Missions Outside our Solar System

Students will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the "habitability zone"
2. Explain and apply the planet transit technique of detecting planets outside our solar system in the Kepler Mission.
3. Utilize software programs such as Planet Hunters and the Kepler Exoplanet Transit Hunt sponsored/created by NASA missions.

This learning module can be used in any course of instruction where instructors would like to introduce students to planets outside our solar system and the concept of the habitability zone.

Compiled In-Class Activities and Homework

• Instructor Version (Acrobat (PDF) 592kB Nov20 16)
• Student Version (Acrobat (PDF) 514kB Nov20 16)

In-Class Activity

• In-Class Activity 1: Seeing Like Kepler
  
  • Student Version (Acrobat (PDF) 490kB Nov20 16); Instructor Version (Acrobat (PDF) 575kB Nov20 16)

Homework/Lab

• Homework 1: Light Grapher
  
  • Student Version (Acrobat (PDF) 477kB Nov20 16); Instructor Version (Acrobat (PDF) 563kB Nov20 16)
     
• Homework 2: Planet Hunters!
  
  • Student Version (Acrobat (PDF) 470kB Nov20 16); Instructor Version (Acrobat (PDF) 563kB Nov20 16)
     

• Purchase or order an orrery device in order to use In-Class Activity 1 Seeing Like Kepler in your course
• All Homework sets can be adapted for the classroom if desired.
• Before students are assigned Homework 1 "Light Grapher" provide a demonstration of how the software works and explain to students that they will need a webcam in order to do the homework
• Create a planethunters.org account so you can demonstrate how the website interacts with the user in Homework 2 "Planet Hunters".

Methods of assessment are within each individual In-Class Activity and Homework.

1. Kepler Exoplanet Transit Hunt computer interaction:
2. Orrery suggestions for building: https://www.planetary.org/articles/a-kepler-orrery
3. Planet Hunters: http://www.planethunters.org/?lang=en