We saw how our lunar eclipse model couldn't explain for the color differences we see during a lunar eclipse. Why on earth is it red?!?!?! We began putting ideas together to recognize that while in the Earth's shadow, the light that reaches the moon passes through the Earth's atmosphere, full of various gases and particles. Does this do something with the white light from the Sun?
We placed various substances in water (the next best medium to recreate the atmosphere) and saw some pretty incredible things happen when light travels through longer stretches of the atmosphere in order to get to the moon when it's in the perfect spot for a lunar eclipse!
Ideas are flying off the shelves! Students are seeing that the light "changes" color as it travels through more of the Earth's atmosphere!