What is a ‘Goldilocks Zone’? Can you plot the orbits of planets in our own and distant solar systems?
In this activity, students will become galactic astronomers, using mathematical skills and key facts to plot the orbits of Earth and planets in our solar system before plotting the orbits of exoplanets around their stars. By plotting the orbits of Earth and other planets in our solar system, they can then learn about and calculate the position of the Goldilocks Zone and discover which of these exoplanets are potentially habitable.
Age Range: 9-11
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Lesson Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Cost per activity: Medium
Includes the use of: Calculator, scissors, paper, rulers, coloured pens/pencils, star system info sheets