It engages the student in thinking strategies that research sciences use. Generally, the area of investigation is the field of orbital mechanics, describing the motion of the planets and other objects within the Solar System. Pluto's annual revolution takes 248 Earth-years. In order to plot Pluto's position, we need to understand what we can infer from the observations of Pluto since its discovery. We also need to understand how do we navigate spacecraft to encounter a planet.
Students structure the problem.
Discussion of the factors involved in solving the problem. Considerations of ways to think about the problem, perhaps creating hypothetical models to help think things through. Students identify the problem in the investigation. Among the problems is plotting the orbit of Pluto. Access to computer-based astronomy and orbital illustrations can help students visualize and calculate aspects of the problems.