Astronomy

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.



a starry background with a tape measure and the word year


Investigate: Measure the Size of a Galaxy

Have you ever wondered how big a galaxy is? They contain millions to billions of stars but what does that really mean for size?

Reading about sizes in a book is one thing, but what if you could make an observation of a galaxy and then measure its size?



Picture of a galaxy with a ruler next to it and question marks


Make Your Own Star Wheel

Have you ever noticed how the night sky looks different every single day? This is because we are constantly moving in space so our view changes.



A picture of a starry sky with question marks over the top


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


Interactive Orrery

An Orrery is a moving, mechanical model of the Solar System. It shows how all of the planets orbit around the Sun.



A illustration of the planets orbiting the Sun. Each planet has a clock face on it.


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