Overview

In this section you will find materials that support the implementation of EarthComm, Section 3: Origin of the Universe and the Solar System.

Learning Outcomes

• Use a model to show the relationship between a moving object and the energy it emits.
• Use a model to predict the direction and rate of movement of galaxies in the universe.
• Analyze data to determine patterns in electromagnetic radiation that fills the universe.
• Use a model explain the nebular theory of the formation of the solar system.
• Examine the evidence that supports the big bang theory for how the universe was formed.

Using Technology

To learn more about extrasolar planets, complete the following:

Planets Outside of Our Solar System

1. Over the past decade, scientists have made incredible discoveries of planets outside of our solar system. These planets are known as extrasolar planets or exoplanets. Visit NASA's Planet Quest website at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/.
   1. What is the current exoplanet count?
2. Go to the New Worlds Atlas on the website and examine the list of all extrasolar planets. Click on the "Disc. Date" column heading to organize the list of planets from most recent to earliest discovered.
   1. How many planets have been discovered in the past month?
   2. How many planets have been discovered in the past year?
3. Click on the "Light-years from Earth" column heading to organize the list of planets from closest to farthest.
   1. What is the name of the closest planet discovered so far? How far away is it?
   2. What is the name of the farthest planet discovered so far? How far away is it?

Inquiring Further

1. To learn more about nuclear fusion, visit the following web sites:
   
   Fusion Basics, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
   Get started learning about fusion with this brief description of how fusion works.
   
   How EINSTEIN Arrived at E=MC², Mort Orman, M.D.
   Learn how Albert Einstein came upon his famous equation.
    
2. To learn about particle accelerators, visit the following websites:

The Large Hadron Collider, CERN
Learn about the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator.

RCW 86: Natures Super Particle Accelerator, NASA
Read about how a supernova acts as a particle accelerator.

3. To learn more about cosmic background radiation, visit the following web sites:

Tests of the Big Bang: The CMB, NASA
Describes how the universe is filled with radiation left over from the Big Bang, called the “cosmic microwave background".

4. To learn more about star-forming nebulae in the galaxy, visit the following web sites:
   
   The Hubble Project, NASA
   Learn how the Hubble Space Telescope has helped advance our understanding of space, including star-forming nebulae.
   
   Hubble Site, Space Telescope Science Institute
   Find out more information about star formation on the Hubble Site.
   
   European Southern Observatory
   Look through the website of the European Southern Observatory to find more information on star formation.
   
   Stellar Nurseries, University of Illlinois
   Read about the birth of stars.
   
   Early Star Formation, ScienceDaily
   Read a brief article about what scientists understand about star formation.
   
   A Star is Born, Augustana College
   Take a virtual tour through the life of a young star.
    
5. To learn more about extrasolar planet research missions, visit the following web site:
   
   Exoplanet Missions, NASA
   This site lists all of NASA's missions conducting extrasolar planet research.

Resources

To learn more about this topic, visit the following web sites:

The Nebular Theory

Solar System Formation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
This site has a diagram of the formation of the Solar System.

The Solar Nebular Hypothesis, NASA
Read an approximate chronology of the formation of the solar system through to the origin of life on Earth.

The Birth of the Planets

Birth of a Solar System? CNN
This is a report from a discovery by scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that provided some new information about how planets form.

How the Solar System was Born, Natural History Museum London
Learn about the time after the graviational collapse of the solar system.

Ask the Astronomer, Dr. Sten Odenwald
Find out answers to different questions about our galaxy and others.

Milk Way Images

Multiwavelength Astronomy, NASA's Infrared Astrophysics Data Center
View all-sky maps that portray the entire Milky Way Galaxy.

Astronomy Pictures of the Day: Milky Way Galaxy, Goddard Space Flight Center
Examine images and pictures of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Animations and Video

To view animations and video related to this topic, visit the following web sites:

Hubble Deep Field, Space Telescope Science Institute
View a video of deep space as taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.  See images of the Universe closer to the time when it formed.

Launchpad: The Search for Exoplanets, NASA
Locate and watch the NASA eClip titled, "Launchpad: The Search for Exoplanets."  This video examines extrasolar planet research efforts.

Launchpad: Kepler, NASA
Locate and watch the NASA eClip titled, "Launchpad: Kepler."  This video examines the efforts of the Kepler Mission to locate Earth-sized and smaller planets.