Modeling Lab
Plan your investigation… and predict what you may find
In this lab you'll learn how to detect an alien planet. And you'll learn how to figure out some of its properties — such as how large and how hot it is. Use physical models and computer-based models to predict: How will the observed brightness of your star change as a planet orbits in front of it? How will the size and orbit of the planet affect your observations?
Telescope Control
Schedule images of star systems observable tonight
You'll choose a star to investigate. Then you'll control the robotic telescope, telling it to take images at the times you select. During the night the telescope will point to the star you requested, take the images, and send them to your online account by the next morning. There is no human in the loop… just you!
Image Analysis Lab
Chart the brightness of your star system over time
Retrieve your images and inspect them. Did they come out? You'll measure the brightness of your chosen star in each image you took. Then you'll graph the brightness of the star over time. Can you detect a dip in brightness that might be the sign of another world? How will you be sure?
Data Analysis Lab
Display and interpret your results
From your data, you can figure out the size of the planet you've detected; the nature of its orbit; its distance from its star; and the planet's distance from Earth. You'll interpret and reflect on what your findings might mean.
Visualization Lab
Create a scale model of your alien solar system
Using your findings, create a first portrait of your alien world and its host star. Compare this distant exo-system to our own solar system.
Light Lab
Reconstruct the surface of your planet
To tell what the surface of your planet is like, you'll need to decipher the light coming the planet itself. Learn what a spectrum is. Learn how to decode a single pixel of light. In principle, it can tell you whether a planet has oceans, continents, seas, clouds, seasons, even what its atmosphere is like and whether its has life.
Community
See what other student explorers have found
Once your class has completed the ExoLab investigations, you can publish your data for the world to see. Compare your results to those of other exoplanet searchers in the community.
ExoLab Alert
Dear Exolab Educators, because Flash is no longer supported, we’ve developed a brand new DIY Planet Search website to replace ExoLab.
You can sign up for an account here: DIY Planet Search website
