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Hunt the Asteroids

How do we find asteroids?



An image of a pair of binoculars on the Earth looking out to space showing small asteroids scattered through it.


Distances in Space

Distances to objects in space are very, very large. The nearest star (excluding the Sun), Alpha Centauri, is 41.23 trillion km, or 41,320,000,000,000 km!!



a starry background with a tape measure and the word year


Annie Jump Cannon

Annie Jump Cannon
Credit: Smithsonian Institution (US)

Occupation: Astronomer and Curator

Year born: 1863

Research Areas: Stars, Stellar Classification, Spectroscopy

 

"In our troubled days it is good to have something outside our planet, something fine and distant for comfort"

Count the Stars!

Have you ever wondered how many stars you can see in the night sky? Did you know that the number you can see depends on where you are?



The silhouette of 3 children looking up at a starry sky


Make Your Own Impact Crater

Impact craters are made when a space rock (called a meteorite or asteroid) hits a rocky planet or moon. The impact makes a round hole in the surface, called a crater.



Photo of the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona


How is the Universe Expanding?



Illustration representing the mesh used to describe gravity.


Predict the Solar Cycle

The Sun is a constant presence in our life on Earth. It gives us the heat and light we need to survive. But it is not a stable place. The Sun is a ball of hot plasma which is constantly changing.



Predicting the Sun's Cycle


Explore The Moon's Surface

You have probably seen the Moon in the sky but have you ever studied it in detail?



The surface of the Moon with cartoon rulers and tally-counts


Kepler's Laws: Find the Mass of the Sun

Many years ago, a mathematician named Johannes Kepler created a set of rules explaining planets' movement in our Solar System.



The picture shows a cartoon portrait of Johannes Kepler in front of an artist's impression of the Solar System.


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