Meteor Night | iheartswitch

Meteor Night

Two meteor showers light up October. Watch them, draw them, then make a card that glows like Orion.

Make the light-up card For grown-ups

When to look up

No telescope needed. Just your eyes, a blanket, and a dark spot away from streetlights.

Easy bedtime one

Draconids

Wed, Oct 8 after dark

Look
High in the north, near the dragon-shaped stars of Draco
How many
A handful per hour, slow and floaty
Moon
Almost gone, so the sky is nice and dark
From
Dust from Comet Giacobini-Zinner
0days
00hours
00min
The big one

Orionids

Peak night Oct 21 into Oct 22

Look
Anywhere! They zip out from near Orion in the southeast
How many
Up to about 20 per hour in a really dark spot
Best time
Early morning before sunrise, after the moon sets
From
Crumbs from Halley's Comet
0days
00hours
00min

So what is a meteor?

Guess the answer, then tap the card to check.

Draw your sky

Tap the star stamp to place the stars you saw. Switch to the pen and draw the path of your best meteor.

Your drawing stays on this device. Nothing gets uploaded.

Count them!

Hand the phone to a kid. Every time someone yells "there's one!", tap the big button.

0
meteors spotted

Make a light-up Orion card

Real stars, real circuit. Two tiny LEDs light up Orion's brightest stars: Betelgeuse (his shoulder) and Rigel (his foot). About 30 minutes.

+ BetelgeuseRigeltail folds over battery
Circuit side of the card. The star side folds over the top.
Plus (+) tapeMinus (−) tapeBattery

Inspired by NASA Chandra cards

You need

  • The Orion template from the packet, printed on cardstock
  • Copper tape (the thin kind, about 1/4 inch)
  • 2 LED stickers or 3mm LEDs (orange and blue look amazing)
  • 1 coin battery (CR2032) and a binder clip
  • A pushpin, tape, and a grown-up nearby
  1. Poke the stars.Set the star side of the template on a piece of cardboard. Push the pin through every dot.
  2. Lay the minus tape.Stick copper tape along the gray lanes. Press it flat with your fingernail. At corners, fold the tape instead of cutting it.
  3. Lay the plus tape.Stick tape along the pink lanes. Leave a 1-inch tail sticking off the start, near the battery. Plus and minus must never touch.
  4. Add the LEDs.Put one LED on Betelgeuse and one on Rigel so each one bridges both lanes. The longer leg (or + side) goes on the pink tape.
  5. Add the battery.Set it on the end of the gray tape, + side up. Fold the pink tail over the top.
  6. Fold and clip.Fold the star side over the circuit side. Clip the battery corner with the binder clip. Your stars should glow!
  7. Not glowing?Flip the LED around, press the tape down harder, or check that pink and gray aren't touching anywhere.

Grown-ups: coin batteries are dangerous if swallowed. Keep spares out of reach of little siblings and pets, and take the battery out when the card goes on the shelf.

Wonder together

Good for the walk home, or over hot cocoa.

  • Halley's Comet comes back in 2061. How old will you be?
  • Why do you think the meteors all seem to start from one spot?
  • If you could name a constellation, what shape would it be?
  • Betelgeuse looks orange and Rigel looks blue. Why might stars be different colors?

For grown-ups

Everything you need for the night and the craft, plus a printable packet for the kitchen table.

Printable packet

Orion card template, a sky log for both showers, a draw-your-sky page, and the wonder questions. Six pages, prints in black and white. Print the template at actual size on cardstock.

Download the packet (PDF)

Night-of tips

  • Give eyes 20 minutes in the dark. No screens, or use the counter on lowest brightness.
  • Lie flat on a blanket so you can see the whole sky at once.
  • Cover a flashlight with red cellophane. Red light won't ruin night vision.
  • Bring snacks. Meteors come in clumps, so patience wins.

Get the kit

  • LED circuit sticker kitLED stickers and conductive tape for the light-up card, all in one box
    Shop
  • CR2032 coin batteriesOne per card. Child-resistant packaging
    Shop

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