Star Stuff: Astronomy on the Web

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"We are made of star stuff," said the astronomer Carl Sagan. Maybe that's why we are so fascinated with the stars. We may not be able to hitch a ride on the next shuttle, but cyberspace can get us there, and it's only a click away.

We can start our journey at NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day, where we can see an amazing galactic display. Will today's image be a quasar, a face on Mars, or perhaps the birth of a star? Don't worry, if you miss a day you can access the archive where you can even see interstellar dust bunnies!

Let's venture out and explore Earth's neighborhood at The Nine Planets, featuring facts, photos, and more for all the planets and asteroids in the solar system. Start with an overview of the solar system. Then check out Solar System Extrema, where you'll learn the largest, smallest, brightest, and densest of the major bodies in the solar system, as well as those with best prospects for life. Ready to visit a planet? Blast over to Mars, where you'll find images of the planet's spectacular terrain of mountains, valleys, and craters. And don't forget, there are lots of bodies in the solar system besides planets. At this site, you can also learn about comets and asteroids.

Young astronomers will go spacey over NASA's StarChild site. There are lots of fascinating facts, colorful photos, and fun questions about the solar system, the universe, and other "space stuff." You'll even find a glossary of commonly used terms. Each section is available in two levels, so space fans will find the information written just for them. Don't miss the Universe Activities, available for both younger kids and older kids. You'll find word games, geometry puzzles, picture matching games, and more!

Now let's take a Star Journey, courtesy of National Geographic. We'll need a star chart to begin our exploration. Just click on a section of the night sky to get a closer look at the constellations. You'll even find real photos from the Hubble Space Telescope, like the Cat's Eye Nebula, a dying star. Or visit a star cluster and find out what makes some stars red and others blue-white.

Total Eclipse of the Moon
On February 20, stargazers had the rare opportunity to watch one of nature�¢����s most beautiful wonders�¢����a total lunar eclipse.

News From Outer Space
This News from Outer Space collection follows the exciting developments happening in the world of space exploration, from the dwarf planets populating our solar system to improvements being made to the International Space Station.

LESSON PLAN	Reading and Writing about the Solar System Use this lesson to teach students about the solar system through reading and writing .
ONLINE ACTIVITY	The View from Hubble See what the Hubble Space Telescopes sees in this slide show.
BOOK INFORMATION	The Stargazers A book full of fascinating facts and pictures all about billions and billions of stars: how we can look at them, what their names are, and what they teach us.