Curascopium, a student-led organization founded at the University of California, Berkeley in 2023, recently succeeded in completing their first event. Curascopium aims to transcend the barrier of visual impairment to allow everyone, regardless of their abilities, to experience and enjoy the wonders of the universe through a platform that focuses on both education and entertainment. 

This vision first took shape through an astronomy class at the University of Tsukuba’s Special Needs Education School for the Visually Impaired. On November 8th, 2023, we hosted this special lecture for more than ten visually impaired and low vision second-year high school students in collaboration with Mr. Naoto Shibata , a science teacher at the school. 

In their regular earth science classes, the students learn about a variety of astronomy-related topics, such as the diurnal motion of the sun, the movement of stars, the scale of celestial bodies in the solar system, and telescopes through models and workshops. To supplement this foundation, our special lecture focused on experiencing the "paradigm shift from the geocentric to the heliocentric model" that began with Galileo Galilei's astronomical observations. We chose this theme because it builds upon the students' existing knowledge while introducing them to new concepts and motivating them to appreciate the grandeur of the history of the universe.

The selected topics included:

1. The key differences between heliocentrism and geocentrism

2. The remarkable capabilities of the telescope first used by Galileo in the 17th century

3. The details of the moon revealed through telescopic observations

4. The discovery of Jupiter’s satellite moons and the shift towards the heliocentric model

A key aspect of our class was to create an "interactive learning experience." Instead of traditional classroom pedagogy, our aim was to create a collaborative environment that encourages active participation in our hands-on activities, in order to provide the students with a meaningful and rewarding experience. To achieve this, we focused on designing models and hosting workshops to demonstrate the concepts we covered in the class.

However, as we were designing the models and activities, we discovered the challenge of communicating visual information to those who perceive the world without vision, a common issue faced by those engaging in visual support activities. Under the mentorship of several experts, including Dr. Shin Minegishi, a professor emeritus in inclusive astronomy at Kyoto University, Dr. Makoto Kobayashi, a professor at the Tsukuba University of Technology, and Dr. Yoichi Ochiai, and associate professor from the University of Tsukuba, we successfully devised several prototypes that were then evaluated by visually impaired college students for feedback.

Our final products included:

• A dotted diagram of the solar system to explain the differences between heliocentrism and geocentrism.
• An audio recording of “Canon” by Pachelbel with added noise to convey the differences between observations by the naked eye and those through the telescope.
• A comparison between beads (small sphere with a smooth surface), a 3D model of the moon (larger sphere), and a moon crater model (with a rugged surface) to demonstrate the differences in the size and granularity of visual information when seen through a telescope.
• A dotted diagram showing Galileo's chronological sketches of the Galilean moons as seen through his telescope lens.
• A 3D diagram of Jupiter, the Galilean moons, and their orbits.
• A 3D model using light, shadow, and sound to experience the movement of satellite moons.

The highlight among these was the 3D model using light, shadow, and sound.

In conveying the concept of satellite moons, the challenge for visually impaired students was:

"How do Galileo's two-dimensional sketches of the Galilean moons correspond to the 3D model of the satellites orbiting around Jupiter?"

We designed this model to overcome this obstacle.

First, we fixed 3D objects that represent Jupiter and the Galilean moons in specific positions along their respective orbits. Then, we shined a strong light from one side to create shadows on a screen behind these models. By projecting these shadows, we were able to replicate Galileo’s sketches on the screen based on the position of the objects. As we adjusted the positions of the Galilean moons on their orbits, the number of shadows appearing on the screen and their respective positions also changed. Using a light detection device that emits a high-pitched or low-pitched sounds corresponding to the intensity of the light that is being detected, the students were able to trace the shadows of the Galilean moons and subsequently touch the 3D model to confirm their three-dimensional position in order to understand Galileo’s observations that satellite moons were orbiting Jupiter.

In conjunction with the other models and activities listed above, we used this model as a basis to explain how Galileo developed a model that eventually led to the paradigm shift from geocentrism to heliocentrism.

Feedback from the students:

As this was Curascopium's first ever event, there was a lot of uncertainty, and we were unsure of how things would turn out. However, we received very positive feedback from the students:

• “The explanations using diagrams and models of Jupiter, its moons, and the magnified lunar surface were very easy to understand.”
• “The class was interesting because we could manipulate the models ourselves and confirm the positional relationships.”
• “I would like to use this model to explore not only Jupiter but also other planets and their moons.”
• “I learned that engaging with astronomy is not just about knowing the theories.”
• “I now want to research scholars who piqued my interest.”