{"id":13402,"date":"2026-05-04T06:58:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T06:58:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=13402"},"modified":"2026-05-31T07:21:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T07:21:55","slug":"a-tour-of-our-stellar-neighbourhood-s","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/a-tour-of-our-stellar-neighbourhood-s\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tour of Our Stellar Neighbourhood (S)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey through Space\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-through-space\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_through_Space-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey through Space\" title=\"Journey through Space\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">A Tour of Our Stellar Neighbourhood<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">A Tour of Our Stellar Neighbourhood<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Type<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Nearby Stars<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Distance<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Up to 50 light years<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Total Stars<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>1,800 to 2,000 (1,300 to 1,500 star systems)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Our <strong>immediate cosmic neighborhood<\/strong> &#8211; the <strong>50 light-years<\/strong> surrounding us &#8211; is a wild collection of <strong>alien worlds<\/strong>. Instead of lonely yellow stars like our Sun, this local space is <strong>dominated by tiny, dim red dwarfs<\/strong> like <strong>Proxima Centauri<\/strong> and <strong>TRAPPIST-1,<\/strong> where <strong>tightly packed rocky planets<\/strong> crowd around their stars like huddling around a campfire. You&#8217;ll also encounter <strong>binary systems<\/strong> where <strong>twin stars orbit<\/strong> each other in a permanent gravitational dance, and bizarre planets like <strong>Gliese 436 b<\/strong>, a scorching &#8220;<strong>burning ice cube<\/strong>&#8221; squeezed solid by <strong>immense gravity<\/strong>. It proves that <strong>incredible cosmic diversity<\/strong> is waiting <strong>right in our backyard<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Draw a picture of one of our nearby stars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-1de210-c0 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-6f1b70-a5 active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6aae53cdbfa76&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6aae53cdbfa76\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"Nearby Stars\" class=\"wp-image-13577\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars-768x404.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars-1536x807.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Nearby_Stars.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-13402 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1143\" height=\"838\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sun_Location.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Location of the Sun in our Solar System\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sun_Location.png 1143w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sun_Location-300x220.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sun_Location-1024x751.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sun_Location-768x563.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1143px) 100vw, 1143px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Location<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Within the Milky Way<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li><strong>Most of the stars<\/strong> closest to us are &#8220;<strong>Red Dwarfs<\/strong>.&#8221; They are much smaller and cooler than our Sun, and their planets have to crowd incredibly close to them &#8211; like huddling around a campfire &#8211; just to stay warm!<\/li>\n<li>Many stars nearby don&#8217;t like being alone. In the Alpha Centauri system, two bright suns spend their whole lives spinning and dancing around each other in a permanent circle.<\/li>\n<li>If you could visit Proxima Centauri b, the closest alien planet to Earth, you would see a dim red sun that never sets. Because the planet is locked in place, one side is stuck in a forever sunset, while the other side is permanently dark and freezing.<\/li>\n<li>Around the local star Gliese 436 sits a planet made of ice that is constantly on fire! It is so close to its star that it heats up to 800\u00b0F (430\u00b0C), but the planet&#8217;s gravity is so strong that it squeezes the water into a super-dense ice that refuses to melt.<\/li>\n<li>Just 48 light-years away is Gliese 1214 b, a planet larger than Earth that has no land, no islands, and no rocks. It is completely covered by one giant, planet-wide ocean hiding under thick, steamy clouds!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">263<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">May 18, 2026<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-13402","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/13402","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13402"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}