Hertzsprung–Russell diagrams as an investigative tool in high school education: analysis of a project using real data from stellar clusters

Abstract

This work presents an astronomy education project developed with high school students, focusing on understanding the stellar life cycle and using digital tools to construct the Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagram. The activities aimed to broaden students’ knowledge beyond traditional school astronomy topics such as Universal Gravitation and cosmological models. The project combined theoretical lessons with practical activities, including data collection using the Stellarium software and data processing and visualization using TOPCAT. Students identified patterns in the diagrams, classified stars, and investigated their characteristics and evolutionary stages. The results were largely satisfactory, highlighting student engagement and protagonism in the learning process. This experience highlights the potential of investigative approaches in astronomy education, fostering meaningful learning and encouraging an interest in science.