Earth and Space Observatory

Predict what happens at named places, then turn Earth under fixed light.

Scale-free model. No seasons, orbit, true sizes, distances or exact times.

Example, not an answer: Follow a marker around the counter-clockwise arrow. On the bright side it faces the Sun.

Observatory could not open

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OBSERVATION 1 OF 6

← ← ← LIGHT FROM THE SUN ☀

One step goes to the next dot counter-clockwise. The light stays in one direction while we test Earth’s spin.

Read the six stops

Going counter-clockwise: upper-right; upper just right of the axis; upper-left; lower-left; lower just left of the axis; lower-right; then back to upper-right. The right half faces the fixed light.

Model boundary: the fixed light is a deliberate short-model representation. It does not show twilight, seasons, orbit, true sizes or times.

PREDICT THE NEXT STEP

BUILD AN EXPLANATION

Observatory notebook complete

You used a fixed-light model to explain day, night and the Sun’s apparent movement.

Open observatory notebook

Adult transfer: Use a ball and lamp indoors. Do not look at the Sun.

Choose another game

Observatory paused

Your observation is waiting unchanged.

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Games/Earth and Space Observatory

Game guide

About Earth and Space Observatory

Predict whether two markers will face fixed light after Earth turns eastward, then build two causal explanations.

Suggested age: Ages 9–10
Practice: Practise explaining day, night and the Sun's apparent movement using Earth's eastward rotation on its axis
Pace: Untimed six-observation practice route
Controls: Keyboard, Touch
Reading: Short prompts and labelled choice buttons; an adult may read the prompts aloud.
Instruction help: A stable North Pole globe, fixed light direction, outlined triangle and square markers, patterned night side, visible counter-clockwise eastward arrow, replayable help, and an optional labelled example. Spoken instructions are not included.

How to play

Predict daylight or night for the named marker, turn Earth one fixed eastward step, inspect the fixed-light result, then build two explanations.

Adult help

An adult may read short prompts aloud. Use a ball and lamp indoors for the optional transfer; do not look at the Sun.

Accessibility

Some children need adult co-reading. Manual accessibility-user and child/caregiver reviews remain open.

Detailed access information

Keyboard: Tab, Enter and Space operate all native controls. Correct results focus Next; new observations focus their prompt; retry and edit receive focus.
Touch: Large native buttons provide every core action. No dragging or precise pointing is required.
Screen reader: The globe has a text equivalent and visible prompts, predictions, results, progress, help, and completion are text. Manual screen-reader review remains open.
Timing: Untimed. There are no scores, lives, streaks or automatic advances. Results remain until Next is chosen.
Motion: Earth uses a short deliberate step; reduced motion skips interpolation.
Sound: No sound is required or supplied.

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