Teaching Guide: Black Holes and Telescopes: Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar
In this lesson, students will learn about Nobel Laureate, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (known as Chandra), his influence in astrophysics, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and the history of black holes.

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This teaching guide includes two lesson options each stemming from a brief biographical history lesson about S. Chandrasekhar. Students may explore science history in pursuit of the key dates in the discovery and research about black holes. Another lesson option looks at how we explore the universe using different telescopes. Chandrasekhar’s namesake telescope, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory explores space collecting data about some of the universe’s hottest objects.
Grade level(s): 9-12
Guide subjects: Astronomy, History
Minority Group(s): Immigrants
In-class time: 40 to 80 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Technology Requirements: Student web access required, Audio/Video optional
Common Core Standards: Reading: Informational Text
Next Generation Science Standards: Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science