The Canadian Humble space telescope is the world's smallest space telescope measuring at about the diameter of a pie plate and is packed in the MOST microsatellite which has the size and mass of a carry-on suitcase. As a fun Science project, you can make your own world's smallest space telescope!
You can create a planetarium projector and space telescope with interchangeable star chart slides for your room.
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What you need:
transparent paper for tracing
black construction paper
Maxwell house coffee can cylinder
Pringles chips cylinder can
a collection of Pringles lids
star constellation for Pringels lids: space wall star chart graphics
star chart template for Maxwell house lid: large lid star graphics
a pin
a nail and hammer
scissors
led flashlight
laser pointer
Step 1. How to make your own Pringles space chart telescope:
Click here: space wall star chart graphics to access the star constellation template and trace all the points on the transparent sheet of paper. Using a pin poke thru the transparent sheet of paper transferring the constellation design with holes on the black construction sheet of paper. Using the transparent Pringles lids that you have collected, cut out exact circular templates from the completed construction paper, cut slowly and precisely and insert to each Pringles lid, carefully trim the paper borders for a perfect inset fit to the lid. Using your nail and hammer, punch a hole big enough to look through on the adjacent metallic end side of the Pringles cylinder (be sure there are no sharp ends, to ensure this punch it from the outside inwards).
You can now look thru the interchangeable lids with star constellations to recognize and identify them in the real night sky to get more out of your star gazing or on your own planetarium projector - see Step 2 below.
Step 2. How to make your own Maxwell House cylinder can planetarium:
Click here: large lid star graphics to access the Maxwell House star constellation template for your lid and trace all the points on the transparent sheet of paper. Using a pin poke thru the transparent sheet of paper transferring the constellation design with holes on the black construction sheet of paper. Cut out an exact circular template from the completed construction paper with star constellation holes, cut slowly and precisely and insert to the large blue Maxwell House lid, carefully trim the paper borders for a perfect inset fit to the large plastic lid. This time, use the pin to poke the holes right through the large blue plastic Maxwell House lid transferring the same holes from the paper to the large plastic lid. Insert the led flashlight inside the empty can facing up by having a flashlight that can be made to stand upright (glue in place if necessary).
In a darkened room, turn on the flashlight, place it in the Maxwell House can, put the planetarium cylinder on the floor and place the plastic lid with holes on in order to project your constellations onto the ceiling.
By using your laser pointer, you can quiz your friends or family to see if they can identify the different constellations.
Use the Pringles telescope lid slides to match and find where the constellation are located on the projected ceiling star map to get more out of your planetarium game.
The Maxwell House planetarium projection cylinder can be stripped-off of its label and showcased as a hi-tech looking silver cylinder.
The Pringles' space telescope can be decorated with a space drawing or with a paper size print of Van Gogh's famous 'Starry Night' artwork, simply wrap it around the perimeter of the long cylinder and tape it.
Your space telescope with interchangeable star slide constellations and planetarium are now complete.
