Elementary Astronomy Laboratory Activities

These activities for an Elementary Astronomy Lab are used in classes on campus at the University of Louisville. The current course requirements and schedule are in the class syllabus. Click the links below for more information on each activity where available. Most of them also have similar mentored versions for labs that are offered on-line as part of our Distance Education program.

Identify Constellations

About the Video Room

Watch the Sky (Planetarium session not currently offered)

Under Namibian Skies (immersive visualization)

Night Sky Tonight Using Stellarium (immersive visualization)

Use a Remote Telescope: Requests or live, and Results

Travel to Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus (immersive visualization)

Survey galaxies in the universe (immersive visualization)

Survey Galaxies in Virgo

The Earth Rotates

Our Dynamic Sun (may use the roof top solar telescope)

Light and Telescopes

Experiment with CCD Camera Images

Use a CCD Camera

Spectra Observing planets and the Moon with a telescope (live remote or with the telescope on the roof)

Explore Mars (may use immersive visualiztion)

Observe Satellites of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus

Follow Proxima Centauri

Brightnesses and colors of stars in Messier 34

Variable Stars in Messier 3

Measure a Nearby Supernova

Track Cosmic Rays in a Cloud Chamber