Helpful Astronomy Links

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Image by Joe Pohle

Astronomy Links for Kids
 

  • How Does the Light Intensity of Stars Change with Distance?: This science project from ScienceBuddies helps determine how the light intensity of a source of light changes with distance.

  • Saturn Activities: There are various ways to get invested in learning about the planets, especially Saturn, such as visiting a planetarium, doing crafts, and creating scale models of how different in size each of the planets are!

  • Space Lithographs: The NASA HubbleSite has several pages of lithographs or downloadable fact-filled images of celestial objects so you can learn more about the galaxy.

  • Make a Planetary Exploration Balloon: This fun activity involves designing a balloon and gondola and determining the weight needed to ascend, descend, or stay at the same altitude.

  • Planet Tours Activity: Help plan a vacation around the galaxy! Pick a planet and do some research on it and then help make materials that could encourage others to visit the planet as well.

  • Paper Cup Planetarium: Using paper drinking cups and a push-pin, you can follow the patterns to make existing constellations or make your own constellation and origin story.

  • Hands-On Astronomy Activities (PDF): This document is filled with astronomy-based hands-on activities to help you learn more about space while having fun.

  • SkyTellers: The Myths, the Magic, and the Mysteries of the Universe: This page has everything you need to know about stars, but maybe never thought to ask!

  • Ask an Astronomer: This is your chance to ask an astronomer for an answer to your burning questions.

  • Star Gazers: This weekly series is the first show based on naked-eye astronomy so that you can see some of the same stars from your backyard without a telescope!

  • Classroom Astronomy Activities (PDF): Looking for more astronomy-based classroom activities you and your friends can try out? This document is filled with fun experiments and activities that teach you more about space.

  • What Do You Know About Astronomy?: Test your astronomy know-how with this 10 question quiz.

  • Astronomy Crossword Puzzle: This crossword puzzle uses astronomy terms, so just click on the boxes you want to solve and type in your words based on the prompt.

  • Astro War Cards: This free online game helps you learn more about the planets and solar system through a fun card game.

  • Making the Moon: This page from National Geographic teaches you about making a model of a lunar crater and how to draw the moon.

  • Solar System Structures: Create and print your solar system. In this activity, you can make planets, name them, decide their order, and determine whether they have any rings or moons.

  • Stargazing and Other Astronomy Activities: Looking for a way to involve your family while you learn more about astronomy? Here are some fun activities you can do with your family, friends, and siblings!

  • Space Cleanup: Help your new alien friend, Paxi, clean up space debris to repair the satellites.

  • Walk the Solar System (PDF): This document has activities and astronomy questions designed to test your knowledge.

  • Fun Facts About Cool Astronomers: We couldn't have learned the knowledge we have today without astronomers in the past making these discoveries! If you're looking for fun facts about the astronomers who taught us what we know today, you can find them here.

  • Exploring the Universe: This hands-on activity asks for you to imagine and draw an extreme environment and determine what kinds of living things can thrive in that space. NASA scientists have a similar activity when they study extremophiles to predict where to find certain living things in extreme environments.

  • Astronomy Night Activities (PDF): The White House put together a bunch of astronomy-related activities, some of which they tested during an event.

  • Design Your Own UFO: Have you ever daydreamed about UFOs? Now is your chance to create your own and decide what makes it special.

  • Quiz Yourself on Your Knowledge of Space and the Solar System: This quiz tests your knowledge of space, the planets, stars, and the galaxy. You can try answering the questions on your own or scroll to the bottom of the page for the answers.

  • Build a Solar System with Paper: Quilling involves wrapping paper strips around a tool to form a coil and create intricate designs. In this activity, you can use quilling to create a rendition of the solar system.

  • Constellation Station: This interactive astronomy game from ABCya teaches you about constellations.

  • Constellation Sky Wheel (PDF): Creating a sky wheel can help you figure out how to find some of the many constellations that adorn the night sky.

  • A Simple Made Up Constellation: Constellations aren't set in stone! This image of a bunch of stars could be many different constellations, you may see one thing, but your friend may see something else. You can make your constellations and see what you came up with to see how similar and different they are.

  • Keck Observatory Virtual Tour: The W.M. Keck Observatory is located in Hawaii. While you might not be able to see it in person, they have made it possible to take a tour of the observatory from the comfort of your own home.

  • Space Frontier: Travel to the Edge of Space: Take control of a spaceship and help it launch correctly from the Earth by clicking at the correct time to get rid of the detachments. Find out how far you can launch your rocket and if you're able to reach outer space.

  • Space Word Search: This word search has space-based words so look carefully to find all the hidden words!

  • Space Explorer: Can you find all the objects hidden within the drawing in this space-based image?

  • Space Travel: This is a fun activity to learn why people want to travel to space and what kinds of engineers contribute to traveling through space.

  • Palomar Observatory Virtual Tour: The Palomar Virtual Observatory has created a 360 degrees virtual tour so you can see the three main telescopes and other interesting things.

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Our thanks to the Lyndhurst, NJ Girls' STEM Club for pointing us towards these great resources for kids interested in astronomy! 

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