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Join the Hack an Exoplanet community

Anyone is welcome to organise or join an Hack an Exoplanet activity. All the activities are freely available on the platform in 21 languages.

You can chose to organise a classroom activity, a school event or instead join a larger event.  

Are you completing the hack an exoplanet activity? Share your information with us and we will add it to the community map. 

See below more information on how to get involved. 

Get Involved!

In early 2023, Cheops satellite observed two exoplanets, KELT-3b and TOI-560c. More recently, in September 2023, Cheops turned its telescopic eye to the stellar system K2-141, with two Super Earth exoplanets K2-141b and K2-141c.

By completing one of the Hack an Exoplanet challenges, teams of secondary students will have the opportunity to analyse the real satellite data collected by Cheops and hack these mysterious alien worlds. This activity is targeted at teams of students aged 14 to 19 years old. 

Hack an Exoplanet activity

Each challenge is expected to last between one and two hours and it should be accessible to all students. Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 are already available. Challenge 3 will be made available soon. 

Learning objectives of the activity: 

  • Using real data for educational activities, focusing on subjects such as mathematics, physics and computing
  • Working scientifically, problem solving and teamwork. 
  • Analysing mathematical data, interpreting and fitting mathematical /physical models, forming hypotheses and deriving conclusions from those models.
  • Determining the size, density, orbital period, and temperature of the planets.
  • Presenting analyses and conclusions in a scientific way.

Challenge 1

KELT-3b

Hot Jupiter

KELT-3b_new-removebg-preview.png

Step-by-step guided challenge

Intermediate level

Challenge 2

TOI-560c

Mini Neptune

TOI-560c-removebg-preview.png

Open challenge

Advanced level

Challenge 3

K2-141b and K2-141c

Super Earths

K2-141b_K2-141c

Two formats:

1. Game based learning challenge
Beginners level

2. Open challenge
Advanced level

Before the Hack an Exoplanet activity

Inspire the teams to join the hackathon using the classroom resources, videos and quiz available in this platform, or by asking a question to a scientist. You can complete these activities with the students beforehand in preparation to the hackathon event.

For extra educational supporting materials visit our resources section.