Beyond the Milky Way
This spectacular Hubble Space Telescope image shows the pillar structure and embryonic stars in the Eagle Nebula.Copyright Copyright © NASA http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4312/ch4.htm.
When we look at the night sky, we see stars and the nearby planets of our own solar system. Many of those stars are actually distant galaxies and glowing clouds of dust and gases called nebulae. The universe is an immense space with distances measured in light years. The more we learn about the universe beyond our solar system, the more we realize we do not know. Students are introduced to the basic known facts about the universe, and how engineers help us explore the many mysteries of space. Then using the hands-on associated activities, students are able to further investigate relevant engineering concepts such as navigation and light in space.
Engineers design tools that help us analyze the mysteries of the universe. They design instruments and spacecraft to explore and investigate our solar system and beyond, including black holes and other universe phenomena. The spacecraft Voyager 1, for example, is exploring space beyond the outer planets to the outer limits of the Sun's sphere of influence. The spacecraft is equipped with tools for measuring the solar winds and Sun's outermost magnetic fields. We are able to explore our solar system and the universe due to the creative work of thousands of engineers.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Describe our solar system as just one tiny part of the Milky Way galaxy and the universe beyond.
- List two tools that help in the exploration for other planets.
- Explain several ways in which engineers help advance the exploration of the universe.