Designing an augmented reality exoplanet lab app and activity to facilitate interaction and active learning in the planetarium

Planetariums are inherently immersive and effective learning spaces for astronomy concepts, but they lack interaction and become mere lecture environments.We explore how technology can support interaction and active learning with an initial prototype of the extrasolAR app designed through interviews with exoplanet educators.The educators shared four common learning goals: 1) detection methods, 2) properties and biases of each detection method, 3) what these properties imply about life in the universe, and 4) the plurality of exoplanets.Through the extrasolAR app, students explore the dome using their tablet and tapping on stars.The students are tasked with finding exoplanets and filling an Exoplanet Catalog with their calculations of various properties of the exoplanet.They look for bigger patterns in the Exoplanet Table , where the lab class' discoveries are shared.Our extrasolAR app incorporates the educators' four learning goals and design goals and explores how technology can create authentic, interactive experiences for students in the planetarium.