← Back to course
Astronomy Year / Week 09 / Sky Night
6/6
Week 09 · Star Colors and Brightness

Sky Night

Sky Night: color hunt
// Hot stars, cool stars, near and far
⏱ about 15 min

Sky Night: Color hunt

Rocket, Raven and Nova look for star colors with a grown-up.

"That one looks a little orange!" Rocket whispers.

Raven compares two stars. "What do you notice? Which one is brighter?"

Nova glows red. "Hint: bright stars show their colors best."

  1. Blue stars are hotter. Red stars are cooler.
  2. Brightness depends on light and distance.
  3. The Sun is our closest star, not the biggest.
  4. Sirius is the brightest star at night.
Safety first
Go outside only with a grown-up.
Stay near home in a safe, open spot.
Use a red light, not a white one.
Watch your step in the dark.

Your Sky Night mission

  1. Go out after dark and let your eyes adjust.
  2. Find the three brightest stars you can see.
  3. Rank them: brightest, middle, dimmest.
  4. Look for a star that looks reddish.
  5. Look for a star that looks bluish white.
Sky logWhat I saw
Brightest star
A reddish star
A bluish white star
Moon shape tonight
SKY NIGHT CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
You find a reddish star. Is it hotter or cooler than a blue star?
Cloudy night?
Play the flashlight distance game instead.
Stand at one end of a hall with a flashlight.
Your grown-up stands at the other end with one.
Point them at the wall. Which spot looks brighter?
◇ COLOR HUNT WITH YOUR GROWN-UP
Each pick the brightest star you see.
Do you agree on its color?
Talk about why it might look so bright.

Wonderful hunting! Next week we look for shooting stars.

← Friday