Sun for Kids
Written by Fraser Cain
Coronal loops as viewed by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE)
Want to help your kids appreciate the power and wonder of the Sun, here are a few suggestions. Before we get into them; however, make sure you never look at the Sun directly or through any filter that wasn't specifically designed to block out the Sun. Even looking at the Sun for a second can permanently damage your eyes.
See Sunspots
If the Sun is up in the sky, you could try counting sunspots. Take a pair of binoculars and hold them, with the eyepieces pointed towards the Sun, and the lenses pointed towards a piece of paper on the ground. You should see a disk of white light on the ground. Focus the light lenses so that the edges of the disk of light is crisp. You should be able to see little dark spots on the white paper. These are sunspots. You don't want to do this for very long, however, as the heat of the Sun can damage the optics of your binoculars.
And remember, don't actually look through the binoculars at the Sun, as you will destroy your eyesight.
Build a Model of the Solar System
We have detailed instructions here on Universe Today on how to build a scale model of the Solar System. I won't go into the details here, but you can fit the Sun on a single sheet of printer paper. A scale version of the Earth is just a few millimeters in comparison, and located about 8 meters away. Give it a try.
Click here to read detailed instructions on how to build a scale model of the Solar System.
Build a Sundial
Before modern clocks, people had to build sundials to know what time it was. And you can build a sundial of your own. Here are some instructions from NASA that can help you put it together.
Chart the Movement of the Sun
As you probably know, the Earth's axis is tilted compared to the Sun-Earth plane. During summer in the northern hemisphere, the Earth's axis is tilted towards the Sun, and then in the winter it's tilted away. This means that the Sun follows a different path across the sky every day. You can keep track of this journey. Use a tall pole, like a flagpole, and mark the position of the top of the shadow made by the pole at the same time every day. If you do this for an entire year, you will make a figure-8 pattern on the ground. This will show your kids just how much the position of the Sun changes.
Want some more sites that can give you information about the Sun for kids? Check out KidsAstronomy.com. And NASA has a website all about the Sun for kids.
We have recorded an episode of Astronomy Cast just about the Sun called The Sun, Spots and All.
Filed under: Astronomy
