COSMO HUNTERS is a card game developed by Giannandrea Inchingolo in collaboration with INAF – Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory and GAME Science Research Center. This game intends to discuss astronomical observations at different electromagnetic spectrum frequencies in the last primary and middle school classes.
Short description: The game consists of a set collection of cards, which players must collect during the game. The greatest number of observation cards of different celestial objects are needed to accumulate points. Not all objects are visible to the naked eye, that is, they emit light in the frequency of the visible electromagnetic spectrum: most of the observation cards refer to objects that emit light in other frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum. To score points associated with these observation cards, players must have the corresponding telescope card, as there are different telescopes for the different frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Player numbers: from 2 to 6 (up to 8 in couple groups during educational activities)
Age: 8+ (10+ for educational activities)
Duration: 15-30 minutes.
Educational goal (hard shills): strategic development, lateral thinking, relations with other players, self-decision making, management of the self.
Disciplinary Goals (soft skills): Learn about the different types of frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays) and understand how astrophysicists observe each of these frequencies with the right telescopes.
Connection with Astrophysics: the game setting recreates a basic mechanism of astronomical observations: to observe celestial objects at different frequencies, it is necessary to have a telescope suitable for those frequencies. The game presents the variety of telescopes currently used in contemporary astrophysics, showing that telescopes are much more varied in typology than the common idea (the classic Galilean “tube” telescope on a tripod).
Furthermore, the game introduces the concept of multi-frequency astronomical observations: to gain in-depth knowledge of an astrophysical object, it is necessary to observe and study it at different frequencies and only the combination of this information allows us to better understand how the celestial object works.
Each card in the game is accompanied by real astronomical images of the different astrophysical objects chosen, to make the setting even more suggestive and to deepen the scientific information of the cards.
COSMO HUNTERS has been presented in several national and international festivals related to the world of play and education, such as PLAY Festival del Gioco in Modena, Lucca Comics & Games, Festival delle Scienze in Rome and Firenze Gioca, reaching more than 1000 people. The educational effectiveness of the game was tested through an educational project that took place in 2024 between Florence and Cagliari, involving more than 200 13-year-old pupils.
The game is available in a print and play version at the following link.
