Beavers Space Badge

What to do next…

There are still some things to do before you gain your space badge. These sheets should help you work out what you’ve done and what you still need to do.

To gain your Beaver Space Badge you must do all these things:

1. Identify some of the things you can see in the night sky, for example stars, planets and the Moon. 2. Be able to name the eight planets in our solar system. 3. Identify at least one constellation you can see. 4. Find out about a current space mission

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Activity 1 - Identify some of the things you Activity 2 - Identify the planets in our solar can see in the night sky system

Cut out the names below and stick them on page 3 You will have: been introduced to the Moon in our planetarium. You should know that the Moon doesn’t make its own light, but Jupiter Neptune reflects the light of our Sun. This is why the Moon has phases. Mars

What to do: Venus Saturn What can you see in the sky? What can you see during the daylight? What can you see at night? Uranus Mercury Earth What can you see in daylight and at night? Activity 4 - Find out about a space mission Draw a circle round the things you can see in the night sky. We live in an exciting time with a number of major space missions happening over the next few years. Here are just a few:

Rosetta- Comet Chaser- The first probe to land on a comet.

Look at www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPGS87DPTuc for 5 things you need to know about the Rosetta Countdown

See http://sci.esa.int/rosetta/ for the official European Space Agency website.

The New Horizon mission to Pluto - Gathering information on Pluto and helping us to understand our solar system.

Look at www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/ for up to date info and a great count down clock.

The International Space Station - In constant orbit around the earth the ISS has had people on it since 2 November 2000 and has carried out hundreds of experiments in zero gravity.

See www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/ops/ research_teacher.html for the official site and lots of great videos include how to use a space toilet!

What one thing have I learnt about space missions?

Find another space mission at home to tell your pack about.

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Activity 2 - Identify the eight planets in our solar system

Cut out the names of the planets and stick them next to the correct picture. You will find the names to cut out on page 7.

My ------

Very - - - - -

Educated - - - - -

Mother - - - -

Just ------

Said ------

Uh Oh ------

No Pluto ------

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Activity 3 - Constellation Picture

Constellations are pictures that people have made up by joining the stars like a dot-to-dot. The pictures are of objects, animals or people. These stars are trillions of miles apart and are not in line with each other.

What you will need Paper or card Pencil Plasticine or Blu-Tack Torch or lamp What to do Place a piece of paper or card under the picture of The Great Bear (page 5). Using a sharp pencil make a hole where each black dot is. Place a piece of plasticine under the dot so that you do not mark the table when you make the hole. Remove your card or paper and join the dots just like in the picture on page 5.

In a dark room, stand in front of a wall. Hold the picture in front of you and shine a torch at the picture. You should be able to see the constellation projected on the wall in front of you.

There are 88 different constellations. You can find more constellations on the internet. The stargazing guides at www.winchestersciencecentre.org/StarGuides will help you find constellations and planets in the night sky. 4 5