Back to Home

Starry, Starry Jar!

Do this activity outside in the evening and at night in your home! Take a piece of aluminum foil and a tooth pick outside with you. Look up into the sky to find some stars or a whole constellation, then map the stars on the aluminum foil by poking holes with the tooth pick. When you get back inside, put a light behind the aluminum sheet to make your own night sky.

When you use your foil to create the same details you see in the sky, you practice noticing the space between different objects and describing how they are related to each other.

To enjoy your starry creation longer, put the foil inside of a jar with a candle and you can keep the stars inside with you! Want to spend more family time with the stars? Try these activities:

Think like an astronomer and explore galactic mysteries by visiting How Many Stars Are In the Universe?

Does your family know any specific constellations and where to find them in the sky? Find books on constellations at the library or visit Sea and Sky's online constellation guide to find different constellations that are in the sky at this time of year. How many can you find? Do you think the stars in constellations look like the pictures they’re supposed to represent? Why not make your own? Choose a set of stars you see in the sky, or make up your own pattern and punch them in aluminum foil as instructed above. Have each family member come up with a picture the constellation represents and a story about why it’s important to your family.

Click Here to See More!