Short films about astronomy made by animation students

Eleven short animated films on astronomy, created by 25 students from the Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Animation at Lusófona University, are now available online. The project resulted from a collaboration between Lusófona University and the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA), within the scope of curricular internships developed over the past few years.

The shorts range from 3 to 7 minutes in duration and present scientific themes in an accessible and visually engaging way, such as the phases of the Moon, the different types of stars, the scale of the planets, or the discovery of exoplanets. The scientific review of the content was carried out by researchers from the IA.

The characters’ voices were recorded at the FCCN Studio – a unit of the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), specialised in digital services for science and higher education.

Titles and Synopses of the Shorts

Artefacts: Astronomy through the Ages
By observing different artefacts in an archaeology professor’s office, we discover how astronomy has played an important role in different cultures and historical periods.

When the Moon Fades
What happens during a lunar eclipse? This short film explains why the Moon sometimes turns red and the differences between total, partial, and penumbral eclipses.

Between the Earth and the Moon, or the Scale of the Planets
Can all the planets in the Solar System fit in the space between the Earth and the Moon? This short explores the size and distance between planets.

What Are Stars For?
Maia and her father are camping and, under the starry sky, they discover some of the roles stars played in the past and still play today.

Not All Stars Are the Same
Stars vary in size, colour, and temperature. This short introduces the different types of stars that exist in the Universe.

The Phases of the Moon
As the Moon orbits the Earth, its appearance changes. This short explains the four main phases of the Moon and how we see them from different parts of the planet.

Meteors, Meteoroids, Meteorites... What Are They?
What’s the difference between these terms? And what do they have to do with shooting stars? A short film that clarifies commonly confused concepts.

What Has Astronomy Done for You Today?
Beyond exploring the Universe, astronomy has brought us many technological innovations we use daily. This short shows concrete examples of the impact of science on our lives.

A Ruler to the Stars
How do we measure such vast distances in the Universe? This short introduces concepts like the light-year, parallax, and parsec, explaining how we measure space.

Distances in the Universe
How do we know how far away galaxies are? Learn about Cepheids and supernovae — essential tools for measuring the size of the Universe.

Let’s Discover Other Worlds
How are planets beyond the Solar System discovered? This short explores the search for exoplanets and the methods astronomers use to identify them.

Explore the Works