If you’ve started learning about space, you’ve probably heard the term ‘light year.’ But what is a light year? Despite how it may sound, a light year is a unit of DISTANCE, and helps us talk about distances in space. (Hint: objects in space are really, really far apart!)
The category of dwarf planets was created in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union to help contain new objects that were being discovered. Although there are hundreds of objects in the solar system that could potentially be classified as dwarf planets, as of 2017 there are only five officially recognized ones: Ceres, Pluto, Eris, … Read more
When you look up at the sky on a sunny day, there’s one thing that you can’t miss: the Sun! It’s hard to miss because it’s the biggest and brightest object in the sky. The Sun is more than just a giant ball of fire in the sky, it’s the center of our solar system, … Read more
A solar eclipse is one of the most dramatic astronomical events it is possible to witness. They are caused by the shadow of the moon falling on the Earth when the sun, moon, and Earth are aligned correctly. To the people within the moon’s shadow, the sun appears to disappear and the sky goes … Read more
Comets are visitors from the outer reaches of the solar system, and sometimes give a spectacular show to stargazers on earth. In deep space, a comet may look like an asteroid – just a lump of space rock – but as it heads towards the inner solar system and is heated by the sun, … Read more
The Milky Way is our home galaxy. It can be seen in the sky if the night is dark enough, a cloudy white stripe of stars too far to be seen individually with the naked eye. Our Solar System is only a small piece of the enormous galaxy in which we live!
The moon is our nearest neighbor in space and the only heavenly body that people have visited! Learn more about the moon and our visits to it in this fun, kid-friendly video.
Scorpius is a constellation visible in the southern hemisphere and also in the northern hemisphere during the summer! It’s located on the Milky Way near the southern horizon, and is best viewed in July. Learn about the myth behind Scorpius in this kid-friendly video.
A nebula may just be an interstellar cloud of dust and gas, but it is also one of the most spectacular sights to be seen through a telescope! Nebulae (pronounced: NEB-you-lee) pepper the galaxy with beautiful colors, shapes, and lights. Learn more about this celestial phenomena, including the four major types of nebulae and … Read more
In July of 1969, humans set foot on the first – and to date, only – celestial body away from their home planet. This is the story of Apollo 11, the mission that took Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins to the moon and take that historic “one small step for man, one … Read more