Planetary Conjunctions: Alignments in the Sky
Exhibit: /cosmic-playground/exhibits/planetary-conjunctions/
This station card content was imported from the legacy ASTR101 SP26 demos and has not yet
been fully reviewed against the current instrument UI, units, and station-mode table.
Context
This station is designed to be completed quickly. Write a prediction, follow the steps, then make a claim supported by evidence from the demo.
Predict
When Earth and a planet line up (a conjunction), will that planet stay near the Sun in our sky for long? Why or why not?
Prediction (1 sentence):
Play steps
- Advance time to find a conjunction and an opposition.
- Compare where the planet is in space to how close it appears to the Sun in the sky.
- Measure the time between two conjunctions and describe the pattern you see.
Parameter table
| Parameter | Value | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| (example) Phase angle (°) | ________ | How the illuminated fraction changes |
| (your choice) | ________ | ________ |
Explain
Use relative motion to explain why the time between conjunctions is different from a planet’s orbital period.
Explanation (2–3 sentences):
Claim + evidence
Claim:
Evidence (what you observed):