Astronomy For Kids


Kids have wonderful imaginations. Astronomy is a great place to start encouraging them to put it to use. Watching the stars is inexpensive too. Grab a blanket, some snacks, and binoculars if you have some handy, and head for a dark spot.

If you need a flash light, try to get one with a red filter. Your eyes take at least 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness everytime you turn it on. If you use a regular flashlight your eyes will need another 30 minutes to adjust. Our eyes adjust much faster to red light.



Let's start with the planet we live on.

Earth is the third planet from the Sun

         The Earth is the third planet from the Sun. It is where you and I live everyday. So far, it is the only planet that we know has life.

         Most of the surface of the Earth is water, that's why the picture above is so blue. You can see clouds, oceans and land in that picture. Do you know how much of the Earth is covered in water? E-mail me if you know!

 

 

Next we can move on to the object that is the easiest to find. The Moon!

The craters on the moon are what make up the

         The Moon is a satellite of the Earth. It circles or orbits the earth about once a month. Would you like to walk on the Moon someday? The moon helps control the waves of our oceans. It is also the easiest sky object to see with just your eyes. Try to look at it with binoculars and look for different sized craters.


Our Star The Sun

Remember to NEVER look directly at the Sun for any amount of time!


         The Sun is a medium sized star. It sits at the center of our solar system. All of the 9 planets go around the Sun in an orbit. The Sun makes life on Earth possible because it gives us both light and heat.


The Speckled Sky

         When you look up at night you can see thousands of stars in the sky. Stars are made mostly of gas and are very hot. They give off very large amounts of heat. The closest star to us is the Sun.

 

 

 

Learn More With These Books for Children!

The Stars: A New Way to See Them Image
This is a clear, vivid text with charts and maps showing the positions of the constellations the year round. "The Stars is the best book available for its purpose. It is also a brilliant example of the combined use of art and writing in bringing science to the layman." -- Saturday Review
Amazon.com: $9.56

The Planets in Our Solar System : Stage 2 (Let'S-Read-And-Find-Out Science. Stage 2) Image
How hot is it on Venus? Which planet takes the longest to orbit the sun? Find out the answers to these and other questions in this newly illustrated version of this popular text. O'Malley's bright and often humorous illustrations depict a group of children and an astronomer as they learn all about our Solar System.
Amazon.com: $3.96

The Glow-In-The-Dark Night Sky Book Image
Illus. in full color. Turn off the lights and watch 34 constellations glow in the dark! This unique, convenient guide to the night sky has star maps that shine after exposure to light. The maps, arranged by season, cover constellations of the Northern Hemisphere.
Amazon.com: $10.50

Just for Fun

Extraterrestrials : A Field Guide for Earthlings
A unique blend of science and imagination, this book explores the images we have absorbed about alien life from popular culture. The art of Adolf Schaller illustrates possible alien worlds based on sound assumptions derived from scientific facts.
Amazon.com: $17.95

Slimey Goes to the Moon Image
Slimey the Worm has his spacesuit on and is ready for a countdown to outer space fun! Includes a Slimey finger puppet. Full color.
Amazon.com: $5.59

 

 

Make a story!


Can you guess what comet this is?




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Last Updated November 6, 1999




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