LEGO Orrery


Source Institutions

Source Institutions

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
Use this model to demonstrate the goal of NASA's Kepler Mission: to find extrasolar planets through the transit method. The model uses legos to represent the planet system, a light to represent a star, a light sensor to model the Kepler photometer, a computer interface to simulate the Deep Space Network, and computer graphic software to simulate the Kepler Science Office. This resource includes instructions for building, setting up, and conducting the demonstration.

Quick Guide


Preparation Time:
1 to 2 hours

Learning Time:
10 to 30 minutes

Estimated Materials Cost:
Over $20 per group of students

Age Range:
Ages 11 - 18

Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Model

Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)


Subjects


  • Earth and Space Science
    • Astronomy
      • Stars and Galaxies
      • Probes, Satellites and Spacecraft
    • Solar System
      • The Sun
      • The Planets
  • Physical Sciences
  • Mathematics
    • Measurement
      • Size and Scale
  • Engineering and Technology
    • Computing
      • Information Technology
    • Engineering
      • Aerospace Engineering
    • Technology
      • Information and Communication
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Gathering Data

Informal Categories


  • Model Building
  • Toys

Audience


To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other


Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Regents of The University of California, 2011