Experiment in Astronomy Science Projects (Page 3)

NASA Asteroid Database: What Can You Learn About Our Solar System?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that in addition to the Sun and planets, our solar system is filled with millions of asteroids, which are chunks of rock left over from the early days of its formation, or from collisions between larger objects like planets? Agencies like NASA track asteroids, not only because they might pose a threat to humanity by colliding with Earth, but because they can provide us with information about the history of our solar system, and even be useful for mining raw materials in space! In… Read more

Analyzing Impact Craters on Mercury

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wanted to analyze data from a NASA spacecraft? In this science project you will use data from NASA's MESSENGER mission to measure the diameter and calculate the depth of impact craters on Mercury. You will then analyze that data for relationships between a crater's depth and diameter. This is your chance to perform a science project as a NASA researcher would! Read more

Build Your Own Dobsonian Telescope

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

For an advanced science fair project, you can build your own telescope and learn how to use it to make observations of the night sky. Can you make your own observations to determine the orbital period of Jupiter's major moons? The Dobsonian telescope, first built and popularized by astronomer John Dobson, is considered to be the best bang-for-your-buck if you want to build a good amateur telescope. The smaller the telescope's aperture the less expensive to build, but also the less… Read more

Calculating the Circumference of the Earth

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How big a ruler would you need to measure the circumference of the Earth? Did you know that you can do it with a yardstick? (And you won't have to travel all the way around the world!) Read more

How a Comet's Size Affects How Fast It Melts

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Comets—big lumps of rock, ice, and frozen gases that orbit the Sun—are among the most amazing heavenly objects seen in the night sky. The glowing tail behind the comet's nucleus inspires wonder. But did you know that a comet's tail is evidence that it's melting? As a comet passes by the Sun on its orbital path, it starts to melt. But do bigger comets melt faster than smaller comets? In this astronomy science project, you will investigate how the size of the comet affects the… Read more

Correlation of Coronal Mass Ejections with the Solar Sunspot Cycle

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Scientists have known for hundreds of years that sunspot activity waxes and wanes over a cycle that lasts approximately 11 years. In the 1970's, scientists discovered that the sun periodically blasts electrified gases into space, in huge outbursts called 'coronal mass ejections,' or CMEs. This project asks the question: do CMEs follow the solar sunspot cycle? Read more

Using a Digital Camera to Measure Skyglow

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is a great project for someone interested in both stargazing and photography. Bright city lights and even the light of the full Moon obscure the dimmest stars, which can make identifying constellations more difficult. In this astronomy science project, you will calibrate a digital camera to measure the skyglow in different locations. This can be a great tool to comparing the quality of different star viewing locations. Read more

The Milky Way and Beyond: Globular Clusters

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Globular clusters, compact groups of about a million stars that move around together in galaxies, are among the oldest objects found in the universe. Since they are found in most galaxies and since they've been around for so long, globular clusters have a lot to tell us about what the universe looks like now and how it got that way. Is our Milky Way Galaxy just like all the other galaxies out there? What are galaxies made of? What can we learn about the universe from looking at galaxies? … Read more

Using the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory Satellite (SOHO) to Determine the Rotation of the Sun

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Here's a cool project that shows you how to use images from an orbiting observatory to measure how fast the Sun rotates. Read more

Where Did All the Stars Go?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

One of my favorite things to do when I was a kid was to go outside and look at the stars. As an adult, I moved to a major city and the stars seemed to vanish from the sky. Where did they go? Read more

Experiment in Astronomy Science Projects (37 results)

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