Nebulae

Materials

• A clear jar of any size 
• Cotton balls/ cotton strips
• Paint in different colors (purple, pink, red, blue are recommended colors)
• Water
• Glitter in different colors 

Activity Directions 

1. Watch the Crash Course Video on nebulae linked below. 
2. Test your understanding of nebulae by playing a fun Quizizz game!
3. Perform the nebulae activity (Note: The experiment video linked below also walks you through the activity.)
   1. In your clear jar, create a layer of cotton using your cotton balls or strips.
      1. The cotton represents the dust and different gases that make up a nebula. 
   2. In a different cup, mix together a color of paint and some water. 
   3. Then, pour the mixture over the cotton layer in the jar and add glitter.
      1. The different colors represent the colors emitted by the different gases and dust particles in a nebula. 
   4. Repeat this process several times until you have filled your jar. Feel free to use different colors. 
   5. After you fill your jar, close the lid and enjoy looking at your nebula in a jar!
   6. As a challenge, find pictures of different nebulae and try to recreate them! ​

​Quizizz Link: https://quizizz.com/join/quiz/5f23699e73d325001da02c91/start?studentShare=true 

Suggested Videos: 
​Crash Course Astronomy Video: https://youtu.be/W8UI7F43_Yk         
​Experiment Video: https://youtu.be/XoeP6lenI4g

Published 7.31.2020

Author: Rupali Venkatesan