How We Found Earth's Location in the Milky Way

​How We Found Earth's Location in the Milky Way

​Objectives

• Bell Work

• explore and understand the historical evolution of humanity's understanding of the universe and our place in the Milky Way

• investigate the advancements in astronomical techniques and technology that have contributed to our understanding of the Milky Way

Open Ended

How did we discover where Earth is in the Milky Way galaxy?

Multiple Choice

What did humans originally believe about the structure of the universe?

• a. The Earth was just one of many planets.
  

• b. The sun was at the center of the universe.
  

• c. The universe was a flat disc.
  

• d. The Earth was the center of all existence.

Multiple Choice

Who was the first notable astronomer to attempt to map the Milky Way?

 

• a. Edwin Hubble
  

• b. Henrietta Swan Leavitt
  

• c. William Herschel
  

• d. Harlow Shapley

Multiple Choice

What did Henrietta Swan Leavitt discover about Cepheid variables?

• a. They are always blue stars.
  

• b. Their brightness varies with time.
  

• c. They are the oldest stars in the universe.
  

• d. They are not useful for measuring distances.

Multiple Choice

What did Edwin Hubble's research reveal about the Andromeda galaxy?

• a. It is part of the Milky Way.
  

• b. It is located very close to Earth.
  

• c. It is approximately 930,000 light years away.
  

• d. It has no stars.

Multiple Choice

What did Shapley's findings suggest about Earth's location in the Milky Way?

• a. We are at the center of the galaxy.
  

• b. We are positioned towards the outer arm.
  
  

• c. We are on another planet.
  
  

• d. We are in a different galaxy altogether.

Multiple Choice

What is the goal of the Gaia mission?

• a. To find new planets in our solar system.
  

• b. To create a 3D map of the Milky Way.
  

• c. To send humans to Mars.
  

• d. To study black holes only.

Multiple Choice

What kind of technology did Herschel not have that made it harder for him to create his star map?

• a. A powerful telescope
  

• b. Tools to look at stars closely
  
  
  

• c. Ways to talk to other galaxies
  
  
  

• d. Computers like we have today

Multiple Choice

How far is our solar system from the center of the Milky Way, according to modern measurements?

• a. 33,000 light-years
  

• b. 90,000 light-years
  

• c. 26,000 light-years
  
  
  
  

• d. 50,000 light-years

Open Ended

What was the most important thing you learned today?

Open Ended

On a scale of 1-5, how well do you think you understood today's lesson?

Open Ended

How can you use today's lesson in another subject or context?

Open Ended

How would you explain today’s lesson to a friend who was absent?