Plan
- What constellations do you already know?
- What constellations are visible at this time of year? You can use a star map to get an idea of what you can see.
- What supplies will you need for this activity?
Do
- Trace one of the ends of your tube onto a piece of paper
- Grab a picture of your favourite constellation and draw it inside the circle you just traced – make the stars nice and big.
- Secure the paper to one end of your tube by using tape or a rubber band. Don’t leave any openings
- Using a pencil, gently poke a hole for each star in the constellation.
- Turn the lights out and shine the flashlight through the open end of the tube and project your constellation onto a surface.
- Go outside and see if you can find your constellation in the night sky! Does it look similar to the version that you made?
Review
- What other constellations are in the night sky?
- How can you use constellations to help you figure out where you are?
- Does everyone in the world see the same constellations in the sky?
Materials
Materials list is per individual
- Cardboard tube (a toilet paper or paper towel roll is perfect)
- Scissors
- Paper
- Pencil
- Tape or a rubber band
- Flashlight
- A picture of your favourite constellation
Keep it Simple
- To help you better recognize the constellations in the sky, project your constellation viewer onto a piece of paper taped to a wall. Stand back from the wall to make the constellation the size of the piece of paper and trace it onto the paper. Use your paper version and a star map to help you find the constellation in the sky.
Take it Further
- Every week at your meeting, look for the constellation you have chosen. How does it move over time? What causes the constellation to move?
