Materials reproduced from the Astronomy Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Web Site (http://astro.unl.edu)Angular Momentum
A number of demonstrations are used to convey how the conservation of angular momentum shows up in astronomy.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 41 Mb, 5.3 minutes).
Armillary Sphere 1: The Tropics
This video explores the range of latitudes for which the sun can be at an observer's zenith and the possible range of meridional altitudes of the sun for a given latitude.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 28 Mb, 5.5 minutes).
Armillary Sphere 3: Lunar Phase Times
This capstone video quickly summarizes many concepts related to lunar phases and then focuses on the advanced question of what phases can an observer see at a specific time of day over a month's time.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 20 Mb, 5.9 minutes).
Blackbody Radiation
Metal blocks with holes drilled in them are looked at with visible and infrared cameras.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 44 Mb, 4.4 minutes).
Charge Separation: Lightning
This video explores the separation of charge from materials rubbing against each other as occurs with lightning.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 51 Mb, 6.0 minutes).
Differentiation WS
This video demonstrates the separation of materials according to density in the context of planet formation.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 24 Mb, 3.1 minutes).
Eclipses 1: Shadows & Scale
This video will explore the umbra, penumbra, and antumbra created by extended light sources making use of a scaled model of the Earth-moon system known as an eclipse stick.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 51 Mb, 6.0 minutes).
Eclipses 2: Eclipse Seasons
This video will explore the 5° tilt of the plane of the lunar orbit with respect to the plane of the ecliptic and how it affects the frequency of eclipses.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 20.6 Mb, 5.3 minutes).
ExtraSolar Planet Inclination
This video demonstrates how the transit and radial velocity detection mechanisms are limited by the observed systems's inclination.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 51 Mb, 7.0 minutes).
Helioseismology
An exploration of standing waves on a string, in a pop bottle, in a metal rod, and with a flame tube leading to a discussion of waves in the sun. The video explores the velocity equals frequency times wavelength equation along the way.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 41 Mb, 6.2 minutes).
Hydrostatic Equilibrium
This video demonstrates the increase of pressure with depth in a fluid of constant density and one with increasing density analogous to a star's material.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 53 Mb, 5.7 minutes).
Jovian Bands
This video uses rheoscopic fluid to display rotational banding that is suggestive of the appearance of Jovian Planets. Inexpensive ways of performing this demonstration are shown.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 12 Mb, 3.9 minutes).
Kepler's 3rd Law
This video uses a hyperbolic funnel to model planets moving in circular orbits and explores how their orbital periods and velocities varies with distance from the sun.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 32 Mb, 3.5 minutes).
Magnetic Deflection
This video shows the deflection of charged particles in a magnetic field as an analogy for aurorae. It includes footage of de la Rive's Egg.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 23 Mb, 2.7 minutes).
Optics 1: Reflection
This video describes the principle of reflection -- first with one mirror, then two mirrors, and concludes with corner cube reflectors and their usage in astronomy for measuring the distance to the moon.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 28 Mb, 5.1 minutes).
Optics 2: Refraction
This video will explore the bending of light as it moves between media with different indices of refraction. We will explore manifestations of Snell's Law (without ever discussing it directly), "what a fish sees", and how it is difficult to see an object within a medium with a similar index of refraction.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 29 Mb, 4.3 minutes).
Optics 3: Partial Reflection
This video explores the partial reflection (and the partial refraction) that occur when light traverses a media boundary. The applications that will be explored include the PepperGram, Pepper's Ghost, and interferometers.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 31 Mb, 3.4 minutes).
Planetary Heat
This video will explore the heat loses and gains of terrestrial bodies and show how they are both a function of size with the gain term dominating. This will be used to discuss present terrestrial geologic activity in the solar system.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 29 Mb, 5.3 minutes).
Phase Changes 1: P-T Diagrams
This video explores how the phase of matter depends on pressure and temperature.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 28 Mb, 4.1 minutes).
Phase Changes 2: Atmospheric Pressure
This video explores how the pressure of an atmosphere is necessary for the existence of liquids.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 28 Mb, 2.9 minutes).
Phase Changes 3: Martian Polar Caps
This video explores the sublimation of carbon dioxide which explains how the appearrance of the Martian Polar Caps changes with the seasons.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 26 Mb, 2.9 minutes).
Phase Changes 4: Triton Geysers
This video illustrates liquid nitrogen placed under very low pressure which is similar to the phenomenon underlying geysers on Neptune's moon Triton.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 31 Mb, 3.6 minutes).
Phase Changes 5: Shape Memory Alloys
A capstone to the phase changes series looking more generally at phase changes and specifically at shape memory allows (nitinol wire).
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 42 Mb, 4.7 minutes).
Phosphorescence >
This video demonstrates that photons of different wavelengths have different energies.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 26 Mb, 2.7 minutes).
Pressure
This video demonstrates the relationship between pressure, applied force, and area and discusses a couple of examples of pressure in astronomy.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 35 Mb, 4.3 minutes).
Retrograde Motion
This video surveys observations, historical theories, use of a mechanical demonstration, and compares the apparent motion for all superior planets of the motion.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 48 Mb, 6.5 minutes).
Precession of Earth
This video uses an air gyroscope is used to simulate the precession of Earth and the changing position of the North Celestial Pole in the sky.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 26 Mb, 3.2 minutes).
Scattering
This video explores 1) Rayleigh Scattering -- the preferential scattering of shorter wavelength light by particles comparable in size to the wavelengths of light, and 2) Mie Scatting -- the lack of wavelength dependence when scattering is done by particles larger than the wavelength of light involved.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 37 Mb, 2.5 minutes).
Spin Casting
This video has a physics demonstration illustrating the technique for making large telescope mirrors.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 37 Mb, 2.5 minutes).
Solar Tube
This video uses a giant balloon to explore Archimedes' Principle and the Ideal Gas Law.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 59 Mb, 4.5 minutes).
Sunspots Overhead
This video provides an analogy for sunspots appearing dark because they are cooler than the surrounding photosphere.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 20 Mb, 2.2 minutes).
Supernova Bounce
This video illustrates two different versions of a demonstration analogous to the "core bounce" that occurs in a supernova.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 31 Mb, 3.2 minutes).
Temperature 1
This video explores temperature using the properties of air in a balloon.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 29 Mb, 3.3 minutes).
Temperature 2
This video continues the discussion of how we measure temperature and will look generally at the effects that temperature changes have on solids and specifically at thermal expansion.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 62 Mb, 6.1 minutes).
Temperature 3:Absolute Zero
This video uses a constant volume bulb and the ideal gas law to crudely estimate the value of absolute zero.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 42 Mb, 5.0 minutes).
Thermal Transport in the Sun I: Radiation
This video illustrates a random walk demonstration analogous to photons making their way out of the interior of the sun.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 21 Mb, 2.1 minutes).
Thermal Transport in the Sun II: Convection
This video illustrates a demonstration analogous to granulation on the surface of the sun.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 22 Mb, 2.2 minutes).
Thermal Transport in the Sun III: Conduction
This video will explore conduction which is not very important in astronomy, but very important on Earth. We will specifically look at space shuttle tiles.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 41 Mb, 5.7 minutes).
The Tidal Heating of Io
Tidal Heating is explored as the mechanism responsible for volcanism on Jupiter's Moon Io.
Direct link to the .mp4 file (854 x 480 px, 38 Mb, 4.7 minutes).