Outreach Resources
Astronomy Activities & Resources
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Wobbles and Transits: How Do We Find Planets Around Other Stars? [Activity - PlanetQuest]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 3/27/2004
This activity describes techniques scientists use to find planets orbiting other stars, wth a focus on both the wobble and transit methods of detection.
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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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Why Do We Put Telescopes In Space? [Activity & Presentation - PlanetQuest]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 3/27/2005
This activity helps explain why telescopes in space can be more effective than telescopes on Earth. You can demonstrate why stars twinkle and show how atmospheric conditions impact the quality of what telescopes can see..
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Gravity Assist Activity from NASA's Space Place [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 5/3/2005
Set up a fun and action-packed activity to give your visitors a real hands-on feel for the science behind gravity assists for spacecraft like Voyager and New Horizons. This also helps get the blood flowing!
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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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How Far Can You See? - Dr. Phil Plait [Article - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/26/2006
Just how far can we see into the universe?
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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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Shadows & Silhouettes ToolKit - Main Page & Manual
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/24/2006
Full manual for the Shadows & Silhouettes ToolKit. Hands-on activities on Moon phases, lunar and solar eclipses, transits, and Venus phases.
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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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Solar System Images from NASA [Handout - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/13/2007
A set of sheets from NASA, full of fun facts about major objects in our solar system.
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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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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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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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Explorers' Guide to the Solar System [Presentation - Exploring the Solar System]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 12/7/2007
worlds in our Solar System stretches our minds and excites our imaginations like nothing else. It's the only way to answer some of our deepest questions.
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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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Lives of Stars Diagram / Periodic Table of Elements [Banner - SUPERNOVA Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/18/2008
The artwork for reproducing the Lives of Stars Diagram and the Periodic Table of the Elements from the SUPERNOVA! ToolKit can be downloaded here(.PDF).
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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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Planet Phases: Why Does Venus Look Like the Moon? [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
You've seen the phases of the Moon. Did you know we also see the phases of two planets? Here is a great way to explain why we see phases of Venus when looking through the telescope.
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Skywatcher's Guide to the Moon [Handout - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Use this moon map to identify some of its most famous features, find out where the astronauts landed, and what fills its "seas."
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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 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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Gravity Buckets: Explore Black Holes and Gravity with a Bucket & Fabric [Activity]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Discover some basics about gravity by using a bucket with stretchy fabric over it to allow visitors to experiment with marbles and weights.
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Standing in the Shadow of Earth [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Show your visitors that watching the sun set also means watching the night rise. Turn away from the setting sun to watch the shadow of our planet rise up in the east as night rises during these long winter nights.
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Celestial Treasure Hunt [Activity & Handout - PlanetQuest]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2008
Give this Celestial Treasure Hunt handout to your star party visitors before they tour the telescopes so they can hunt for different types of astronomical objects!
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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 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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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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Star Maps Collection: Planets, Supernovas, and Black Holes
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/25/2008
Use a star map and mark the current locations of the planets and Moon along the ecliptic. Or find out what stars will someday go supernova. Can't see a black hole? No problem - find them with these Star Maps!
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Exploring Strange New Worlds [Activity - PlanetQuest]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/25/2008
Your visitors become teams of scientists living on a planet orbiting a distant star. They are on the threshold of exploring their own planetary system for the first time
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Can You See The Flag On the Moon? Magnification vs. Resolution [Activity - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/25/2008
Has anyone ever asked you if you could see the flag on the Moon with a telescope? Want to know what the 25X magnification on that telescope means? Find out why size matters with telescopes when it comes to light collecting
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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.
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What Power Is Your Telescope? [Activity - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
You can show the basics of how telescopes collect light with these activities, by using just a few props.
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It's All Done with Mirrors [Activity - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
These simple demonstrations are a great way to illustrate the path of light as it reflects off of mirrors and how this is used in telescopes, especially if you have ever been asked why the Moon appears "flipped" or "upside down" in your eyepiece!
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A Universe Without Supernovae [Game - SUPERNOVA Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
This quick, fun game shows players the value of supernovae in the universe. Players discover that almost all elements that make up the Earth and all its living things were made inside stars that go supernova.
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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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Let's Make A Supernova! [Activity - SUPERNOVA Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/28/2008
Participants imagine themselves inside a large star at the end of its life, just as it is about to go supernova.
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Ready to Observe? Enhance Your Visitors' Experience at the Eyepiece [Activity - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/18/2009
You can prepare visitors to observe through your telescope by helping them understand why they see what they see and how the telescope works to enhance their vision. The activity includes discussions of averted vision and field of view.
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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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Trip Around the Triangle [Activity & Handout - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/18/2009
This activity is a great way to organize a star party, and gives visitors context to what they will be viewing as they tour the telescopes and observe a variety of naked-eye and telescopic treats that occupy the Summer Triangle.
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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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Lives of Stars [Activity & Handout - SUPERNOVA Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/21/2009
Discover the life cycle of stars and when supernovae happen with this activity and handout.
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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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Why Doesn't It Look Like the Photos? [Activity - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/18/2009
This set of activities provides tools to help your visitors understand the two main reasons views through the telescope do not look like photographs from NASA's space telescopes and popular astrophotographers.
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The Universe in a Different Light [Activity Cards - Telescopes: Eyes on the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/21/2009
There is more to the Universe than meets the (human) eye! We get a better understanding of the Universe by looking in space using detectors for energy invisible to our eyes.
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Sharing the Universe: Best Practices for Astronomy Outreach
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/12/2009
This video series is designed to help amateur astronomers make their time with the public and clubs more enjoyable when performing astronomy outreach.
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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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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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Heads Up! It's a Meteor Shower [Handout - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/20/2010
Many beautiful meteor showers light up our skies throughout the year. This handout gives out some vital information about meteors and when to spot them, and is appropriate for all audiences.
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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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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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Meteorite or MeteorWrong? [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 11/15/2010
Learn all about meteorites with this hands-on activity: where they come from, how they got here, and what they are made of. Compare the characteristics of meteorites and Earth rocks in this engaging activity.
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Asteroid Hunters [Activity - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 11/15/2010
Find asteroids in a star field and discover why astronomers are locating even more asteroids using powerful infrared telescopes like NEOWISE.
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Earth Timeline / Watery Worlds [Banner & Activity - Life In the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/15/2011
This engaging banner encourages your visitors to guess when various kinds of organisms first developed during Earth's history; you can then reveal the actual timeline! The back of this banner features some of the watery worlds of our Solar System.
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Extremophiles: Life in the Extreme [Activity - Life In the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/16/2011
Find out about the extreme conditions that life can not only survive in, but thrive! This activity can lead to lively discussions about the latest NASA science on other worlds in our solar system.
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Keys to the Rainbow: Spectroscopy [Activity - Life In the Universe]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/16/2011
Discover how we learn about stars and the atmospheres of exoplanets by examining the light in greater detail.
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Earth Craters and Moon Map [Banner - Space Rocks]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 7/18/2011
This large banner illustrates the actual physical impacts that space rocks have had on the Earth/Moon system. One side features impacts on Earth; the other, the craters of the Moon.
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Where Does the Energy Come From? [Activity Cards - Our Magnetic Sun]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 4/16/2012
Discover that the Sun is the ultimate source of energy for almost everything that we do in our daily lives! Participants each use cards to build up an "energy chain" leading back to our Sun in a truly "hands-on" activity, perfect for almost any occasion.
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Life in the Universe ToolKit - Main Page & Manual
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 5/6/2012
Aliens are a favorite topic for many visitors to public astronomy events. This toolkit is designed to take science fiction questions and direct them toward scientific facts and exciting new discoveries being made in the search for life outside Earth.
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Protection from Ultraviolet [Activity - Our Magnetic Sun]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 5/15/2012
Try out this fun, easy, and very practical astronomy demo that can be done with just a couple of UV beads! Explore ultraviolet (UV) light and how it can be blocked by different materials in this open-ended activity, great for even the youngest visitors.
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Explore the Sun Cards [Reference Cards - Our Magnetic Sun]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 5/15/2012
These 11 cards can be used at a solar telescope, for visitors waiting in line, or as a stand-alone station.
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Sun in a Different Light [Activity and Banner - Our Magnetic Sun]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 6/19/2012
Use this banner with views of the Sun in different wavelengths to prepare visitors for observing the Sun. See how different wavelengths of light reveal a variety of features caused by the Sun's magnetic activity.
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Night Sky Network Features and Benefits
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 7/24/2012
The Night Sky Network offers many benefits to member clubs, including club management tools, publicity, materials, and much more!
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Observing Cards: What will you see tonight? [PlanetQuest]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/10/2013
This set of cards is designed to give telescope operators and other night sky interpreters a new way of explaining the night sky to your scope's visitors. You can download the PDFs to your tablet or even print them out onto cardstock.
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Solar Eclipse Resources
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 8/10/2016
Solar eclipses happen on average twice a year somewhere on Earth. These activities show what's happening and why!
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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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International Observe the Moon Night Resources
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/6/2017
International Observe the Moon Night is a wonderful chance to connect with fans of our moon from all around the world! This resource page contains links to many moon-related Night Sky Network outreach activities, handouts, and related resources.
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Astronomy Perennials: Free Articles for Your Newsletters!
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/6/2018
Many astronomy topics come up over and over again. This is a list of NSN articles about some popular astronomy topics you can use.
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Girl Scouts Space Sciences Badge Resources
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 4/24/2018
Here you'll find resources for amateur astronomers to support the Girl Scout Space Science badges and make meaningful connections with the girls.
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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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Astronomy for the Very Young
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 7/30/2018
The My Sky Tonight team has created a set of fun, science-rich astronomy activities for pre-K children, as well as supporting resources for educators on how to effectively work with young children and engage them in science practices.
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Growing Your Astronomy Club
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/20/2018
"Growing Your Astronomy Club" is a series of three videos that offer ideas and advice gathered from research with amateur astronomy clubs across the United States.
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Monthly Night Sky Notes [Article to use in Club Newsletters]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/15/2018
NASA's Night Sky Notes are free monthly articles designed for your club's newsletter, website, and other local papers and newsletters, featuring stargazing and NASA science to share with your communities. Find the latest articles- and archives - here!
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Be the Local Transit Authority [Activity - Shadows and Silhouettes]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 1/11/2019
This activity helps you demonstrate how transits of our Sun by Venus and Mercury work, and how transits are used to detect exoplanets.
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Moon Myths from Around the World
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 3/28/2019
Discover a variety of myths about the Moon with this resource.
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Exploring Moon Phases [Card Activity - Apollo at 50 Moon Toolkit]
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 7/19/2019
Discover evening Moon phases and lunar science with these printable cards.
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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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Legends in the Sky - Constellation Tales from Around the World [Activity & Handout - Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 4/13/2020
Learn about legends told about the night sky around the world and throughout time with this activity. Create your own story about a constellation visible in tonight's sky.
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Good Light, Good Night Activity [Activity - Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/1/2020
Shielding lights improves our safety and visibility, along with improving our view of the night sky. Light pollution has health effects on animals, including people! Find out more about how proper shielding on lights can benefit everyone!
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Clues to the Cosmos Activity [Activity - Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/4/2020
Discover the secrets of light and filters with this interactive, visitor-led inquiry into the use of filters by astronomers, artists, and code-breakers
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Planets & More Observing Stickers!
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/4/2020
Treat your telescope's visitors to these stickers and celebrate viewing a featured planet!
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Dark Sky Wheel [Handout & Activity - Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/9/2020
Find out how dark your skies are with these simple tools that demonstrate limiting magnitude with two famous constellations: Orion and Scorpius.
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Astronomy for Everyone [Banner and Activity - Big Astronomy] (English and Spanish)
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 9/11/2020
All of the people on this banner work together to capture the beautiful images we see
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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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Five Tips for Girl-Friendly Astronomy Events
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 10/19/2021
Try out some best practices for public engagement with girls with help from these five short videos.
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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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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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Navigating the Night Sky for March 2024 - Monthly Star Maps from the Astronomical League
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 2/1/2024
The Astronomical League produces monthly star maps in both English and Spanish. We have mirrored downloadable copies of the latest guides inside.
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Ways of Knowing: Eclipses Around the World
- Child, Teen, Adult
- 3/5/2024
Observing the sky is a part of being human, and eclipses are no exception. These tellings have been entrusted to us, so let us honor the cultures who have shared them with us.