Time-line of astronomical discoveries
An interesting activity to help pupils' application of integers, negative integers and simple mathematics, through dates associated with the history of Astronomy.
| Resources required |
An internet search engine or online encyclopaedia, such as
Wikipedia 
.
A3 sheets of plain paper.
| Content |
- Each pupil should open a web browser on his or her computer.
- Pupils should then use an online encycopedia to search for references
to the following figures, who are important in the history of astronomy.
They should make a note of the year in which each of these
figures was born and the work for which he or she is well-known:
Copernicus Shapley Ptolemy Kepler Brahe Galileo Einstein Armstrong Hubble Hayashi Eratosthenes Herschel Tombaugh Maxwell Oort Horrocks ... plus any others they find
- On their A3 paper the pupils should draw a time-line, labelling this using suitable limit and intervals.
- The time-line should be labelled with each astronomer positioned in accordance with his date of birth. Their "life's work" should also appear on the paper.
- This time-line could be decorated in a manner suitable for display.
| Keywords |
Integers, negative integers, basic mathematics.
| Teachers' Notes |
The list of scientists and mathematicians in the content section is, of course, by no means exhaustive. There are, no doubt, a myriad of deplorable omissions, so pupils should be encouraged to use the cross-referenced links to plug some of these gaps.
Carl Sanderson for writing this page of the Staffroom.
