NAAP: Cosmic Distance Ladder Lab - The NAAP Cosmic Distance Ladder lab introduces a few of the primary methods used by astronomers to determine astronomical distances. Parallax is introduced first, spectroscopic parallax, main sequence fitting, variable stars, and supernova are all discussed.
NAAP Labs: Atmospheric Retention Lab - The NAAP Atmospheric Retention Lab explores some of the elements that go into the retention or loss of an atmosphere by a planet. The Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution and escape velocity are introduced.
NAAP Labs: Basic Coordinates and Seasons - The NAAP Basic Coordinates and Seasons Lab covers three different, but related areas. Terrestrial coordinates and the celestial equatorial coordinate system are covered and are used to explore the motion of the sun and how it relates to seasons.
NAAP Labs: Eclipsing Binary Stars Lab - The NAAP Eclipsing Binary Stars Lab demonstrates how information about stars which can not be directly observed can be inferred from a special class of binary stars – eclipsing binaries.
NAAP Labs: Extrasolar Planets Lab - The NAAP Extrasolar Planets Lab introduces the search for planets outside of our solar system using the Doppler and transit methods. It includes simulations of the observed radial velocities of singular planetary systems and introduces the concept of noise and detection.
NAAP Labs: Habitable Zones Lab - The NAAP Habitable Zones Lab introduces the basic conditions thought necessary for life to exist, and explores where in the universe those conditions are most likely to be met.
NAAP Labs: Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram Lab - The NAAP HR Diagram Lab explores the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and those areas necessary to understand the diagram such as (but not limited to) the different kinds of spectrum, spectral classification, and luminosity class. In short, this module provides a fairly in-depth tutorial in reading HR diagrams.
NAAP Labs: Hydrogen Energy Levels Lab - The NAAP Hydrogen Energy Levels Lab introduces the concept of how quantum mechanics and light relate with respect to the Hydrogen atom. The Energy Levels simulator allows dynamic interaction with a Bohr model version of a single Hydrogen atom. The Thermal Distribution histogram gives a temperature dependent plot of occupied states for many, many atoms.
NAAP Labs: Motions of the Sun Lab - The NAAP Motions of the Sun Lab reviews some of the material from the Basic Coordinates and Seasons Lab and The Rotating Sky Lab and adds information to put all the pieces together for a more complete description of the motions of the sun. Computation of meridional altitude and stellar visibility are also introduced.
NAAP Labs: Solar System Models - The NAAP Solar System Models Lab introduces the universe as envisioned by early thinkers culminating in a detailed look at the Copernican model.
NAAP Labs: The Rotating Sky Lab - The NAAP Rotating Sky Lab introduces the horizon coordinate system and the “apparent” rotation of the sky. The relationship between the horizon and celestial equatorial coordinate systems is explicitly explored.
NAAP Labs: Variable Star Photometry Lab - The NAAP Variable Star Photometry Lab introduces variable stars – Eclipsing Binaries, Cepheids, and RR Lyrae. Topics include how images of stars are processed, variable stars identified, and the properties of the variable stars determined.
NAPP Labs: Blackbody Curves & UBV Filters Lab - The NAAP Blackbody Curves & UBV Filters Lab demonstrates the basic properties of the blackbody curve and how temperature relates to blackbody curves. The temperature-color correlation of blackbody curves is explored through the concept of filters, which are also introduced in this module.
NAPP Labs: Lunar Phases Lab - The NAAP Lunar Phases Lab demonstrates how the earth-sun-moon geometry gives rise to the phases of the moon as seen from earth. A distant view of an observer looking down on earth as well as a perspective of an observer looking into the sky are used in the simulator.
NAPP Labs: Planetary Orbits Lab - The NAAP Planetary Orbits Lab is designed to facilitate understanding of Kepler's Three Laws of Motion as well as how velocity and force relate to the orbits. The user can manipulate the orbital properties of a fictional planet and read off various orbital parameters. Our solar system's planets can also be observed as a background for comparison.
Telescopes From the Ground Up - Explore the history of telescopes, from Galileo to NASA's Great Observatories.