth to follow the specified guidelines for text and picture boxes.
Be sure to include proper credits for your images. You may include a logo of your program, school, or organization if desired.
Download A Template:
Watch Out For: If you do not have printing capabilities, you can display these on screens as PowerPoint presentations.
Planetary Nebula / Death
Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian : Planetary Nebulae
Watch Out For: This page introduces the terms "ionized" and "interstellar medium." Definitions of these words can be found on this page
Runtime: 2 Minute 11 Seconds
A Planetary Nebula Dissipating (Artist's Impression)
Runtime: 26 seconds
Runtime: 50 seconds
Why Is The Name Planetary Nebula Misleading?
What is a Planetary Nebula? (Spanish)
The Glorious End of Stellar Life
Runtime: 2 Minute 11 Seconds
A Planetary Nebula Dissipating (Artist's Impression)
Runtime: 26 seconds
Runtime: 50 seconds
Watch Out For: This is a video of a kinesthetic activity that you can do with your youth. Please keep in mind that it includes all stages of life for a small star.
Watch Out For: ViewSpace is a great resource to understand the different types of light used when studying astronomical objects. When using this site, begin with this page to help understand how the website works.
Watch Out For:
- The Ring Nebula and Dumbbell Nebula are planetary nebulas that can be observed using MicroObservatory.
- Youth will need an email address in order to get access to their images.
- It will take at least 24 hours to acquire an image, so allow two days for this part of the project (one for collecting, one for processing).
Youth can process the image they took, or use one from the archives.
Watch Out For: It will take at least one day for images to be available to process after requesting them. Plan accordingly.
Hubblesite and the Chandra X-ray Observatory Photo Album are great places to search for astronomical images. Your youth do not have to use the images linked below, but they should be a NASA image. We recommend file sizes no larger than 700 KB.
White Dwarfs and Planetary Nebula from Chandra
Your youth should use these templates, which are PowerPoint files, to create their exhibits. Encourage your youth to follow the specified guidelines for text and picture boxes.
Be sure to include proper credits for your images. You may include a logo of your program, school, or organization if desired.
Download A Template:
Watch Out For: If you do not have printing capabilities, you can display these on screens as PowerPoint presentations.
These resources are more on an intermediate or advanced content and reading level.
Watch: Teeny Tiny Planet Destroyer
Runtime: 2 Minutes
Read: White Dwarfs
Watch Out For: There is a basic and an advanced version of this reading. You can select either by clicking "Basic" or "Advanced."
Do: Life Cycle of a Small Star
This is a video of a kinesthetic activity that you can do with your youth. Please keep in mind that it includes all stages of life for a small star.
Supernova Remnants / Death
Runtime: 5 Minutes
What is a Supernova? (English)
What is a Supernova? (Spanish)
Learn About Supernovas & Supernova Remnants
Watch Out For: This is an advanced resource with access to content in a wide variety of formats, including graphics, videos, and animations. Some content may need to be downloaded to view.
Supernovas & Supernova Remnants Image Gallery
Watch Out For: If the resource listed above is too advanced for you or your youth, explore this image gallery of supernovas and supernova remnants.
Watch Out For: ViewSpace is a great resource to understand the different types of light used when studying astronomical objects. When using this site, begin with this page to help understand how the website works.
Think Tank: When Stars Go Boom
Runtime: 3 Minutes
What is a Supernova? (Spanish)
Runtime: 1 Minute 30 Seconds
X-ray Vision Reveals the Insides of Stars
Runtime: 2 Minutes 30 Seconds
Journey Through An Exploded Star
Watch Out For: There are a lot of things to do and explore in this resource. Start with the “Interact” portion, then choose "Narrated Tour." Once you and your youth have gone through this, allow them to freely explore the resource.
Stars exploding? Who would do such a thing? Join Detective Eagle Quark on his investigation of this mystery in this Space Forensics interactive game.
Space Forensics is an educational program where astronomical phenomena are treated like criminal investigations. Through this game, armchair crime solvers experience the universal process of science, a cycle of questions and answers that can be used for investigating a crime scene... or seeking out the origins of the chemical elements in the universe.
Watch Out For: This game takes 1 to 2 hours to play through.
This is a video of a kinesthetic activity that you can do with your youth. Please keep in mind that it includes all stages of life for a massive star.
Watch Out For:
- Crab Nebula is a supernova remnant, but it is not always available to take images of throughout the year. If this is your desired target, and it is not available, try finding an image in the archive to process.
- Youth will need an email address in order to get access to their images.
- It will take at least 24 hours to acquire an image, so allow two days for this part of the project (one for collecting, one for processing).
Youth can process the image they took, or use one from the archives.
Watch Out For: It will take at least one day for images to be available to process after requesting them. Plan accordingly.
There are a lot of known supernova remnants. Two of the most famous are the Crab Nebula and Cassiopeia A. Chandra X-ray Observatory has a database of images of both of these objects, plus a lot more. Your youth do not have to use the images linked below, but they should be from a reputable source. We recommend file sizes no larger than 700 KB.
Crab Nebula:
Cassiopeia A:
Chandra Reveals the Elementary Nature of Cass A
Your youth should use these templates, which are PowerPoint files, to create their exhibits. Encourage your youth to follow the specified guidelines for text and picture boxes.
Be sure to include proper credits for your images. You may include a logo of your program, school, or organization if desired.
Download A Template:
Watch Out For: If you do not have printing capabilities, you can display these on screens as PowerPoint presentations.
These resources are more on an intermediate or advanced content and reading level.
Read: Neutron Stars
Watch Out For: There is a basic and an advanced version of this reading. You can select either by clicking "Basic" or "Advanced."
Watch: The Mysterious Afterlife of Stellar Giants
Runtime: 2 Minutes
Watch Out For: This video depicts a neutron star with a magnetic field. A description of magnetic fields can be found on this page.
Do: Paper Circuits: Light up Exploded Stars
Watch Out For: This activity explains circuits well, but it requires some materials that might be harder to find. There is a good video on this site about the activity.
Do: Life Cycle of Massive Stars
This is a video of a kinesthetic activity that you can do with your youth. Please keep in mind that it includes all stages of life for a massive star.
Black Holes / Final Stage for Super Massive Stars
A Black Hole Primer with Chandra
Runtime: 5 Minutes
Watch Out For: This video is a little more advanced.
Watch Out For: There is a beginner "Level 1" and more advanced "Level 2" version of this resource. Do not download the videos from the Level 2 version of the resource. Because this is an older website, some videos may be in a discontinued format.
Watch Out For: This is an advanced resource with access to content in a wide variety of formats, including graphics, videos, and animations. Some content may need to be downloaded to view.
The Truth And Lies About Black Holes
Watch Out For: If the resource listed above is too advanced for you or your youth, explore this resource instead.
Runtime: 3 Minutes
Runtime: 2 Minutes
A Black Hole in Your Neighborhood
This is a video of a kinesthetic activity that you can do with your youth.
Watch Out For:
- Cyg X-1 and Sagittarius A are black holes that can be observed using MicroObservatory.
- Youth will need an email address in order to get access to their images.
- It will take at least 24 hours to acquire an image, so allow two days for this part of the project (one for collecting, one for processing).
Youth can process the image they took, or use one from the archives.
Watch Out For: It will take at least one day for images to be available to process after requesting them. Plan accordingly.
Until recently (April 2019), scientists have not been able to capture an image of a black hole. They have only been able to observe the presence of a black hole by the effect it has on its surroundings. Using a multitude of radio telescopes, scientists were able to collect enough data to create the first picture of a black hole.
Because of the lack of actual images of black holes, there are a number of artist renderings available, like the ones in this Chandra Gallery.
Your youth should use these templates, which are PowerPoint files, to create their exhibits. Encourage your youth to follow the specified guidelines for text and picture boxes.
Be sure to include proper credits for your images. You may include a logo of your program, school, or organization if desired.
Download A Template:
Watch Out For: If you do not have printing capabilities, you can display these on screens as PowerPoint presentations.
