Resources by Royal Observatory Greenwich

GCSE astronomy coursework – meteor shower

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and designed for students following the Edexcel GCSE astronomy course, this booklet provides information and instruction on how to carry out detailed observations of meteor showers. Observations are made as part of the coursework requirements and guidance on collecting...

GCSE astronomy coursework – shadow stick or sundial

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and designed for students following the Edexcel GCSE astronomy course, this booklet provides information and instruction on using a shadow stick or sundial to calculate the local noon, the observer’s longitude and the accuracy of a sundial. Observations and calculations...

GCSE Astronomy Coursework – stellar density

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and designed for students following the Edexcel GCSE astronomy course, this booklet provides information and instruction on using observations and photographs to estimate the density of stars in the sky. Observations and calculations are made as part of the coursework...

GCSE astronomy coursework – sunspots

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and designed for students following the Edexcel GCSE astronomy course, this booklet provides information and instruction on observing sunspots and calculating the Sun’s rotation period. Observations and calculations are made as part of the coursework requirements and...

GCSE astronomy coursework – variable stars

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich and designed for students following the Edexcel GCSE astronomy course, this booklet provides information and instruction on measuring the light curve of a variable star. Observations and calculations are made as part of the coursework requirements and guidance on...

How do we see thing?

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, helps students to understand how we see things, and in particular how light travels.

There is a short video introduction accompanied by two suggested activities.

In the...

Hubble’s law

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this collection introduces Hubble’s law and the expansion of the Universe. Included is an online video that discusses how big the Universe is. Material is differentiated for key stage four and key stage five students. The key stage five content links the recessional...

Human Sundial

In this activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, students look at their shadow at different times of the day and measure differences in its size and direction. The activity needs to take place in the playground on a sunny day. A compass or an online map can be used to help work out which way is North on the...

Journey times to alien worlds

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet uses the context of exoplanets and alien worlds to develop students understanding of speed, distance and time. Included is an online video that discusses where and how we might find alien worlds. Questions and answers are included that test a student’s...

Kepler's Third Law

This activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, illustrates Kepler’s Third Law for our own Solar System using graphical methods, with a further look at how the same law can be used to derive information about the orbits of exoplanets around their parent stars....