19 March 2025 · As part of the national celebration of Astronomy Day, the USACH Planetarium and the Millennium Nucleus on Young Exoplanets and their Moons (YEMS) officially presented the card game "Exploring Exoplanets", an educational tool designed to bring science and the discovery of distant worlds into Chilean classrooms.
The event, held on Friday 21 March together with the Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, the Chilean Astronomical Society (Sochias), the USACH Physics Department and the CIRAS Centre, featured talks, free screenings and activities for teachers. The launch of the new game, developed by the Millennium Nucleus YEMS outreach and education team, closed the day.
A journey through worlds beyond the Solar System
"Exploring Exoplanets" is a collectible card game presenting information about various planets detected outside the Solar System. Each card includes scientific and visual data based on real discoveries, inviting players to learn about the diversity of worlds in our galaxy.
The deck is complemented by an activity book designed for teachers and students to explore astronomy concepts in a playful way, integrating curiosity and active learning in the classroom. This initiative aims to strengthen science education and promote critical thinking about space exploration.
"We want the study of exoplanets to be experienced with the same excitement with which astronomers discover new worlds," said the Millennium Nucleus YEMS team. "The game is a creative and collaborative way to bring science to young audiences and schools across the country."
A collaboration between science, art and education
The project was developed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers, designers and educators at Millennium Nucleus YEMS, with support from USACH Planetarium and the CIRAS Centre. Its design combines scientific rigour and visual aesthetics, integrating real exoplanet images, data from observatories such as ALMA and the VLT, and graphic elements that stimulate imagination and learning.
During the event, attending teachers received free copies of the game and activity book. The event also featured the public talk "Supermassive Black Holes: The Universe's Master Chefs", delivered by astronomer Valeria Olivares, faculty member of the USACH Physics Department.
Source:
USACH News