Star Search Game: Constructing a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Inspired by: Ian Christie (VSSEC); Activity created by: Nandita Bajaj

Transcription

1 Star Search Game: Constructing a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Inspired by: Ian Christie (VSSEC); Activity created by: Nandita Bajaj Introduction: Star Search is an online game developed by the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) that allows the user to go on a simulated journey into space using a spacecraft in search of various stars. The user is able to scan the star to obtain important characteristics about the stage of the star s life cycle, such as mass, diameter, temperature, brightness, and distance from Earth. The obtained data can be used to correlate the various characteristics of the star, which can further be used to reinforce their location on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. Instructions for the game and the activity Part 1: Star Research (computers required) 1. Go to the following link: 2. Click on Game Introduction and review the mission. 3. Click on Start Mission to start the search mission. 4. Choose your Spacecraft and click on Continue. 5. A list of 285 stars will appear (See also Table 2). 6. You will be assigned approximately 10 stars to research. Add the assigned stars to the Journey Plan screen using the Add button. 7. Select 45 minutes for your Mission Duration. 8. Enter your Captain Name. 9. Click on Start Mission to begin your journey. 10. Your chosen star name will appear under Next Destination. Click Go. (Note: At various times, you may need to call for Help, Refuel, and/or avoid cosmic hazards.) 11. Once you arrive at the star, click Scan. 12. Complete the Star Characteristics Table for each assigned star (See Table 1 below). Number Star Name Brightness Diameter Mass Temperature ( Celcius) Colour Table 1: Characteristics of Stars from the Star-Search Game

2 Database of the stars from the Star Search game 1. Gamma Crucis 2. G Eta Arietis 4. LP LHS G A 7. LP V1581 Cygni A 9. Wolf AY Indi 11. EGM L HD 142 A 14. Beta Cassopeiae 15. Epsilon Phoenicis 16. HD GX Andromedae A 18. HD Zeta Tucanae 20. HD Beta Hydri 22. Kappa Phoenicis 23. V547 Cassiopeiae A 24. Beta Ceti 25. Eta Cassiopeiae A 26. Phhi-2 Ceti 27. Vyssotsky 89 A 28. GI Mu Cassiopeiae A 30. Nu Phoenicis 31. Kappa Tucanae A Upsilon Andromedae 33. UV Ceti A 34. P Eridanus A 35. Tau Ceti 36. Alpha Trianguli 37. Beta Arietis 38. Chi Fridani A 39. BD A 40. Alpha Hydri 41. Alpha Arietis 42. Mu Fornacis 43. Delta Trianguli 44. Kappa Fornacis 45. Delta Hydri 46. CC Eridani 47. Lambda-2 Fornacis 48. Epsilon Ceti A 49. Gamma Ceti A 50. Theta Persei A 51. Iota Horologii 52. Tau-1 Eridani 53. BD VY Arietis 55. HD A 56. Tau-3 Eridani 57. Iota Persei 58. Alpha Fornacis A 59. BD A 60. BD Zeta-1 Reticuli 62. Kappa Ceti 63. Zeta-2 Reticuli Eridani 65. GI 140 A 66. Kappa Reticuli A 67. Epsilon Eridani 68. GI Delta Eridani 70. Groombridge A 71. Beta Reticuli 72. Tau-6 Eridani 73. BD Omicron-2 Eridani A 75. Gamma Doradus 76. Epsilon Reticuli 77. Alpha Tauri A 78. Alpha Caeli A 79. Beta Caeli 80. Pi-3 Orionis 81. Eta-1 Pictoris 82. Zeta Doradus 83. Kapteyn s Star 84. Capella A 85. GI 195 A 86. Lambda Aurigae Orionis 88. Nu-2 Columbae 89. Gamma Leporis A 90. Zeta Leporis 91. Beta Pictoris 92. Chi-1 Orionis A 93. Eta Leporis 94. Alpha Mensae Monocerotis A 96. XI Geminorum 97. Sirius A 98. Psi-5 Aurigae 99. Alpha Pictoris 100. I Puppis 101. Delta Geminorum A 102. Rho Geminorum A 103. VV Lyncis A 104. Castor A 105. YZ Canis Minoris 106. Pollux 107. Alpha Chamaeleontis 108. LHS Delta Velorum A 110. GI 323 A 111. Iota Ursae Majoris A 112. Alpha Volantis 113. Sigma-2 Ursae Majoris A 114. K Velorum 115. Psi Velorum A 116. BD Theta Antliae A 118. AD Leonis 119. I Carinae 120. GI 400 A Table 2: A list of the stars from the Star Search game 121. GI Beta Crateris 123. Delta Leonis 124. SZ Crateris A 125. LHS 2407 A 126. GI GI Denebola 129. Beta Virginis 130. Eta Crucis 131. Alpha Corvi 132. GI BD GI Eta Corvi 136. FL Virginis A 137. GI Gamma Virginis A 139. CD DT Virginis 141. FS Comae Berenices Alpha Comae Berenices 143. GI 503 A 144. BD Ross Iota Centauri 147. BD EQ Virginis 149. CD Tau Bootis A 151. Eta Bootis 152. Pi Hydrae 153. Theta Centauri 154. HD Arcturus 156. Theta Bootis A 157. Phi Virginis A 158. Proxima Centauri 159. Sigma Bootis 160. Alpha Centauri A 161. Alpha Circini A 162. BD BD Xi Bootis A I Boootis A 166. HD Beta Circini 168. Nu-2 Lupi 169. Psi Serpentis 170. Alpha Serpentis 171. Lambda Serpentis 172. L A 173. Chi Herculis 174. Gamma Serpentis 175. HD A 176. Eta Draconis A 177. Gamma Apodis 178. Zeta Herculis A 179. Eta Ophiuchi A 180. Eta Scorpii 181. Xi Ophiuchi A 182. Alpha Ophiuchi 183. Pi Arae 184. Lambda Arae 185. Mu Arae 186. Psi Draconis A 187. Mu Herculis A 188. Barnard s Star 189. Zeta Serpentis 190. Tau Ophiuchi A 191. Iota Pavonis 192. Eta Serpentis 193. Lambda Sagittarii 194. V774 Herculis 195. Vega 196. GI GI Delta Aquilae 199. BD Sigma Draconis 201. Theta Cygni A 202. Altair 203. Omicron Aquilae A 204. Beta Aquilae A 205. BD Delta Pavonis 207. BD Rho Capricorni A 209. HU Delphini 210. Wolf Alpha Indi 212. Phi-2 Pavonis 213. AT Microscopii A 214. AU Microscopii 215. Psi Capricorni 216. Epsilon Cygni A 217. Eta Cephei 218. Iota Microscopii 219. Eta Capricorni A Cygni A 221. Delta Equulei A 222. Tau Cygni A 223. Alpha Cephei 224. Gamma Pavonis 225. Nu Octantis 226. Mu-1 Cygni A 227. Delta Capricorni 228. Mu Capricorni 229. Epsilon Indi 230. Iota Pegasi 231. Alpha Gruis 232. BD Nu Indi A 234. Do Cephei A 235. Upsilon Aquarii 236. FK Aquarii A 237. Xi Pegasi A 238. Psi-1 Aquarii A 239. BD A 240. ZZ Piscium 241. EQ Pegasi A 242. Gamma Cephei 243. Iota Piscium 244. Wolf Iota Ceti 246. LHS Ross Steph LHS Steph Steph Steph Omicron Virginis 254. Steph Ross Ross Ross Lambda Bootis 259. HD Eta Ursae Minoris 261. Wolf Wolf Wolf Wolf Wolf Wolf L BD A 269. BD Wo Wo Wo BD A 274. Wo Wo Wo BD HD BD V775 Herculis 281. BD BD Wolf Wo Wo 9809

3 Characteristics of Additional Stars Number Star Name Brightness Diameter Mass Temperature ( Celcius) Colour 286. Sirius A White 287. Sirius B White 288. Alpha Centauri A Yellow 289. Alpha Centauri B Orange 290. Sun Yellow 291. Achernar Blue 292. Vega White 293. Procyon A White 294. Altair White 295. Bellatrix Blue 296. Tau Ceti Yellow Cygni A Orange Cygni B Orange 299. Gliese 725 A Red 300. Barnards Star Red 301. Wolf Red 302. Arcturus Red 303. Pollux Orange 304. Deneb White 305. Rigel Blue 306. Betelgeuse Red 307. Antares Red 308. Procyon B White Table 3: Characteristics of Additional Stars

4 Part 2: Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Activity 1. You will perform this activity in groups of 5-6 students. 2. You will receive a blank Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, like the one shown in Figure 1. A Hertzsprung-Russell diagram shows the relationship between a star s brightness and its temperature on a map. Figure 1: An HR diagram shows the relationship between a star s brightness and its temperature. The temperature scale increases from right to left on the x-axis, whereas the brightness scale increases from bottom to top on the y-axis. 3. Based on the information collected for each of the stars from Table 1 and the provided star characteristics in Table 3, choose a sticker that represents the colour and mass of the star to identify its position on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram provided by your teacher according to Table 4, Fig. 2, and Fig. 3 below. Mass of the star (relative Type of star Sticker to choose to the sun s mass) <5 Small to Medium Small Large Small x 3 (bunch 3 stickers together to make a large star) Table 4: Masses of stars relative to the solar mass Figure 2: Small-sized white stickers (1/4 ) Figure 3: Small-sized coloured stickers (1/4 ) 4. Use the temperature and brightness of the star to locate its location on the HR diagram. 5. Using the appropriate colour and size of the sticker, place the sticker at the chosen location for each star on the HR diagram. 6. Once all the stickers have been appropriately located, compare it with the HR diagram provided to you by your teacher.

5 Post Activity Questions (adapted from Oxnard School District) Based on the Star Characteristics Table and the HR diagram you constructed, answer the questions below: 1. What factor affects the colour of a star? 2. What factor affects the luminosity of a star? 3. What is the approximate surface temperature of the Sun? 4. Is the surface temperature of white dwarf stars higher or lower than red super giants? 5. What is the colour of the stars with the highest surface temperature? 6. What is the colour of the stars with the lowest surface temperature? 7. List the colour of the stars from hottest to coldest: 8. Most of the stars on the HR diagram are classified as what type of star? 9. What type of star has a high temperature but a low brightness? 10. What type of star has a low temperature but a high brightness? 11. What type of star has a low temperature and a low brightness?

6 Figure 4: Full size H-R Diagram to be provided to the student groups for the sticker activity.