Variable Stars and Science and Math Education

摘要

Observation, analysis, and interpretation of variable stars can be a powerful tool for effective science and math education. That was the motivation behind the AAVSO's Hands-On Astrophysics project (Percy and Mattei 1998), which subsequently evolved and expanded into the on-line Variable Star Astronomy (https://www.aavso.org/education/ vsa), thanks especially to the work of Donna Young. Students can develop and integrate their science, math, and computing skills, motivated by the excitement of doing real science with real data. Project components may include background reading and planning; research judgment, strategy, and problem-solving; careful observation and measurement; recognizing and dealing with random and systematic errors; computer programming, and data processing and management; construction, analysis, and interpretation of graphs; concepts of regularity and prediction; and curve-fitting, time-series analysis, and other statistical and numerical procedures. At the conclusion of their project, students can communicate their results through a paper, poster, presentation, or informal discussion with their classmates.