Astronomy Links

Thousands of years ago, people began studying the movements of the planets and stars and wondered how our planet fit into the scheme of things. In modern times, we don't just watch the heavens. We explore them. With the help of high-powered space telescopes, space shuttles, orbiting space stations, and traveling space probes, we have learned about the far reaches of this galaxy and beyond. When astronomical events and human endeavors reveal new information about the universe, Planet Diary will cover them.

Use these links to support Satellites and Information Technology (Section 1.3) in Prentice Hall Earth Science:

• GPS (text page 16): Global Positioning System
• NASA GPS Activity

Use these links to support Unit 7: Astronomy in Prentice Hall Earth Science:

• Comets and Meteor Showers (text page 663): Comets
• Earth's Orbit and Parallax (text page 702): What Is Parallax?

Try these Planet Diary Astronomy Activities:

• Cosmic Collision: The Fate of the Milky Way
  Check out what will happen when the Milky Way and Andromeda cross cosmic paths a few billion years from now.
• What Is a Planet, Anyway?
  Find out about the debate among astronomers about Pluto's place in the solar system and learn the new definition of a planet.
• Sunspots and Geomagnetic Storms
  Explore the relationship between sunspots and space "weather" phenomena such as geomagnetic storms and auroras.
• Lunar and Solar Eclipses
  Learn the relative positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon during lunar and solar eclipses.

Sky and Telescope
This great online astronomy magazine has the latest reports on space-related events. It's also a wonderful source for information on eclipses, meteor showers, and other space phenomena.

NASA Home Page
What would a space site be without a link to the National Aeronautic and Space Administration? Pages include:

• Star Child
• Welcome to the Planets

Exploratorium Observatory
This terrific site offers information and activities on auroras, eclipses, sunspots and lots more.

Space Weather Bureau
How strong is today's solar wind? Are there any geomagnetic storms on the way? Get the latest space weather reports here.

Goddard Space Flight Center
The GSFC has frequently updated information and images from space.

The Hubble Space Telescope
See the latest amazing images from the Hubble Space Telescope.

The Why Files
This excellent science magazine features fun, easy-to-read articles on various topics in astronomy.

Spectra from Space
This site provides a look at four orbiting observatories, including the Hubble telescope, dedicated to different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Star Journey
This excellent online exhibit from National Geographic features a virtual model of the Hubble Space Telescope, and a Star Chart linked to spectacular Hubble photographs.

Earth and Sky
Earth and Sky is a daily radio program that answers everyday science questions. Find out when and where to hear the show or learn more about the topics they've covered in the past.

Eric Weisstein's World of Astronomy
Does astronomy jargon baffle you? Use this site to look up astronomy words and get brief definitions, as well as links to related terms. Eric is an astronomer at the University of Virginia.

The Eight Planets
Doing a report on a planet? Learn about the history, mythology, and science behind the planets of our solar system.

Resources: The Sun and Space Weather
Find out what the space weather forecast is today and learn about the northern lights with this USA Today list of links.

Build a Solar System
This cool Exploratorium page shows you how to make a scale model of the solar system.

Tour of the Universe
These online activities let you view actual astronomical photos and try to intepret them. You will get feedback and the opportunity to see how other people interpreted the photos.

The Great Satellite Search
Students will play the role of a NASA project manager who must justify continued funding for a specific satellite. Students will search the Internet for information on their satellite. This and other great space projects are part of the Science Information Infrastructure at the Exploratorium.

Solar Learning Activities
Make a sundial or investigate solar cycles. You'll find several activities about our sun at this Yohkoh Public Outreach Project Web site.