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Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse

In this activity, learners investigate the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon to create shadows and learn about solar eclipses.

DESCRIPTION

"Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse" is a hands-on activity demonstrating how the particular alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon can cause an eclipse. Visitors investigate the positions of these objects to create shadows and learn about solar eclipses.

 

This activity was designed specifically in advance of the total solar eclipse that will traverse the continental United States in August, 2017, but can be used anytime.

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES
  • Solar Eclipse ativity with young museum visitors at 2017 Science Museum of Minnesota Earth Day event
  • Two children using an inflatable Earth beach ball and a small Moon ball to compare the size of the Sun and the Moon and mimic an eclipse in the Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse hands-on activity.
  • Two young learners holding inflatable Moon and Earth models at a distance from each other
  • Solar Eclipse ativity with young museum visitors at 2017 Science Museum of Minnesota Earth Day event
  • Two children using an inflatable Earth beach ball and a small Moon ball to compare the size of the Sun and the Moon and mimic an eclipse in the Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse hands-on activity.
  • Two young learners holding inflatable Moon and Earth models at a distance from each other

DESCRIPTION

"Exploring the Solar System: Solar Eclipse" is a hands-on activity demonstrating how the particular alignment of the Sun, Earth, and Moon can cause an eclipse. Visitors investigate the positions of these objects to create shadows and learn about solar eclipses.

 

This activity was designed specifically in advance of the total solar eclipse that will traverse the continental United States in August, 2017, but can be used anytime.

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES

TRAINING VIDEOS

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth—but conditions have to be just right for this to happen.

LEARNING GOALS

  • A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth.

  • A solar eclipse is a rare and beautiful event.

  • People have observed and tried to explain solar eclipses for thousands of years.

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2017
OWNING INSTITUTION

The Science Museum of Minnesota

FUNDING

This material is based upon work supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC67A. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.