Developments in astronomy

This activity will form the main part of the lesson. It is a ‘How science works’ task.

Outline

The main objective is to sort the milestones in astronomy into chronological order and then
to use the information this provides to propose positions on the timeline for an additional
selection of developments in astronomy.

This can be carried out as a whole class activity or students can be divided into groups.
You may need to discuss the terms ‘years ago’ and ‘AD’ to enable students to construct
and understand the timeline.

Version 1 Whole class activity

Print out the milestones on pp.2-4 below and the pictures on the accompanying PDF. Cut
them up so there are 30 cards in total. They could then be laminated to use again.

Set up a washing line in the lab/classroom. Depending on the group, you could add
markers to show each five hundred years, AD and BC.

Hand out one card to each student. Get them to look carefully at their cards and to think
about what it is referring to, e.g. what era, ideas, event it is representing? Students then
have to find the person with the matching card and use a paperclip to join their cards
together. They then decide together where on the timeline their milestone fits and peg it
up.

Then the developments can be displayed and, working with partners, students decide
whereabouts on the timeline each should go. Alternatively, groups of students could be
given one development to put in place. They will need easy access to the washing line.
Students have to be able to explain and justify their decisions.

Version 2 Group work

Each group has a copy of all the milestones and pictures. They match the milestone with
the correct picture. They then construct a timeline and fix each milestone to it. A long strip
of graph paper or a washing line could be used for the timeline. The groups can compare
their timelines.

Then the group works together to assign the developments positions on the timeline. They
should be able to explain and justify their decisions.

Moving on

The most recent developments in astronomy can be discussed and added to the timeline.

Students could choose a milestone and write/describe how this has changed people’s
understanding of Earth and space or how it altered people’s beliefs. What do they think
the future holds? What changes in technology need to occur to help us to progress our
understanding?

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 Developments in astronomy

5 000 years ago

100 AD
The Egyptians had a basic
Ptolemy, a respected
understanding of the
astronomer, said that the Earth
movements of the stars. They
was at the centre of the
recognised five planets,
universe. All the planets and
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter
stars revolved around the
and Saturn, moving around the
Earth.
Earth.

1054 AD
4 000 years ago
Chinese and Arab astronomers
recorded the explosion of a
Stonehenge may have been
supernova. It was so bright that
designed as an astronomical
it shone five times more brightly
instrument. It lines up roughly
than Venus and could even be
with the position of the rising
seen in the daytime!
sun on the longest day of the
year (summer solstice).
The remains of that explosion
have formed the Crab nebula.

2 300 years ago

1961 AD The calculations of another

Greek, Aristarchus, hinted that
Russian Yuri Gagarin was the the Earth travels around the
first man in space. sun.

Here are his workings out!

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1609 AD
Galileo saw craters on the
moon and some of the moons
of Jupiter, and he described
Saturn as having ‘ears’.
1969 AD
Armstrong and Aldrin walked on
the moon.
A year later a robotic Soviet
space probe returned from the
moon. This was one of the first
of many probes to be sent to
explore the solar system.
1990 AD
The first detailed images of
distant galaxies were seen. We
can now see 14 billion light
years into the universe.
© www.teachitscience.co.uk 2012
Developments in astronomy
1931 AD
Jansky discovered radio waves
coming from outer space.
1781 AD
British astronomer William
Herschel discovers Uranus, the
first planet to be discovered
using a telescope.
1925 AD
Edwin Hubble used the 100
inch (2.5m) telescope to show
that there are numerous
galaxies beyond the Milky Way
and that the universe is
expanding; leading to the ‘Big
Bang’ theory of how the
universe was created.
19644 Page 3 of 6
 Developments in astronomy

1675 AD 1543 AD

A Frenchman, Cassini, Nikolai Copernicus proved that

discovered that the rings of the Sun is at the centre of the
Saturn are split into two parts. solar system.

1872 AD

Henry Draper produced a

photograph of the fifth brightest
star in the sky, Vega.

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 Developments in astronomy

Developments in astronomy

Advances in our understanding of the universe have come from improvements in

technology.

Can you estimate when these developments took place?

1. Improvements in technology and design enable large mirrors, up to

2.5m, to be manufactured. Astronomers can now see more deeply
into the universe.

2. The Space Shuttle sets the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit above
the Earth’s atmosphere. It can see 50 times deeper into space than
any telescope on Earth.

3. Sputnik is the first artificial object to orbit Earth. It is unmanned.

4. The great Italian mathematician and scientist Galileo Galilei

experiments with lenses to produce one of the world’s first
telescopes.

5. William Fox Talbot invents a light sensitive paper. He produces

some of the first photographs.

6. Knowing that lenses disperse and refract light, Sir Isaac Newton
experiments with concave mirrors. He constructs the first reflecting
telescope. Astronomers are now able to view the solar system in
more detail.

7. Cassini space probe is launched. Its mission is to explore the rings

and moons of Saturn.

8. The first radio telescope is built to receive cosmic radio waves.

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 Developments in astronomy

Answers

Images

1. Distant galaxy – 1990 AD

2. Armstrong on moon – 1969 AD
3. Aristarchus – 2 300 years ago
4. Ptolemy – 100 AD
5. Hubble – 1925 AD
6. Gagarin – 1961 AD
7. Galileo moon drawing 1609 AD
8. Cassini – 1675 AD
9. Herschel – 1781 AD
10. Egyptian astronomy – 5 000 years ago
11. Jansky and radio waves – 1931 AD
12. Crab nebula – 1054 AD
13. Stonehenge – 4 000 years ago
14. Vega – 1872 AD
15. Copernicus – 1543 AD

Developments in astronomy

1. Improvements in technology and design enable large mirrors, up to 2.5m, to be

manufactured. Astronomers can now see more deeply into the universe.
– Between 1872 and 1925.
2. The Space Shuttle sets the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit above the Earth’s
atmosphere. It can see 50 times deeper into space than any telescope on Earth.
– Between 1969 and 1990.
3. Sputnik is the first artificial object to orbit Earth. It is unmanned.
– Between 1931 and 1961
4. The great Italian mathematician and scientist Galileo Galilei experiments with lenses
to produce one of the world’s first telescopes.
– Between 1543 and 1609.
5. William Fox Talbot invents a light sensitive paper. He produces some of the first
photographs.
– Between 1781 and 1872.
6. Knowing that lenses disperse and refract light, Sir Isaac Newton experiments with
concave mirrors. He constructs the first reflecting telescope. Astronomers are now
able to view the solar system in more detail.
– Between 1609 and 1675.
7. Cassini space probe is launched. Its mission is to explore the rings and moons of
Saturn.
– After 1969.
8. The first radio telescope is built to receive cosmic radio waves.
– Just before 1931.

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