At the end of 2007, The Observatory Science Centre was awarded a grant from STFC to develop a workshop for KS3 / KS4 students. At this stage, students can often dismiss physics as either ‘boring’ or ‘too difficult’, but our aim is to put the fun back into physics!
This workshop is under development and we hope to be able to deliver from the 2008 summer term. It is estimated that it will last 1 hour and be offered for 10 / 12 students at one time. It will form part of a visit to the centre which will also give the opportunity to explore the hands-on exhibits (indoors and outside).
The cost per student is currently undetermined; accompanying adults will be admitted free of charge.
It is our intention that this workshop will enhance the new GCSE physics curriculum by introducing solar physics in a stimulating and engaging way using specialised equipment. Students will study the solar spectrum and Fraunhofer lines to look at red and blue shift, detect UV radiation, construct a simple spectroscope and use a sun spotter and solar telescope (weather permitting) to detect sunspot activity and prominences.
As part of a larger project it is hoped that your observations will be used in an on-going schools project to plot sunspot activity in the run up to solar maximum. In addition you will be introduced to radio astronomy to detect solar activity which is of huge benefit on cloudy days.