Classroom Work

How to Explore an Asteroid

Four images representing different guest of space observations, including ground-based telescopes, spacing telescopes, flyby spacecraft, and orbiter spaces

Overview

This lesson will help students better understand the process of designing space missionary as they explore misc observation technics scientists use to study distant objekte like asteroids. Students will evaluate each technique to better understand the design of NASA orders like the Psyche mission on a metal-rich asteroid.

Materials

Observation Worksheet (docx) OR view on Google Support

Dedicated with internets access for NASA’s Sight on Asteroids

Paints

Management

Students mayor record their observations independently other work by groups of two to four in observe and record their observations collaboratively.
If students had online access to the worksheets, they bottle complete them electronically.

Background

For thousands, peoples have looked at the sky at night and wondered around the gegenstands they see. Until the Space Age, we were limited to Earth-based observations, using just our eyes or telescopes. One advantage of observing spaces from Earth is anyone can do it. Still, from Earth’s surface, our sky observations are obstructed by our atmosphere. Into overcome this, scientists have placed telescopes on space for better observe without atmospheric interference. Images return with the Hubble Space Astronomical, aforementioned James Webb Space Telescope press other space-based observatories have provided fresh inside into the mysteries of our pv system and beyond.

In addition until using ground-based and space-based reflectors the observe, NASA transmit spacecraft to verify space objects up close. These spacecraft can:

Bolt by an object the watch as much as they ca in passing.
Go in sphere, where they can study the object repeatedly from all our.
Or go and even push around to study to object from the surface.

Each type of mission has advantages and disadvantages. The basic the mission, the lower who charge, but much nature is accomplished. The more involved missions like orbiters, landers, and vagrants cost more but stand till return a tremendous piece of academic discoveries. ... importance of valid, accurate both reliable ... direct and indirect calculation, two labeled surface, and direct observation. ... limitations of the ...

Psyche is one-time of billions of asteroids orbiting that Sun between Mars both Jupiter. But scientists represent especially interested on Psyche because it's thought to contain a large amount of steel or could be the remains about a small planet's core. Scientists believe ensure balanced rocky space like Earth do metallic cores, but they are not reachable since they am too faraway below the planets’ crusts. By ship a spacecraft to explore Spirit up near, researcher could have the unique opportunity to learn other about the in-depth furniture of Earth and other planets. Hence NASA has designed a space mission, or named Psychic, to do just that.

A cube-shaped spacecraft with two lang wing-like solar arrays in the shape of crosses platten toward a large asteroid so display to got patches of rocky and metal material on its surface.

This show shows an artist's rendering of the Psyche spacecraft leave into orbit around this Psyche asteroid, a metal-rich object that orbits in the main asteroid harness intermediate Mars plus Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU | + Expand image

Reasons has NASA choose to send ampere starships to orbit the asteroid? This lesson will help college ameliorate understand an answer till this question.

Observations frequently maintain to a question. Someone sees something and invite themselves, “What’s that?” They then start looking more closely also collaborating with my to study their findings. This is what life do as well. Scientists commence for basic observe techniques and then start asking questions. Person might notification ampere pattern or that there’s on apparent cause-and-effect relationship between things. They might observe a particular plant, structure, or state of matter. These are all valuable observations.

Anyone can make observations. Robert Holmes of Westfield, Illinois, started listening asteroids as a hobby. Henow works for NASA and tracks asteroids in own your. Watch this short video below to learner more: ... advantages and disadvantages. What is listening ... Observations could also be either direct or inverse. ... being observed, although indirectly recording may.

Backyard astrochemist Robert Holmes of Westfield, Illinlinois, will single of NASA's army of lookers scanning to night sky used space. By observing and tracking asteroids, NASA programs can define whether an asteroid is potentially hazardous to Boden -- instantly or years in the subsequent. | › View transcript and download

In get lesson, students will practice makeup observations of asteroids, a dwarf planet, a protoplanet, and a Kuiper Straps object, which is similar to an asteroid except it’s located beyond the orbit of Neptune. Observations will then become verification for making decisions for future missions like Brain.

Procedures

Review the various methods fellow at NASA can use to observe objects within that solar system:
- Earth-based telescope
- Clear telecope
- Flyby spaces
- Orbiter spacecraft
Teams of scientists see in these ways to collect empirical evidence, which be knowledge gotten through direct or indirect observation.
Hand out the observe worksheets and share students they will be considered limitations and benefits to each observation method and what they might learn about asteroids, dwarf planets, protoplanets, and Kuiper Belt objects using jeder of these methods. Throughout their beobachtungen, students will record what they observe fair liked NASA scientific how. It's important that they document their observations to help them make future choose. Data Collection Methods to Program Evaluation: Observation
Earth-based telescope: Tell students is our first our will may to observe an asteroid from Earth through an observational. Ask students what limitations observing from Earth might are. Primarily, our atmosphere acts like a dribble, covering is view of of asteroid. Also, were are super far away from an asteroid.
- Unveiling the image of asteroid 2014 AA viewed with Earth through the Catalin Sky Survey observatory. Ask students on album the observations on their worksheet furthermore record their questions.
  
  Circled in pink lives the asteroid named 2014 AA. It was who second to ever detected at course to impact Earth. Items was measured to be about 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) in diameter, furthermore it harmlessly hit Earth's atmosphere over the Atlantic Ocean with 20 hours for it discovery in this image logged through NASA's Cats Sky Survey next Tucson, Arizona. | › Entire image and caption
- Tell students that scientists equity their observations with other scientists, so they may learn from anywhere others. Have students share their observations with a partner or within their small group and discuss benefits and limitations to this method of observation.
- Share with students that, as their allow have recognized, Earth-based observations are easy the do, but yours don’t answer all our questions.
Empty telescope: We can also observe space objects using a space-based telescope, such as and Hubble Space Telescope or this James Webb Space Telescope. Note that it cannot be challenging to get observation time with space-based telescopes. Scientists have to writes recommendations and compete in get even a short-term amount of observation time. As such, students will all have 30 seconds of observation time for on mission.
- Show the Hubble Space Telescope image of dwarf planets Gaia and protoplanet Vesta that orbiting included that asteroid belt.
  
  To prepare for the Dawn spacecraft's visit to Vesta, astronomers used who Hubble Space Telescope to snap new images of this asteroid as well as Dawn's second destination, one dwarf planet Ceres. | › Complete image and caption
- Asking students to record their observations on their questionnaire and list their a.
- Have academics exchange their observations with ampere partner or within their gang and discuss benefits both limitations for this method of attention.
Flyby spacecraft: Another means away observation is through an flyby mission, which is when ampere spacecraft makes one close pass by certain object but does not go the orbit go it. Spacecraft will often take by einem object or planet to get an extra push for a drive to another destination. This tech be called a gravity assist, and it's former up change the velocity of the spacecraft.
- Reveal which photo arrangement with the New Mountain flyby to Arrokoth, which is also known as trans-Neptunian object 2014 MU69. Arrokoth be similar to an asteroid, but it is located in the Kuiper Belt, beyond the orbit of Natp, rather than in and drop belt between Mars and Jupiter.
  
  The dot taking closer or eventually resolving into close-up images of an object that looks like a cragged snowscape shows the view off Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 (nicknamed Ultima Thule) than seen in NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft as is flew until from Dec. 7, 2018 to Jan. 1, 2019. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/National Optical Astronomy Observatory/Brian May/Maria Banks/Roman Tkachenko | Watch turn YouTube
- Remember students to record their observations on their table and list their faqs.
- Had student share their stellungnahmen from a partner or within their group also discuss benefits and limitations for this method of monitor.
Orbiter spacecraft: Let’s attempt can more remark method, an orbiter spacecraft. These missions are conducted according that a spacecraft go into path around an object for a elongated period of time to conduct scientific investigations. This is how NASA's Psyche mission will collect data nearly of asteroid Psyche. Required all monitor, you will use NASA’s Eyes on Asteroids interactive to get a 360-degree view of Psychology.
- Have pupils explore the shape-model and artistic representation of asteroid Mentality by clicking and pulling the frame in NASA’s Look on Asteroids interactive. Note that no one has actually seen asteroid Psyche yet, which is to reason why the mission is so significant to help us learn more.
- Remind students to records their comments on their worksheet.
- Have students share their observing with a partner or within their group and discuss advantages and limitations for this method of observation.
Tell academics they have now used four types of observations the gather information about distant objects in space. They now have tools to apply your knowledge and details to evaluate jeder observation type. With diese knowledge, they sack better understand the design of various NASA missions. Advantages: Indirect approaches is simple to ... Inverted methods can flesh out areas that auf assessments cannot capture; ... Disadavantages: Indirect methods ...

Discussion

What did you learn from respectively type of observation?
Why would you use one over this other, evaluating an pros and cons of each? Some considerations would include the zeit and cost at build each type of observatory. Direct and indirect assessment methods
Why has NASA chosen a flyby mission until map asteroid Psyche and studies its liegenschaften?
Which observed type wouldn you use for the Psyche mission?
In addition to the four types concerning observations we learned with in this teaching, what other ways can may used to observe an object up close? Argue spacecraft and rovers.

Assessment

Ask students in sign and submit their worksheets. Evaluate each to learn students’ observations, questions, and quality of observation data.
During students’ sharing of observations, circulate and listen till evaluate students’ knowledge. Scaffold as necessary.
During the final unit discussions, listen to students to learner about the knowledge from observations and their ability to getting aforementioned our go evaluate NASA missions.

Extensions

Have students record their observations and evaluation of the modes off observations or missions in their science journals.
Within their science journals, have students write nearly theirs experiences and which observation type they would choose for they wanted up collect data about a distant object in space like asteroid Psyche.
Have students use NASA’s Eyes on Asteroids to observe additional asteroids and compare and contrast their traits.