Astronomy

Starchild: The Solar System

A learning center for young astronomers. Loaded with information.

Abrams Planetarium

Are you interested in astronomy but don't know where to look? Would you like to know what interesting events are happening in the night sky? Visit this site for a day-by-day list of what to look for and where to look for it. The list is updated each month and includes an archive of past diaries. Check out the archive near the end of the month to take a peek at next month's diary.

Ambit NASA Live Cams and Mission Display

How would you like to see pictures live from space? NASA has a slew of video cameras taking pictures of Earth, of weather in the vicinity of the Kennedy Space Center, and more. If there is a mission going on, you can view the shots as they come in. Otherwise, old footage is shown. It's out of this world!

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific

So, you think you might be interested in astronomy? Well, things are looking up! The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is here to help. This organization has been serving astronomers for over 100 years. They publish The Mercury, a monthly magazine, and The Universe in the Classroom, a free quarterly newsletter for teachers. Of course, there's also loads of information for astronomers here on their web site.

Earth and Sky Homepage

Earth and Sky is a daily radio feature about science, heard on 950 stations around the world. Their topics range from deep-ocean vents to the farthest flung star nurseries in deep space. They also answer intriguing listener questions, some of which have been collected on this web site.
Why is the sky blue? Are soap bubbles round in weightless conditions? Why do leaves change color in the Fall? Earth and Sky knows!

Frequently Asked Questions About NASA

www.nasa.gov/qanda/index.html

Want to know how to become an astronaut? Maybe you just want to get those cool space mission patches to sew onto your backpack. Or you've just got to know if the space shuttle has a bathroom. You might say that NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has the mother ship of all space pages. The answers are here!

Naked Eye Astronomy

www.astronomynotes.com/

If you're serious about learning about astronomy, you should read this introductory essay. It will give you older kids a good perspective on what astronomy is all about. It starts with the concept of time and distance, which is important if you want to learn the whys and hows of astronomy. If there's something you don't understand, try reading it with your parents and then explain it to them. We're sure they will appreciate it. ;-)

NASA Spacelink - An Aeronautics & Space Resource for Educators

spacelink.nasa.gov/index.html

You could visit the NASA Home Page at www.nasa.gov, but for kids and teachers we like this jumping-off place better. Did you read a space-related story in yesterday's newspaper? Chances are there is something about it here, in the Hot Topics area. For more general topics, you can browse some of the most popular sites on the web in the Cool Links area. If it's about space and it's the latest and greatest, then this site is a convenient shortcut!

The Planetary Society

www.planetary.org/

This nonprofit group was founded by astronomer Carl Sagan and others. Its mission is to encourage planetary exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. Naturally, the web site has links to the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) pages, but there is more. How about building your own Mars rover, which distant kids can control (don't worry, you can also drive their rovers).

SKY Online - Your Astronomy Source on the World Wide Web

If you really want to know what's up in the sky this week, today, NOW!, then you've got to visit this site. This is the publisher of Sky & Telescope magazine and other magazines, books, star atlases, and much more. Included are check tips for backyard astronomers, including how to find and see the Russian space station Mir as it orbits overhead. You can also track the latest comet sightings, meteor forecast, and eclipse data. There is a fabulous collection of links, too. If it's happening in space or astronomy this week, you'll find something about it here.

Space Day

www.spaceday.com/

Every year, Space Day is celebrated on the Thursday prior to the anniversary of the U.S. President John F. Kennedy's 1961 challenge to "land a man on the moon and return him to the Earth." There are loads of related online events that day, but the official web page is fun any time. Try the Night Watchman and see if you can click and drag the constellations to the correct place in the sky (if you've got sound, you'll even hear the crickets!). In The Phaser you'll learn all about the phases of the Moon (hope you know your waxing from your waning gibbous; if not, this site will teach you). And don't forget to send your friends some space postcards to show that you really get around.

StarChild: A learning center for young astronomers

heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html

This is a wonderful beginner's guide to astronomy. It's written for smaller children and presents itself in an easy-to-read text. This site includes sections on general astronomy, Earth, planets, stars, galaxies, the Sun, and more. Use these pages to introduce a child (or brother or sister) to the wonders of space. You may even learn some new stuff yourself.

How Big is the Solar System?

www.noao.edu/education/peppercorn/pcmain.html

Let's say you had a bowling ball to represent the Sun and a peppercorn to represent Earth, and you chose other objects to stand in for the other planets. Do you think you could make a scale model of the solar system that would fit on a tabletop? No. Well then, would it fit in your classroom? Still no. OK, how about your school playground? Truth is, you would need 1,000 yards (or slightly less than one kilometer in the metric version) to perform this fascinating and unforgettable "planet walk." This is great activity for a family picnic, too, since it's fun for both children and adults. Complete instructions are provided here!

Solar System Live

www.fourmilab.ch/solar/solar.html

This is Solar System Live, and they mean it! You can tell the computer to draw a picture of the solar system almost any way you'd like it. You can even see what it looked like in the past or what it will look like sometime in the future, by giving it that date. If you're adventurous, you can get a stereo view, but you'll need to train yourself in how to look at the twin pictures - this may take a bit of practice or help from someone older, but it's worth it. You can even include a comet in the drawing to discover how it travels through the solar system on its long journey.

The Sun

seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/sol.html

It's pretty hot stuff! With a temperature of 15 million degrees Kelvin at its center, the Sun is the source of energy for all life on Earth. Each second, the Sun burns enough fuel to produce 386 billion-billion megawatts of energy (that's a lot of light bulbs!). But don't worry; it has enough fuel to burn another five billion years. There are many more interesting facts here to discover about the Sun.

Woman in the Moon

www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center/fellows/georgepage.html

You may have heard of the Man in the Moon, but have you ever seen the Woman in the Moon? Some people think she's actually easier to see! Study the pictures here and see what you think.