66

Lesson 66 of 84 ยท Space

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐Ÿš€ Starbase

Eclipses: Solar and Lunar (Part 4)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #66

Eclipses: Solar and Lunar (Part 4).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

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

โšก The twist

The light you see now started its trip a long time ago.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒŒ If you could drive a car straight up at highway speed, you'd reach space in under an hour.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: how big does that look from here vs. from there?

What You'll Learn

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, blocking sunlight. A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth's shadow falls on the moon.

Key Words

  • galaxy
  • star
  • planet

Materials Needed

  • flashlight
  • ball (Earth)
  • small ball (moon)
  • dark room

Safety First

  • Clean up spills immediately to prevent slipping.
  • Use materials only as directed in the experiment.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read about Space and write down three key facts.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Research and create a poster about one constellation. Include its stars, mythology, and when it's visible in your area.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is a solar eclipse?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

GPS, weather forecasts, and the seasons all rely on this.

๐Ÿ†

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Find a constellation in the sky. Look it up. Tell someone its story.

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.

โšกShare 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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