Autumn Moonwatch Projects for Schools

IYA2009 commemorated 400 years since Galileo first turned his telescope on the heavens.

On these pages you will find some ideas for practical projects which explore many of the groundbreaking astronomical discoveries which Galileo made with his telescope, beginning in the autumn and winter of 1609. Galileo published his discoveries in his famous book The Starry Messenger in 1610.

Some of the projects listed here can be carried out with the naked eye, while others require a small telescope or pair of binoculars. The latter projects are well-suited for any schools who have obtained their own telescope through the IYA2009 Telescopes for Schools project, developed by the Society for Popular Astronomy, in collaboration with the Royal Astronomical Society and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Of course any projects involving night sky observing are at the mercy of the weather! Where appropriate, therefore, images and simulations are provided here to help with projects even if the skies are cloudy.

1. The Man in the Moon

2. Exploring the phases of the Moon

Supplementary handout, on measuring the height of lunar mountains (Courtesy, Univ. of Illinois).

3. Measuring the distance of the Moon

4. Galileo and the moons of Jupiter

Archive of simulated observations of the Jupiter system, at 3-hour intervals.

Animations showing the orbit of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto,

To find out more about schools astronomy projects, please contact us.