Lesson 1 of 12 · Space
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🚀 StarbaseHow Stars Make Light
How Stars Make Light.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
The light you see now started its trip a long time ago.
Mind = Blown
🪐 A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus.
Make a hypothesis first
Guess: how big does that look from here vs. from there?
What You'll Learn
Stars are massive balls of hot gas that produce light and heat through nuclear fusion. Our sun is a medium-sized star that provides the energy needed for life on Earth.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- ball (Earth)
- small ball (moon)
Safety First
- Have an adult check your set-up before you start, and tidy everything away afterwards.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Build a scale model of the inner solar system using different-sized balls. Research the relative sizes and distances of the planets.
Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.
Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is a light-year?
Where you see this in real life
GPS, weather forecasts, and the seasons all rely on this.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Find a constellation in the sky. Look it up. Tell someone its story.
For the dinner table
“If you could visit any planet, which would you pick and why?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
How Stars Make Light
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
Full screen — no distractions
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