49

Lesson 49 of 84 ยท Space

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐Ÿš€ Starbase

Asteroids and Comets (Part 3)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #49

Asteroids and Comets (Part 3).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

โšก The twist

Up there, the rules of down here stop working.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒŸ The light from the closest star (after the sun) takes 4 years to reach you.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what would happen on the moon vs. on Earth?

What You'll Learn

Asteroids are rocky objects orbiting the sun, mostly found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Comets are icy objects that develop tails when they approach the sun.

Key Words

  • outer planets
  • atmosphere
  • satellite

Materials Needed

  • pencil
  • ruler
  • compass

Safety First

  • Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Review the background information on Space before starting.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Track the moon's phase each night for two weeks. Draw what you see and identify the pattern.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Create a data table to organize your measurements.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is the closest star to Earth?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

Every sunrise and every shadow is this idea in action.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Look at the moon tonight. Notice its shape. Look again in 3 days.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œIf you could visit any planet, which would you pick and why?โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

๐ŸŒฑShare card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

๐Ÿ–จ๏ธ

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