Ancient Skies, Modern Tools: Stellarium in the Classroom

Ancient Skies, Modern Tools: Stellarium in the Classroom

An online three workshop series for astronomy educators to learn to use the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium in the classroom. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs and activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena. Each workshop in the series builds on the previous one. Registration includes all three workshops.

Receive a discount if you register for this workshop, Ancient Skies, Modern Tools: Stellarium in the Classroom (package of 3) and The Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Astronomy Content Series (package of 4). Purchase both packages totaling seven workshops valued at $269 for just $249! Instructions to see discount: Click the green "Register" button above, then click "add to cart and complete later". Go back to the catalog and click "Register" for the Nuts and Bolts of Teaching Astronomy Content Series package, then "Complete Registration Now". Note: you must be logged in to complete registration and receive the discount in your cart.

Workshop 1: Introduction and Basics - July 16 will cover the basics of using Stellarium and how it can be used to visualize various astronomical ideas such as constellations, the celestial sphere, daily motion of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, eclipses, retrograde motion, and more. After the workshop participants will use and play with Stellarium on their own and work through an example lab to familiarize themselves with the software.

Workshop 2: Stellarium as a Teaching Tool - July 30 will highlight how Stellarium can be used to teach astronomical concepts rather than lecturing using slides. ASP staff will demonstrate how to generate data for students to then interpret so they can master basic astronomy ideas. After the workshop participants will brainstorm and then develop a Stellarium-based lab or activity they would like to use with their own students.

Workshop 3: Participant Showcase - August 13 will invite participants to share and discuss the ideas they have worked on since Workshop 2, getting feedback from their peers and ASP staff. The labs participants come up with will live in a shared repository for all to access, use, and modify.

Each workshop is 1.5 hours long. Participants should expect to spend around 2 hours between the workshops on relevant assignments. 

Participants will gain the following through participation in the workshop:

  • Strategies we have found to successful at engaging learners of all ages
  • Access to astronomy experts who will facilitate the workshop.
  • A certificate of completion for participating in 8 clock hours of professional development.

Registration: $120 for all 3 workshops

Attendance/Refund Policy

Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Recordings will be provided for those who cannot make the live session or who want to review the content. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.

  • Ancient Skies, Modern Tools Workshop 1: Introduction and Basics - July 16
    Contains 3 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 07/16/2025 at 10:00 AM (PDT)

    Part one of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Part one of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Workshop 1: Introduction and Basics will cover the basics of using Stellarium and how it can be used to visualize various astronomical ideas such as constellations, the celestial sphere, daily motion of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, eclipses, retrograde motion, and more. After the workshop participants will use and play with Stellarium on their own and work through an example lab to familiarize themselves with the software.

    This workshop is 1.5 hours long.

    Attendance/Refund Policy

    Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.

    Shanil Virani

    Cosmic Engagement Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Shanil Virani is a professional astronomer and a passionate science educator with more than 2 decades of classroom teaching experience. He has taught astronomy at both the high school level and at the university level to both majors and non-majors. In 2017, Shanil was nominated by his students for James Madison University’s General Education Distinguished Teaching Award.  In addition to his current role at the ASP, he is also an Adjunct Professor in the University Honors College at The George Washington University where he teaches a class on archaeo-astronomy.

    Tony Smith

    Online Learning Program Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Tony Smith is the Online Learning Program Specialist at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Tony has worked in informal science education since 2011 at various Pacific Northwest science centers and prior to joining the ASP managed the J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum in Honolulu, HI. In addition to the ASP, Tony also works part time at the Washington State University Planetarium and volunteers at the Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, WA where he lives. Tony is passionate about science education and uses an interactive presentation style, asking for observations and input from the audience throughout his presentations. 

  • Ancient Skies, Modern Tools Workshop 2: Stellarium as a Teaching Tool - July 30
    Contains 3 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 07/30/2025 at 10:00 AM (PDT)

    Part two of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Part two of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Workshop 2: Stellarium as a Teaching Tool, July 30 will highlight how Stellarium can be used to generate data that allow students to “discover” astronomical concepts rather than lecturing using slides. ASP staff will demonstrate how to use stellarium to extract data that students will then interpret so they can master basic astronomy ideas. After the workshop participants will brainstorm and then develop a Stellarium-based lab or activity they would like to use with their own students.

    This workshop is 1.5 hours long.

    Attendance/Refund Policy

    Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.

    Shanil Virani

    Cosmic Engagement Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Shanil Virani is a professional astronomer and a passionate science educator with more than 2 decades of classroom teaching experience. He has taught astronomy at both the high school level and at the university level to both majors and non-majors. In 2017, Shanil was nominated by his students for James Madison University’s General Education Distinguished Teaching Award.  In addition to his current role at the ASP, he is also an Adjunct Professor in the University Honors College at The George Washington University where he teaches a class on archaeo-astronomy.

    Tony Smith

    Online Learning Program Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Tony Smith is the Online Learning Program Specialist at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Tony has worked in informal science education since 2011 at various Pacific Northwest science centers and prior to joining the ASP managed the J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum in Honolulu, HI. In addition to the ASP, Tony also works part time at the Washington State University Planetarium and volunteers at the Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, WA where he lives. Tony is passionate about science education and uses an interactive presentation style, asking for observations and input from the audience throughout his presentations. 

  • Ancient Skies, Modern Tools Workshop 3: Participant Showcase - August 13
    Contains 4 Component(s) Includes a Live Web Event on 08/13/2025 at 10:00 AM (PDT)

    Part three of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Part three of a three workshop series for astronomy educators introducing the free astronomy visualization software Stellarium. Experienced educators from the ASP will showcase Stellarium’s applicability for presenting and creating student-centered labs/activities to explore basic astronomical phenomena.

    Workshop 3: Participant Showcase, August 13 will invite participants to share and discuss the ideas they have explored and are developing after Workshop 2. They will get feedback from their peers and ASP staff. All labs participants develop will live in a shared repository for all to access, use, and modify.

    This workshop is 1.5 hours long.

    Attendance/Refund Policy

    Live attendance is strongly encouraged and expected in order to get the most out of the interactive session. Full refund is available for cancellations up to 14 days prior to the start of the workshop. If you need to cancel please email learn@astrosociety.org.

    Shanil Virani

    Cosmic Engagement Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Shanil Virani is a professional astronomer and a passionate science educator with more than 2 decades of classroom teaching experience. He has taught astronomy at both the high school level and at the university level to both majors and non-majors. In 2017, Shanil was nominated by his students for James Madison University’s General Education Distinguished Teaching Award.  In addition to his current role at the ASP, he is also an Adjunct Professor in the University Honors College at The George Washington University where he teaches a class on archaeo-astronomy.

    Tony Smith

    Online Learning Program Specialist

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific

    Tony Smith is the Online Learning Program Specialist at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Tony has worked in informal science education since 2011 at various Pacific Northwest science centers and prior to joining the ASP managed the J. Watumull Planetarium at Bishop Museum in Honolulu, HI. In addition to the ASP, Tony also works part time at the Washington State University Planetarium and volunteers at the Palouse Discovery Science Center in Pullman, WA where he lives. Tony is passionate about science education and uses an interactive presentation style, asking for observations and input from the audience throughout his presentations.