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e-Journal

Meet Orsola De Marco (pp. 352–353)


Step 1. Questions

Have you ever tried to count the stars on a clear night? Orsola De Marco is an astrophysicist—she studies the stars.

Write a summary about the work of Orsola De Marco. Use the article on pages 352–353 of your textbook. Learn more about binary stars through research. Here are some questions to guide your research:
  • What is an astrophysicist?
  • What is special about our Sun?
  • What is a binary star?
  • How does Orsola learn about stars?
  • What questions is Orsola trying to answer?
Are you ready? Begin by visiting the Web sites listed in Step 2. Look for answers to the questions above. Write down what you learn in the note-taking boxes.

With teacher supervision, you may use search engines to research other Web sites. You also can research stars at the library. When you are ready, go on to Steps 3 and 4.


Step 2. Research

Research answers to the questions you were asked in Step 1. Visit these Web sites. Take notes about them on this page, too!


Toolbox Tip: Click here to learn about plug-ins.


Ask an Astronomer
Do you have a question about stars? You might find the answer here. Click a question to read the astronomer's response. Click the back arrow in your browser to return to the list of questions.
Take Notes:



Sun for Kids
Read interesting facts about the Sun from NASA. Scroll down to read the top ten Sun facts. Click SUN FOR KIDS VIDEO to see a movie about the Sun.
Take Notes:



Ask an Astrophysicist
An astrophysicist at NASA has answered some questions that people have about binary stars. Read about how binary stars form. Some of the words on the page are difficult, so read to get the main idea. You can place your cursor on the red words to read their definitions. When you read, think about how stars move in the sky.
Take Notes:



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