Overview

Discovering exoplanets is one of the most exciting fields in astronomy today. We have found thousand of planets besides the ones that circle our Sun now, and planet hunting has reached a fever pitch. What are these other planets like? How do we find them? Are any other planets like the Earth? This Course includes great BONUS LESSONS:What on Earth is Astronomy?Mini-Lesson: EclipsesMini-Lesson: Meteor ShowersMini-Lesson: AuroraProject Artemis: America Returns to the MoonExoplanets - Planets Beyond our Solar System1. Objective & Warm-up activity2. Meaning, origin and uses of the word "exo"3. Old and new understandings of solar systems and galaxies4. History of the search for exoplanets5. Space-based telescopes and the search for exoplanets: Hubble, Kepler and Spitzer6. Searching for exoplanets with different lightsWhat you will learn:Methods of exoplanet searching:· Explanation of orbital brightness modulation· Explanation of radial velocity· Explanation of direct imagingTypes of exoplanets:· Hot Jupiters· Circumbinary· Super-Earths· Rogue planets7. Exomoons8. Exocomets9. Brown dwarfs10. Future exoplanet search tools and missions11. Description of a scientific model12. Habitable zones in solar systems13. Types of stars14. Binary stars and their planets15. Naming exoplanets16. Test questions17. Cross-curricular activitiesMy name is Tony Ceraso and I will be your instructor. I sometimes run the planetarium and have written curriculum for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. I have also written curriculum for NASA's school visitation program and teach on the college level in NJ.My goal is for you to thoroughly enjoy this lesson. I love astronomy and I want nothing more out of our time together than for you to have a greater appreciation for the universe through the understanding of this material. Besides the lesson I'm going to preview for you now, the course includes warm up activities, test questions, and cross-curricular activities for you to download as a supplement.

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