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The Life Cycle of Stars


The Life Cycle of Stars

A Vacation-Week Astronomy Program for High School Students

Spend your vacation week with the stars! Join us for a weeklong exploration of the life cycle of stars. Each day, we will host one session of this 5-part series, which will take you on a journey from the birth of new stars to their spectacular (and sometimes explosive!) deaths. Each session consists of a 1-hour live, interactive virtual program hosted by an experienced McAuliffe Center educator. Each session features original video content, interactive features, exploration of NASA resources, and opportunities for further exploration.

Registration is closed for this program. Contact cmc@framingham.edu for more information

Already registered? Visit this page for the most up-to-date information. You should have received a password by email.

  • Dates: February 15-19, 2021

  • Times: Two options: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm OR 4:00pm - 5:00pm. Participants may attend either session, but we reserve the right to cancel one of the sessions based on demand.

  • Age Range Recommendation: High School Students : 13-17 years old, motivated 7th and 8th graders welcome. See information below regarding “Science Concept Pre-requisites”

  • Cost: $45 per participant

  • Requirements: internet connected device. While camera and microphone use is not required for participants, it is highly recommended. Participants should be prepared to actively engage and communicate throughout the entire program through a variety of means including video and voice whenever possible.

If you’re wondering whether this program will be appropriate for you (or your child), please check out the concept pre-requisites for each session below. While some of those concepts will be introduced and explored during earlier sessions, the participant should have had exposure (in school or equivalent) to most of the concepts before the first session.

Sessions:

+ Session 1: The Electromagnetic Spectrum (Feb 15)

Unlike other scientists, astronomers can’t bring the objects they study into a lab, or travel to explore them “in the field.” The only information that is available to astronomers about stars, galaxies, and other distant objects comes in the form of light. Luckily, there is a lot of information hidden in light, much more than meets the eye! Explore space, and the world around you, in a different light in this introductory program.

  • We'll Explore: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
  • Science Concept Pre-requisites: none

This session supports the following Next Generation Science Standard(s):

  • HS-PS4-5 Communicate technical information about about how some technological devices use the principles of wave behavior and wave interactions with matter to transmit and capture information and energy.

Resources


+ Session 2: The Star Factory (Feb 16)

Where do stars come from? Do we still witness star formation happening in our galaxy today? To find out, we’ll dive into a star-forming nebula, and along the way, learn about the invisible forms of light that can help us discover the secrets of star formation and more!

  • We’ll Explore: Infrared Astronomy
  • Science Concept Pre-requisites: The Electromagnetic Spectrum

+ Session 3: Planetary Nebula: That’s no Planet! (Feb 17)

What is going to happen to our own star, the Sun? To answer that question, we must first learn about how the Sun works. Plus, we’ll get to look at lots of pretty pictures!

  • We’ll Explore: The Sun’s Energy (Fusion)

  • Science Concept Pre-requisites: Atoms and Elements, States of Matter: Solid, Liquid and Gas

This session supports the following Next Generation Science Standard(s):

  • HS-PS3.D Nuclear Fusion processes in the center of the sun release the energy that ultimately reaches Earth as radiation.
  • HS-ESS1.A The star called the sun is changing and will burn out over a lifespan of approximately 10 billion years.

+ Session 4 & 5: Supernova: Death & Life, Parts 1 & 2 (Feb 18 & 19)

If a star died, would anyone notice? Luckily for us, many people throughout history did! Now, with powerful telescopes that can observe much more than the human eye, we have learned even more about the end of a star’s life. It turns out, the life and death of stars has had a greater impact on human life than you might think.

  • We’ll Explore: The Periodic Table of Elements

  • Science Concept Pre-requisites: The Electromagnetic Spectrum, The Sun’s Energy (Fusion), Atoms and Elements

This session supports the following Next Generation Science Standard(s):

  • HS-ESS1.A Other than the hydrogen and helium formed at the time of the Big Bang, nuclear fusion within stars produces all atomic nuclei lighter than and including iron, and the process releases electromagnetic energy. Heavier elements are produced when certain massive stars achieve a supernova stage and explode.
  • HS-PS4.B Atoms of each element emit and absorb characteristic frequencies of light. These characteristics allow identification of the presence of an element, even in microscopic quantities.