Station 5

Career Connection: Planetary Science, Astronomy

Mission Intro: (Click here for Audio)

"Cadets, we’ve arrived at a critical point in your training. Before you begin long-range travel deeper into the solar system and beyond, you need a solid understanding of the light sources that guide us—stars.

Our own Sun is just one of billions, and while it looks brightest to us, that’s mostly because it's close. But how bright is it really, compared to other stars in the galaxy? In this mission, you’ll explore the brightness of the Sun and other stars using the zSpace module.

Use the tools at your station to observe and compare star properties. You’ll examine real stellar data and determine how distance and luminosity affect what we see from Earth. Your findings will help calibrate our deep space sensors and assist future crews navigating the stars.

Record your observations and conclusions on your digital tablet. Stay sharp, cadets—the stars are calling."

Follow these instructions:

Computer Login (username: stbus    password: stembus)

1. Click 'zCentral' icon on the computer desktop to open ZSpace.

2. Click 'LAUNCH" on the Application, 'Studio A3" 

3. Press 'A' on the keyboard to open the Activity Gallery

4. In the Right column, choose 'Earth and Space Science'

5. Choose the Activity: 'Brightness of the Sun vs. Stars'

6. Complete this activity by reading the passages in the white box in the lower-right of the screen and answering the questions. VERY IMPORTANT: TYPE YOUR ANSWERS INTO YOUR TABLET (IPAD) AND NOT THE zSPACE COMPUTER.

7. Use the zSpace Pen to move/zoom/rotate objects to get a better view as you work through this activity.

8. Good Luck!