Level: Lower - Upper Primary

Overview: This activity allows students to look at some fantastic space images in three dimensions, and also learn about anaglyph images and the way depth perception works.

When looking at the world, human beings build a 3D picture based on the information gathered from the eyes. Each eye recieves a slightly different picture than the other due to their different positions on your face. The brain combines the two images from each of your eyes to create a three-dimensional image, allowing you to have depth perception - you can tell how far away you are from the things you see!

Resources Needed:

• Oaktag (sturdy poster board)
• Scissors
• Clear tape
•  Basic pattern for glasses 69.73 Kb
• Sheets of red and blue acetate (available at art supply stores)
• 3D images

Objectives: This activity is designed to teach students:

• How depth perception works
• Different methods for visualising space imagery and data

Activity Procedure:

Cut out the sample pattern (including eyeholes) for your 3D glasses and tape the sides to the centre section. You now have your stencil for the actual glasses.

Trace the stencil on the oaktag or sturdy poster board. Cut the glasses out making sure to also cut out the eyeholes.

Tape the red (left) and blue (right) acetate pieces to cover the eyeholes. Make sure to cut the acetate pieces a little larger than the opening for the eyes. DO NOT get tape on parts of the acetate visible through the eyehole.

Take a look at some space images!

Tying It All Together:

Potential topics for further discussion include:

• the different methods scientists use to represent data and images from outer space (eg stereoscopic images, infra-red imaging, gamma-ray measurements etc)(Learn more about light wavelengths in astronomy)
• How is colour used to provide different kinds of information about an image in astronomy? What technology is used to get images from space in the first place?
• the STEREO mission
• Why does each lens need to be a different colour? What is happening to the light passing through the glasses?

You can also take this activity even further by getting the class to make their own anaglyph image. Learn more about making anaglyphs here (or try this alternative tutorial) (instructions are for Adobe Photoshop, but can be modified for any decent computer-assisted drawing program).

Check out some of these Shockwave videos of Mars, also in 3D.

Based on a NASA activity

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