Astronomy

While NASA investigates space with satellites, shuttles and telescopes, you can make discoveries in your own backyard. With your naked eye you can see stars and many planets, and with a pair of binoculars and some practice you can even see Jupiter’s moons. Have fun exploring the night skies with the direct links on the Times Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint.

Level 1

Let’s Explore the Nine Planets! The sun is the only star we can see during the day. Learn about planets, comets and asteroids through this site that has photos, movies, animations, planet finder charts and activities to try at home.

https://www.tcsn.net/afiner/title.htm

Welcome to Astronomy for Kids: What causes shooting stars? How are moon craters created? Find out through this site which explains how to use star maps and tells you the best time to view certain planets. Learn more about the solar system and send a friend a postcard that is “out of this world”!

https://www.dustbunny.com/afk/index.html

Thinkquest: Astronomy for Kids: Learn about the phases of the moon and find out how a lunar eclipse differs from a solar eclipse. Read about observation equipment used to study the universe, use a virtual telescope to view planets and constellations, and get your astronomy questions answered through an online forum.

https://tqjunior.advanced.org/3645

Level 2

Space and Astronomy for Kids: From learning how to use a telescope to the details of the recent Stardust mission, this extensive collection of resources can help you discover the wonders of space.

https://kidsastronomy.miningco.com/

Explore the Night Sky: The planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can all be viewed with the naked eye under the right conditions. Learn some stargazing tips, find out what planets can be seen now and why planets aren’t always visible, and check out the space calendar of current explorations.

https://explorezone.com/space/nightsky.htm

Black Holes and Neutron Stars: What is it like in the center of a black hole? Imagine a place where mass has no volume and time stands still. Learn about mysterious phenomena like neutron stars and pulsars through this site that has great graphics and uses understandable terms.

https://www.eclipse.net/~cmmiller/BH/blkmain.html

Level 3

Sky and Telescope: SkyWise: What constellations you are able to see all depends on where you are: Latitude determines your view of the universe. This outstanding site features tips for viewing stars despite city lights, news of recent discoveries, and cartoons which explain astronomy.

https://www.skypub.com/tips/skywise/strips.html

The Exploratorium Observatory: Did you know that some sun spots are as large as 50,000 miles in diameter? Learn more about the sun as well as solar eclipses and auroras and use an online calculator to discover the relative sizes of the planets.

https://www.exploratorium.edu/observatory/index.html

Hawaiian Astronomical Society: The Constellations by Alphabet: From Andromeda to Vulpecula, get acquainted with the eighty-eight constellations that shine down upon us. This helpful guide tells the stories behind the constellation names and provides maps that pinpoint the stars in the sky.

https://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/constellations.html

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

When are the best times to view comets?

CLUE: Let’s Explore the Nine Planets!

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 80 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: A columnist is a person who writes about their own views and not just the facts.

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Lori Bowers, Kristin Keegan, Jennifer Takamine and Anna Manring.