Observation is widely regarded as a fundamental way of studying nature. However, due to its complexity, proposing a comprehensive characterization is challenging. Observation is a method of studying nature that can be divided into several dimensions. Each of these dimensions can be presented as a pair of terms, which are elaborated in this paper…

Chile is home to most of the world's largest telescopes, and astronomy research is robust in the country. However, astronomy education in Chile is much less mature. As an effort to increase its quality and coverage, more astronomy K-12 teacher professional development (PD) has been offered in Chile in the last decade, but the results of these…

The purpose of this study is to reveal middle school students' model understanding and information sources of incorrect model related to basic astronomy topics included in the Turkish middle school science curriculum. The study is a descriptive study focusing on qualitative data. The sample of the study includes 197 students (aged 12-13) attending…

An internet poster recently floated the idea that friction with a recently denser interstellar medium causes global warming. Despite its superficially ridiculous nature, refuting this proposition is an interesting quantitative exercise.

This study aims to determine the alternative conceptions that middle school students may have about the structure of celestial bodies, celestial events and the motions of celestial bodies. Since qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the study, the study method is mixed. Since quantitative data were collected first and qualitative data…

While previous research has shown that claim-evidence-reasoning can effectively promote higher-order thinking skills in science education, more research should be done on using claim evidence-reasoning in elementary school settings. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of claim-evidence-reasoning in promoting the scientific reasoning…

The present work refers to a study of 10-12-year-old students' ideas on the self- or hetero-luminosity of the Moon. To check the validity of students' reasoning on this question, we also examined their ideas on the lunar phases and how we see hetero-luminous objects. Students supported their ideas on the self- or hetero-luminosity of the Moon by…

This study explored over 200 journals and a content-focussed research repository to investigate the occurrence of research on the Big Questions in the field of astronomy education research (AER), focussing on Cosmology and Religion. Using both qualitative and quantitative techniques, 151 articles were selected and analysed. Our results reveal that…

We study the variation of the apparent weight of an object with height above the surface of a planet with a (buoyant) atmosphere. Interestingly, this variation depends on two competing factors--the reduced gravitational acceleration (which acts to reduce the weight with increasing height) and the reduced buoyancy force in the progressively less…

Stellar observation, encompassing the study of star formation, stellar properties, and the governing physical laws, presents a readily accessible topic for many learners; however, many stargazing beginners may find it challenging. By applying the supplemental Gollin effect within animated display and the haptic effect of game-like play with a…

Historically, physics has been a predominantly male field, with previous literature showing that there is little diversity among U.S. physics students at the undergraduate and graduate levels or among physicists within the work force. Recent research indicates that the lack of diversity in physics is partially due to an unwelcoming climate within…

What to say to the public about asteroid hazards and how to say it to them? In this article, we relate how our small professional research institution (Klet Observatory, Czech Republic), devoted specifically to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), together with the educational branch (Ceske Budejovice Observatory and Planetarium, Czech Republic), has…

In today's world, where technology is advancing day by day and it is easier to access information, developments in science bring along a process that involves dilemmas regarding the ethical and moral values of individuals as well as providing basic scientific knowledge to society. Space exploration refers to a perspective that examines the social,…

Hurricane and galaxy tidal effect are routine teaching topics in community college first year science courses, but there is a knowledge gap without a quantitative discussion of the physics of non-inertia frame. A survey of YouTube videos posted by Education Centers and professors showed that the hand-waving conceptual explanation is the most…

The evolving landscape of higher education demands integrating advanced technologies to foster engaging and inclusive learning environments. This paper examines the practical integration of Stellarium, a virtual planetarium software, and ChatGPT, an AI conversational agent, in an asynchronous online undergraduate astronomy course. Stellarium…