does anyone know any interactive astronomy-related activities?

Question

activities that can many people can be part of. please help me

i need activities that can be done during the day. even just games or anything....

Answer 1

Crater Maker : A paper bag, cut so it is about a foot high, then filled about 1/3 - 1/2 full of flour, with a thin layer of a darker powder on top (cocoa powder works well). Then, standing on a step ladder, you drop items into the bag and learn about how craters are made, and the different features you will see formed from impacts.

Solar System models: Get some marking flags or bricks. Then go to www.heavens-above.com or some other site where you can get an overhead view of the planet's positions around the sun and distances. Scale it (I often use 9 ft equals 1 AU) and start placing them in a larger open area in the rough positions of the planets. Then use this to learn about planets, and see a scaled version of the solar system. Kids love this because you can have them run around. Can be done in open areas or areas surrounded by trees to make a bit more of a search.

You can also use your audience members to represent the sun, Earth, and moon, and discuss how phases of the moon and eclipses work.

All of these are activities I have used for astronomy outreach. Some are quick and easy to do, others involve a bit of work. All have gotten great responses, especially if you are charismatic when you run it.

Answer 2

Get a group of people together toward the end of March and have a "Messier Party".

You'll need dark skies, and a couple of respectable (5" or better aperture) telescopes, and several copies of the Messier charts in RA order.

Person to find the most wins! have a category for binoculars (12 x 80 or better work well on the brightest ones), then for 6" and smaller 'scopes, computerized (GO-TO) and manual scopes, etc..

(The most I have ever run in one night is 62 / 110, because I have a tendence to get sidetracked. I have an 8" noncomputerized SCT).

Answer 3

I know what you could do. You could get a 9 planet set from Mercury to Pluto, have a sun and then set up a little solar system in your planetarium and have all 9 planets rotate around the Sun but they don't rotate on their axis. My friend said he had that but gave it away because he thought it was useless. I should think about getting one. He got it for his birthday from his mom. That's the best I could come up or you can make your room dark and view all the stars and constellations in your room. Your choice.

Answer 4

All I can think of is star gazing. Looking for specific stars, nebulae etc using right ascension and such

Answer 5

Hi. Try Stellarium. http://www.stellarium.com/

Answer 6

astrolabe.com