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Project Timeline
This website didn't appear all at once. It grew out of my Science Quest project and keeps growing. Here's how it happened.
The spark
I chose magnetars as my Science Quest topic because they sounded almost unbelievable. The more I read, the more questions I had.
Science Quest project & prize
I presented my magnetar research and it went really well - I was given a prize! But I felt like there was so much more to say than fits on a poster.
Research phase
I started a proper learning journal and read everything I could about how stars live and die, not just magnetars. I realised magnetars only make sense once you understand the whole life cycle.
First website version
Taught myself the basics of HTML and CSS and built a simple one-page site. It was plain and a bit wonky, but it was mine.
Expanding the content
Split the site into proper pages: an intro to astronomy, the full life cycle of a star, and the big magnetar section.
Learning to draw with code
Discovered SVG and redrew all my diagrams as code so they look sharp on phones and computers. Built the interactive Star Life Cycle Explorer.
Quizzes & interactive features
Added the self-marking quiz and the magnetic field comparison tool. Learning JavaScript was the hardest part but also the most fun.
Polishing & sharing
Improved the glossary with a search box, made everything work on mobile, and added resources so teachers and other students can use it. Picked a proper domain name.
Where it's heading
See my future plans - I want to add a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, more quizzes, and a section on exoplanets.