The Hubble Space Telescope is arguably one of the best-known scientific instruments. But have you ever wondered what makes it work?

Join me for 4 weeks of fascinating discussions as we ask questions like:
-- Why do astronomers want telescopes in space?
-- How was the Hubble Space Telescope built?
-- How does the Hubble work?
-- How do we put satellites into orbit?
-- How has the Hubble been repaired?
-- What have we learned about the universe through the Hubble's observations?

We will take a deep look at this wonder of engineering. We will meet astronomers, engineers, and astronauts who made the Hubble possible. This class features dynamic class discussions oriented towards answering students' questions alongside opportunities to explore the physics of light and optics between classes with hands-on experiments. Class discussions center on an organizing question and include video clips to illustrate key ideas. As the discussion facilitator, I adjust the trajectory of our conversations to follow students' curiosity, making this a great class for kids who love to go deeper with their learning.

In general, our discussions will flow along the following outline*
Week 1: Why do astronomers want to have space telescopes?
Week 2: What kind of collaborations are essential to ensure that a space telescope works?
Week 3: What are some of the major discoveries of the Hubble?
Week 4: How has the Hubble been able to remain in service for over 30 years?
* Note: The exact organizing question of a given week might be slightly different across sections to accommodate specific learner interests. Learners who are especially eager to discover more about space telescopes would be welcome to repeat this class as the outline is organized by category of inquiry rather than a specific question. Example of more specific questions might be "Why is Nancy Grace Roman considered 'the mother of the Hubble'?" which would fall under the category of a Week 1 question and "How has the Hubble been able to detect black holes?" which would fall under the category of a Week 3 question.

To complete the hands-on experiments, students should have access to small flat mirrors, flashlights, colored cellophane (red, green, and blue), index cards or cardstock, lenses (concave and convex), and a prism. I strongly recommend a kit like the Tech Light Lab Optics Kit.