Deep Space in the Classroom
An online guide to teaching astronomy and physics using archive material from the Faulkes Telescopes
This legacy website resulted from a two-year Pilot Project supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training in which ten Australian schools obtained astronomical observations from the Faulkes Telescopes and conducted scientific analyses of their data in the classroom. These observing projects were designed by the students and their teachers and are particularly relevant to the NSW and Victorian Yr 7-12 Curricula.
A number of fully self-contained Teaching Modules built upon these projects are presented here. Some background astronomical information has also been included in the Basic Modules.
About the Teaching Modules
- Observations: Archive observations from the Faulkes Telescopes are included so that new observations are not required to implement these modules in the classroom.
- Target Groups: Teachers and students, Yr 7-12
- Time requirements: Modules may be conducted over several teaching periods, but a specific recommendation regarding the time requirement is made for each module.
- Computing and Software: Data processing is a computer-based skill, so students will require access to computers to be able to complete these modules. All software included here is suitable for use with Windows. Computing and Software Requirements.
- Support: Funding for the Pilot Project has now ceased so no ongoing support is available for the material included on these pages at this time.
Want to do more?
If you have explored the teaching modules, and you would like access to more archive data, look here to access observations from the Pilot Project.
The Faulkes Telescope Project offers real-time observing with an expanding network of telescopes.