Research on exoplanets and the Solar System comes to the classroom with the IAC's PETeR project

Liverpool Telescope

View of the Liverpool Telescope at the Roque de os Muchachos Observatory, one of the robotic telescopes used in the IAC's PETeR Project. Credit: Pablo Bonet 

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References
PETeR: Investiga el Universo con telescopios robóticos. Edición 2024-2025

The IAC's Educational Project with Robotic Telescopes (PETeR) offers a new edition of its online teacher training entitled ‘Investigate the Universe with Robotic Telescopes’. This activity, organised in collaboration with the STEAM area of the regional Ministry of Education of the Canary Islands Government, aims to provide knowledge and tools to incorporate astronomy in the classroom through the use of professional robotic telescopes, the analysis of scientific data and active learning methodologies.

PETeR is an educational project that gives schools free access to professional telescopes to develop research projects adapted to their level and curriculum, with the support of the project's educational team. Since its creation in 2005, more than 2,500 teachers have been trained in the use of robotic telescopes for learning STEAM disciplines. PETeR currently has 485 users, including educational centres and associations dedicated to the teaching of astronomy.

The teacher training will take place in online mode between 19 March and 7 May 2025 and will consist of 7 two-hour sessions, structured in three modules.

The first module will be an introduction to PETeR, aimed at those who wish to learn about the project and how to use the robotic telescopes. The other two modules are designed to show some of the projects that can be carried out with PETeR. One of them will deal with the study of exoplanets and will show how students can contribute to a real scientific mission from the classroom. In particular, the aim is to make observations of transits of exoplanets that will be studied by the Ariel mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). The third module will feature a hands-on activity in which students will step into the shoes of Galileo to investigate the place of the Earth in the Solar System.

The teacher training will be given by the IAC astrophysicists Nayra Rodríguez Eugenio, PETeR coordinator, and Alejandra Goded Merino, PETeR educator.

Registration is open until 13 March or until all available places are filled.

More information and registration
Poster of the online training for teachers of the IAC's Educational Project with Robotic Telescopes (PETeR).
Poster of the online training for teachers of the IAC's Educational Project with Robotic Telescopes (PETeR).
Related projects
Logo de PETeR
PETeR
The Educational Project with Robotic Telescopes (PETeR) is an online laboratory that aims to engage Spanish students in science and technology and to foster the acquisition of STEM skills through their active participation in real scientific research using robotic telescopes. Through the project's website, the educational community has access to
Nayra
Rodríguez Eugenio
In progress
Related news
Cartel del curso "PETeR: Investigar el Universo con telescopios robóticos" organizado por el IAC y el Área STEAM de la Consejería de Educación, Universidades, Cultura y deportes del Gob. de Canarias
Press release
PETeR's new online courses for teachers
Registration is now open for the training course "PETeR: Investigating the Universe with robotic telescopes", which will take place between 25 May and 3 June for teachers in the Canary Islands, and between 26 May and 10 June for teachers in the rest of Spain. One of the main objectives of the Educational Project with Robotic Telescopes (PETeR) of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) is to train teachers and educators in astronomy and in the use of robotic telescopes as tools for students to develop their scientific and technological skills through guided research projects. In the
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Publications
Non-refereed
PETER: Robots that watch the skies
We describe the user-access and analysis possible for a robotic telescope (the Liverpool Telescope) that can be used for educational and other use. Robotic telescopes operate with no staff on-site and the observations are remotely scheduled each night.
Mora-Carrillo, G. et al.

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6
2008
Bibcode
2008ca07.conf..390M
Citations
0
News type
Press release
Scope
Outreach
Training
Outreach
Training
Teachers
Communications media
Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)
Exoplanets
Solar system
Formación
Telescopio robótico
PETeR
STEAM
Actividades educativas
Educación

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