GRC's Space & Adv. Space Academy

Summer Syzygy! With both a total and an annular eclipse of the sun this year (and what’s the difference anyway?), we’ll focus on the sun and the moon this summer. We’ll dive deep into types of eclipses and orbits and build eclipse models. We’ll also learn about umbral cones, paths of totality, when eclipses occur and what syzygy means! We’ll examine sunspots and the surprising effects of solar activity here on Earth. Re-create a retroreflector experiment left on the moon by Apollo 11 astronauts, which has taught us that the moon is slowly moving away from the Earth. We’ll take a look at eclipse stories from different cultures. And of course, it wouldn’t be Space Academy without creating/coding some LEGO robots, and building/launching model rockets! (Students will be divided into smaller groups by grade, and curriculum adjusted accordingly. Advanced Space Academy will be for grades 7 - 9.)