Skip Navigation
CLIPPER CAM
icon/broadcasting LIVE
menu close modal

All Resources

Classroom Activity: Using Light to Study Planets

A light bulb is visible on the left and a rainbow of colors is visible on the right.

In this activity, students will build a spectrometer using basic materials to observe the light emitted and absorbed by several sources. This will be used as a model for how NASA uses spectroscopy to determine the nature of elements found on Earth and other planets. For higher grades, this activity can also be used to discuss advanced spectroscopic topics, such as how NASA research is advancing spectroscopic techniques to teach us more about plant life on Earth.

View the full classroom activity on the JPL Education website ›

Additional Resources

Related

These 15 frames show the great variety of surface features on Jupiter's icy moon Europa.
More
Collection of orbital images shows rugged terrain.
Landscapes and Features of Europa
Europa Clipper's propulsion module rotates on a stand in the cleanroom at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
More
video of Europa Clipper's propulsion module rotating in a cleanroom
Europa Clipper Propulsion Module
A plasma instrument sensor assembly loaded into a thermal vacuum chamber.
More
A plasma instrument sensor assembly loaded into a thermal vacuum chamber.
Plasma Instrument Thermal Testing
The images used for the base of this globe were chosen from coverage supplied by the Galileo solid-state imaging (SSI) camera and Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
More
two hemispheric map projections
Europa Hemispherical Globes
A plasma instrument sensor assembly is subjected to a simulated electromagnetic interference environment.
More
A plasma instrument sensor assembly is subjected to a simulated electromagnetic interference environment.
Plasma Instrument Electromagnetic Interference Testing
Engineers prepare Europa Clipper's thermal imager for a series of tests in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory following delivery.
More
An engineer’s gloved hand on the casing holding the thermal imager instrument, located on a table in a clean room, preparing it for functional testing.
Thermal Imager Delivered to JPL
An engineer inspects the test setup of the optical telescope assembly for the Europa Imaging System narrow angle camera. 
More
An engineer inspects the test setup of the optical telescope assembly for the Europa Imaging System narrow angle camera.
Europa Imaging System Optical Telescope Assembly
New Horizons took this image of the icy moon Europa rising above Jupiter's cloud tops.
More
black and white view of half-illuminated moon over curving horizon of large planet
Europa Rising
Engineers and technicians lift the tall core of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft during a maneuver to position it in the High Bay 1 clean room of the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at the agency’s Je...
More
In the center of the image, the main body of the Europa Clipper spacecraft hangs from a yellow crane in a large, multistoried cleanroom with white walls and a white ceiling. Six engineers in full-body coveralls and masks stand around the base of the main body as it hangs from the crane, with some working on the main body. In the distance, a viewing gallery is visible with four people watching the activities taking place.
The Lift: NASA's Europa Clipper Moves into Position
This artist's concept shows a simulated view from the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. Europa's potentially rough, icy surface, tinged with reddish areas that scientists hope to learn more about, ...
More
field of icy boulders with jupiter rising over the horizon
Simulated View from Europa's Surface (Artist's Concept)
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) staff collaborate on the calibration of the MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa (MASPEX) instrument, developed and built at SwRI. 
More
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) staff collaborate on the calibration of the MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa (MASPEX) instrument, developed and built at SwRI. Kurt Franke (spectrometer engineering lead) points out a mass peak during the MASPEX flight model first calibration run to, clockwise, Kelly Miller (calibration lead), Greg Miller (spectrometer design lead), and Paul Hoeper (software lead).
Mass Spectrometer Assembly
This animation shows NASA’s Europa Clipper during a flyby of Europa. 
More
This animation shows NASA’s Europa Clipper during a flyby of Europa.
Mission Animation: Europa Flyby
This animation showing a flyover of southern part of Thrace Macula on Europa was created using stereo imaging data obtained by NASA's Galileo spacecraft.
More
A 3D black-and-white flyover of Europa's surface.
Thrace Macula Flyover
Jupiter's moon Europa may have an ocean more than twice the size of Earth's oceans combined. Why do scientists think so? Find out in 60 seconds.
More
Animated cartoon describing in simple terms why we think Europa has a global ocean under an icy crust.
Space Shorts: Could Jupiter's Moon Europa Have an Ocean?
This view from NASA's Galileo spacecraft shows a severely fractured surface on Europa.
More
Black and white image close-up of surface.
Fractured Land
This is an artist's concept of a plume of water vapor thought to be ejected off the frigid, icy surface of the Jovian moon Europa.
More
plume erupting from icy surface with Jupiter in the sky
Artist's Concept of Europa Water Vapor Plume
One of Europa Clipper’s star tracker electronics boxes (the bronze-colored cube at center) sits in a JPL clean room for testing.
More
One of Europa Clipper’s star tracker electronics boxes (the bronze-colored cube at center) sits in a JPL clean room for testing in October 2021. After the spacecraft’s launch in October 2024, the star tracker will autonomously identify stars to determine Europa Clipper’s orientation in space. The device is essential for precisely pointing the spacecraft’s science instruments and communication antennas.
Star Tracker Electronics Box
This animation segment shows NASA’s Europa Clipper flying by Mars during its Mars gravity assist. 
More
An animations showing the spacecraft flying by Mars during its Mars Gravity Assist, which will further propel the spacecraft toward Jupiter.
Mission Animation: Mars Gravity Assist
Engineers in a clean room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory build the nadir deck for NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft. The deck will stabilize the spacecraft’s sensors and help the mission team e...
More
Engineers in a clean room at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California build the nadir deck for NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft.
Building a Nadir Deck for Europa Clipper
A test model of the boom that will be used for the magnetometer aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is readied in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
More
A test model of the boom that will be used for the magnetometer aboard NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft is readied in NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM) Boom
A 3D model of the Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON), a radar & gravity instrument on Europa Clipper. 
More
3D model of REASON instrument
REASON
This view of Cilix impact crater on Europa was created in 2013 using 3-D stereo images.
More
Crater 3-D
3-D Cilix Crater on Europa
This animation segment shows the deployment of NASA’s Europa Clipper ECM boom after launch.
More
This animation shows a boom expanding from the Europa Clipper spacecraft.
Mission Animation: ECM Boom Deployment (Close)
This animation showing a flyover of Europa was created using stereo imaging data obtained by NASA's Galileo spacecraft.
More
A 3D black-and-white flyover of Europa's surface.
Ridged Plains Flyover
The picture compares four large impact structures on Jupiter's icy moon, Europa.
More
four black and white views of circular features on icy terrain
Large Impact Structures on Europa