We need YOU to name a planet and its host star!
In partnership with the Canadian Astronomical Society, we are excited to invite all Canadian classrooms to participate in Canada’s Name an Exoplanet Contest. This is an excellent opportunity to get your students excited about science, and to learn more about astronomy and the fascinating field of exoplanet discovery and research.
You have until September 20, 2019, to submit your names for selection.
Later this fall, you will get the chance to vote for your favourite name amongst the 10 selected by the committee.
Make use of this POWERPOINT to introduce your students to the contest (also in PDF).
Classroom Ideas (various levels)
Use Stellarium or a star finder to find where the star is located in the sky.
Use the PowerPoint above for a map of the sky.
Visualize the star HD136418 and its planet using the Exoplanet Catalog from NASA. Very well done!
Have your students imagine the conditions at the surface of the planet or a possible moon and create an art project to represent the surface (drawing, crafts…). Use the PowerPoint for information about the planet.
Learn about the different methods to discover exoplanets. The planet HD 136 418 b was discovered using the radial velocity method. Do a demonstration of the method in class.
Watch our webinar Are we Alone in the Universe from May 2019.Learn about Canada’s expertise in the field of exoplanets, including the Institute for Research on Exoplanets in Montreal.
Make a scale model of the star and planet system and compare with our Solar system. Get your students to do the calculations! Use the PowerPoint for data.
Send us your ideas and we’ll add them here!