Outreach Resources
Astronomy Activities & Resources
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A Universe of Galaxies [Activity - Our Galaxy Our Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 2/3/2010
Use this model of the Milky Way and other galaxies to indicate relative distances to other galaxies
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Big Astronomy Toolkit - Main Page & Manual (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 3/9/2020
This set of 7 activities and demos will engage visitors with dark skies, color filters, sky legends from around the world, and the people who make astronomy happen.
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Club Coordinator Tips and Tools
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/30/2017
Helpful resources for club coordinators to help them navigate the NSN program's resources, website, and club & event management tools.
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Cook Up a Comet [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/23/2007
Using dry ice and simple household materials, this comet concoction is a big hit with kids and adults alike.
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Craters on the Earth and Moon [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 11/15/2010
Create craters on models of the Moon and Earth in this fun and messy outreach activity. Investigate the properties of Earth that hide past cratering events, such as movement of the crust, erosion, water, and a protective atmosphere.
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Does the Moon Rotate? [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Many people think that the moon doesn't rotate, but it actually does! This fun activity helps you demonstrate this rather unintuitive fact using your visitors, a few props, and the Sun's light.
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Exploring Our Solar System [Banner & Activity - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 12/7/2007
Explore what planets we can see in the night - and morning - skies, plus the positions of some NASA missions in this fun banner-based activity.
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Full Toolkit Manuals - all 13!
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/25/2023
Find all Toolkit Manuals in one place with all of the activities in the original Toolkits listed in one place
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How Fast Are You Moving When You Are Sitting Still? [Essay - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 12/7/2007
Essay by Andrew Fraknoi, detailing how when you are "sitting still" you may actually be moving quite fast! It all depends, of course, on your perspective.
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List of Ready-Made Presentations for Meetings, Class Visits, and Cloudy Days
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/25/2023
What happens when rain or inclement weather rolls in, and you need to do something with your visitors while you wait for the skies to clear up? Well, after you double check to make sure you've safely stashed your telescope, try out one of these popular ni
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Nuclear Fusion in Stars [Activity - SUPERNOVA Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
This simple and engaging activity explains nuclear fusion and how radiation is generated by stars, using marshmallows as a delicious model.
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Our Galaxy Our Universe - Main Page & Manual
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/17/2006
This is the entire manual for the Our Galaxy, Our Universe outreach toolkit. Two of the most misunderstood concepts in astronomy are distance and scale. Related to those are the difference between the solar system, the galaxy, and the universe.
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Our Place in Our Galaxy [Presentation - Our Galaxy Our Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/22/2005
This presentation includes a PowerPoint (.ppt) and suggested script (.pdf), along with suggested activities for presenting a scale model of the Solar System compared to our Galaxy. This is often referred to as the "Birdseed Galaxy" presentation.
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Our Place in Our Galaxy: Size and Distance Scale - Birdseed and Coin [Activity -Our Galaxy Our Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/25/2008
Mentally construct a model of our place in the Milky Way Galaxy and the distribution of stars with just a coin and some birdseed.
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Our Star: The Sun [Banner - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 12/7/2007
Download the artwork below to make a large banner showcasing a one-meter Sun. You can take these files to a local print shop and create a vinyl banner for use with the models in the Scaling the Solar System activity.
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Passport Through Time: Telescopes As Time Machines [Handout - Our Galaxy Our Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/18/2005
The "Passport Through Time" handout shows the difference between each of three different distance categories: within our Solar System, within the Milky Way, and within the rest of the universe.
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Pocket Solar System [Activity - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/20/2009
How far apart is everything in our solar system? It can be hard to imagine, but this activity can help! Try out this simple Pocket Solar System activity that is sure to get an "Ah-ha!" moment from your visitors, using just a marker and a strip of paper.
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Scale of the Solar System [Online Resource - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 2/5/2008
Keith Enevoldsen's Think Zone hosts a service that allows you to create a scale model of the solar system superimposed on a Google map/satellite image, with the Sun centered on the address you entered.
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Scaling the Asteroid Belt [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 11/15/2010
Explore the asteroid belt in this astronomy activity and learn some surprising truths about just how difficult it would actually be to navigate. It may not be as tightly packed as Hollywood would have you believe!
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Sorting the Solar System Cards [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/12/2010
This set of playing cards can help you kick start discussions of the characteristics of asteroids, comets, planets, and moons in our solar system. Help your visitors engage in scientific thinking by sorting objects into categories by shared features.
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Spotting Craters [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/18/2009
Use a flour model of the surface of the Moon to show how shadows show more details than direct light. Participants see the difference between what is observable during a full Moon and a partially dark Moon.
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Visualize Our Galaxy with the Umbrella Model [Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/29/2021
Have you ever seen the Milky Way overhead in a dark sky? Did you know that's the disk of our galaxy - from inside?
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What is a Habitable Zone? [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/21/2009
Model the habitable zone around stars and how an atmosphere influences the habitability of a planet.
Find out about the NASA Kepler Mission which is searching for Earth-like planets around other stars.
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Where Are the Black Holes, and How Do We Find Them? [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 5/16/2018
Using magnets and magnetic marbles, demonstrate the effect black holes have on nearby stars.
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Why Do Eclipses Happen? - The Yardstick Eclipse Demonstration [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Using simple materials, participants create 3D models of the Earth, Moon and Sun and demonstrate solar and lunar eclipses.
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Why Does the Moon Have Phases? [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
This activity gives your visitors simple 3D models to help demonstrate the science of why the Moon has phases.
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Why Doesn't the Moon Fall to Earth? Exploring Orbits and Gravity [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/25/2008
Vsitors can experiment with marbles and weights to discover some basics about gravity and orbits, using just a bucket covered by stretchy fabric as your model of spacetime.
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Why Don't Eclipses Happen Every Month? [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Create 3D models of the Earth, Moon and Sun and demonstrate solar and lunar eclipse in this group activity. Show why we do not see eclipses at every full and new Moon.
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Worlds of the Solar System: Make a Scale Model [Activity & Handout - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
Use a set of scaled balls and beads to show the relative sizes of the planets, the Moon, Ceres, and Pluto to each other and to the Sun. This permanent model can be used over and over again in many ways. Handout included,and can be downloaded separately.