About the Exoplanet Program
Overview
High school students often view science as a subject where you learn about what we know about our world and universe. They don’t often get to experience science the way it truly is: as a series of questions that need to be answered.
In this program students can learn from real data taken by with a robotic telescope, as it would be in university. They will learn how to pull scientific data from an image and, by the end of the program, will have results showing an exoplanet transiting in front of its host star.
Involve your students in the scientific process and show them what academic astronomy is really like!
Both basic and advanced programs can be done entirely virtually or in-person.
Note: The software (AstroImageJ) used in both programs is NOT compatible with Chrome OS. See our Technical Requirements Page for more details. See our Essentials Program to learn how your can complete a modified version of the analysis with Chromebooks (teachers still need access to a computer that can run AstroImageJ)!
Get your data pre-calibrated.
Choose from one of our already-imaged exoplanet transits and receive data taken by our robotic telescope. The data will already be calibrated, removing a step in the process for your students. Your students will learn how to analyze data in an image, and how to plot that data following analysis.
This program is ideal for high school classes and large groups.
Modified Basic Program For Chromebook Users!
Classrooms who only have access to Chromebooks can participate in a modified version of our Basic Program – called the Essentials Program which uses Google Sheets to plot the exoplanet transit!
Do it all yourself.
Choose from one of the already-imaged exoplanet transits and receive data taken by our robotic telescope. The data is uncalibrated, meaning your students will start with raw data and work through calibrating, analyzing, and plotting the data. Students are also encouraged to use this data in their own extended analysis.
This program is ideal for individual or small groups of students with a teacher supervisor, e.g. personal projects, extended essays, end-of-year projects, or clubs.