The Sun Close-up topic, game and activities are designed to introduce your students to the solar telescopes (mostly in space) that we use to observe the Sun. In doing this they will learn about the special telescopes that are required to observe electromagnetic radiation other than visible light. We concentrate on ultraviolet and X-ray radiation which is emitted by the hot solar atmosphere. In particular, we talk about improving spatial resolution in order to "see" the Sun better. In discussing the observations we will also spend some time learning about digital images and how satellites relay information to the ground.
The activity concentrates on the digital information required to transmit image information from the telescope to the computer and finally to an picture which we use for science. The game further emphasizes the various ways in which we can improve on our ability to see the finest detail on the Sun.
| Content Sections | Grade Level | Overview |
| Observing the Sun | 7th and higher | Explains why imaging from space is key to studying solar phenomena. |
| Solar Telescopes in Space | 7th and higher | Explains in detail what is involved in building a telescope to observe ultraviolet radiation and X-rays from the Sun. |
| Images from Space | 7th and higher | Explains how information collected from observing the Sun is digitized so that the data can be transmitted from a spacecraft via a radio signal to a receiver on Earth. |
| The Sun in Detail | 7th and higher | Compares the observations from different solar telescopes so that the students understand the effect that an increase in spatial resolution has on images. |
Many of you will not be able to use all of the available components of Solar Week
on a daily basis due to time constraints. To help you make the most of your participation,
Deborah Bodony, a teacher at St. Nicholas School, in Los Altos, California, has developed
four 45-minute schedules, each with a different focus:
| What to do if you only have 45 minutes |
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