We describe a hands-on accurate demonstrator for cosmic rays realized by six high school students.
The main aim is to show the relevance and the functioning of the principal parts of a cosmic ray
telescope (muon detector), with the help of two large sized wooden artefacts. The first one points
out how cosmic rays can be tracked in a muon telescope, while the other one shows the key avalanche
process of electronic ionization that effectively allows muon detection through a photomultiplier.
Incoming cosmic rays are visualized in terms of laser beams, whose 3D trajectory is highlighted by
turning on LEDs on two orthogonal matrices. Instead the avalanche ionization process is demonstrated
through the avalanche falling off glass marbles on an inclined plane, finally turning on a LED. A
pictured poster accompanying the demonstrator is as effective in assisting cosmic ray demonstration
and its detection. The success of the demonstrator has been fully proven by the general public
during…