Patrick M. Len

"Good Night, Low-Mass Star"
(h/t "Goodnight Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown)

A bedtime story for my introductory astronomy students, as an easter egg at the end of the nucleosynthesis presentation video.
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Thank you!

@physgal.bsky.social I would like to be added to the ⚛️ list, please! orcid.org/0009-0007-78...

Nucleosynthesis diagram identifying merging neutron stars as nucleosynthesis process that produced uranium.

Using the nucleosynthesis processes diagram with the nucleosynthesis periodic table for uranium, identifying merging neutron stars as the nucleosynthesis process that produced it.

Nucleosynthesis diagram identifying merging neutron stars and dying low-mass stars as nucleosynthesis processes that produced xenon.

Using the nucleosynthesis processes diagram with the nucleosynthesis periodic table for xenon, identifying merging neutron stars and dying low-mass stars as nucleosynthesis processes that produced it.

Nucleosynthesis diagram identifying exploding high-mass stars and exploding white dwarfs as nucleosynthesis processes that produced aluminum.

Using the nucleosynthesis processes diagram with the nucleosynthesis periodic table for aluminum, identifying exploding high-mass stars and exploding white dwarfs as nucleosynthesis processes that produced it.

Nucleosynthesis Chart, showing four different processes: exploding high-mass stars, exploding white dwarfs, merging neutron stars, and dying low-mass stars. Not shown are big bang fusion, and cosmic ray fission.

Key nucleosynthesis processes for my introductory astronomy students, in order to identify the processes that produced each of the elements.

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A nucleosynthesis table, denoting the origin of each of the elements (adapted from: Jennifer A. Johnson, "Populating the Periodic Table: Nucleosynthesis of the Element," Science, vol. 363 no. 6426 (1 February 2019)). Relative amounts contributed by each process for each element have been omitted for the purposes of only identifying processes for each element. Also omitted: cosmic ray fission ("by-products from non-star processes").

A simplified nucleosynthesis table, denoting the origin (but not relative amounts from each process) for each element. (Adapted from: Jennifer A. Johnson, "Populating the Periodic Table: Nucleosynthesis of the Element," Science, vol. 363 no. 6426 (1 February 2019)).

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Star Stage Diagram for high-mass, low-mass, and very-low-mass red dwarfs. Not to scale, stages past white dwarf and red dwarf not shown.

Star stage diagram for my introductory astronomy students, the roadmap for our deep dive into watching stars grow up, and watching stars grow old.

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Students were divided on whether Haelym was sufficiently rounded or not after being marred by Moem, so they argued classifying Haelym as being either dwarf planet or solar system debris.

International Astronomical Union classification questions, in a flowchart format, with a schematic representation of planet orbits, asteroid belt, and Kuiper belt in the solar system.

Students are provided the International Astronomical Union classification questions, in a flowchart format.
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Artistic depiction of Haley (2025 PD6) orbited by Moem (2025 Q7).

Case study (fictitious) for introductory astronomy students to classify: "Haelym (2025 PD6) recently captured the asteroid Moem, making it its moon. This moon-capture process permanently damaged Haelym's surface."

Determine how Haelym (2025 PD6) should be classified now.
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Space X launch this morning, with a waning crescent moon and Scorpius! 🔭

Marketplace Astronomy worksheet: 1. Group sign in. 2. List car makes/models, foods, and non-food brands related to astronomy (share these later). 3. What are you interested in astronomy? 4. What do you expect to be confusing in astronomy? 5. Ask a question about this course (turn in, class discussion next!).

First day of introductory astronomy class! Going with the tried-and-true "Marketplace Astronomy" activity. Adapted from D. Schatz, "Why Should We Care About Exploding Stars?" Universe in the Classroom, no. 8, (spring 1987), astrosociety.org/file_download/inline/4fe17a73-1ab8-4a34-b28c-bfe9267bdb90 🔭

@bot.astronomy.blue signup

Student worksheets:

Student worksheets:

Physics lab reports!
Me: Lab reports can be handwritten or typed; upload scans or document to Canvas for grading.
Student: (Submits a LaTeX file.)
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Various solar system objects (Ceres, Chariklo, Ryugu, 300163 (2006 VW139), 2019 LF6, and a theorized primordial black hole).

Additional solar system objects (Ceres, Chariklo, Ryugu, 300163 (2006 VW139), 2019 LF6, and a theorized primordial black hole) for students to sort using the International Astronomical Union classification questions. 🔭

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Various solar system objects (Ceres, Vesta, Cruithne, Gonggong, Phobos, Mercury, the moon, and Pluto).

Various solar system objects (Ceres, Vesta, Cruithne, Gonggong, Phobos, Mercury, the moon, and Pluto) for students to sort using the International Astronomical Union classification questions. 🔭

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Map of the solar system planets and debris belts, International Astronomical Union classification questions and classification flowchart.

Student worksheet with instructions for sorting objects in our solar system (moons, solar system debris, dwarf planets, and planets) using the International Astronomical Union classification questions. 🔭

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A diagram from the cosmic microwave background (14 billion years away) to here, and when rotated 180°, it becomes a diagram from now to the cosmic microwave background (14 billion light years away).

Turning this "Observable Universe" diagram 180° results in a "Looking Out, Looking Back In Time" diagram. 🔭

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"If you wish to make a cowpile from scratch, you must first invent the universe."

Above: "The Early Universe," a horizontal row of four comic strip panels of metal-poor star stages. Below: "The Later Universe," a horizontal row of four comic strip panels of metal-rich star stages.

History of the universe from the early metal-poor stars, to the later metal-rich stars. 🔭

Stars eat hydrogen,
stars poop metals,
and we are made of starpoop.

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Keeping the loophole open for future generations, we'll see what else can happen! Also "single-side page" is a soft-limit, spilling a "little over" into the back is okay, as I don't want to force them to rewrite their study sheet from scratch just to get it under that limitation.

I don't disagree, but for the sake of consistency I'm going with what my students see printed on their starwheels (planispheres). And also how their assignment due dates are displayed within Canvas, which is the ultimate arbiter of their existence.

I'm using the University of Oregon's "Sun path chart program" to make rectilinear alt-az plots, then lovingly retracing over them using GoodNotes on an iPad. solardat.uoregon.edu/SunChartProg...

Physics equations written on Möbius strip staples to an exam.

Physics midterms!
Me: Attach your single-sided handwritten study sheet to the exam when you turn it in.
Student: (Attaches Möbius strip study sheet to exam.)
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