The Solar System in General
Explore the Solar System
Just click on the sun, any of the planets, an asteroid or a comet to find more information. From Kids Astronomy.
Exploring Planets in the Classroom
Loads of earth and solar system science experiments, such as gelatin volcanoes, alka seltzer rockets.
Finding the Size of the Sun and Moon
In this activity you’ll learn how to build a simple pinhole viewer. This apparatus can be used to project images from a variety of light sources. When used to project an image of the Sun, the pinhole viewer can be used to determine the diameter of Sun.
Galileo: the Telescope & the Laws of Dynamics
Galileo did not invent the telescope, but he was the first to use the telescope to study the heavens systematically. He discovered the moons of Jupiter, proved Copernicus’ solar system model was correct, and while observing sunspots concluded the sun revolved, heretical notions in his day.
NASA Activities and Projects
A set of lesson plans with projects for young students. Print out and enjoy. Learn about Northern lights and solar sprites and storms. Explore the earth’s magnetic field.
The Order of the Planets
Using the “clue cards” and printouts of the planets provided, you’ll learn about the order of planets in our solar system.
Path of Total Solar Eclipse in the US on August 21, 2017
You may want to make plans for this and get your special glasses well in advance. This site shows which cities in which states will get the longest time in the shadow of the moon.
Planet Chachachawowa
Hi! I’m Eddy the Eco-Dog®! I’m from Planet Chachachawowa and I surf through the universe. Which planet are you from?
The Planets – Zoom Astronomy
Our solar system consists of the sun, eight planets, moons, many dwarf planets (or plutoids), an asteroid belt, comets, meteors, and others. Page is loaded with graphics, graphs, charts and worksheets.
The Size and Distance of the Planets
In this activity, using planet printouts provided, you’ll investigate the concepts of relative size and distance by creating a basic model of our solar system.
Solar Flare Sparks Biggest Eruption Ever Seen on Sun
Major solar flare eruption June 7, 2011. In the video Dr. Young explains what is happening.
Solar System Live
See how the planets arranged themselves on any day of any year. An “adjustable” solar system.
Solar System Coloring Book
Select your favorite planet, the sun, asteroids or comets to color online or print and color offline.
Solar System Tour
This website is an overview of the history, mythology, and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system.
Starry Skies
Fragments from an exploding fireball were recovered in Canada. The pieces of meteorite are being studied and may reveal secrets about the early solar system.
Your Weight On Other Worlds
Just enter your weight and this site calculates how much you would weigh under the gravity on all the other planets.
The Sun
Chasing the shadow of the moon
To intercept eclipse, Alaska Airlines adjusts flight plan to delight astronomers. About a year ago, Rao discovered that Alaska Airlines Flight 870 from Anchorage to Honolulu would intersect the “path of totality” – the darkest shadow of the moon as it passes over the Earth. But the flight’s normally scheduled departure time would have been 25 minutes too early, missing the grand spectacle. Rather than attempt to move the sun or the moon or the Earth, Rao called Alaska Airlines. Alaska decided to move the plane.
NASA’s New Eye on the Sun Delivers Stunning First Images
NASA’s recently launched Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, is returning early images that confirm an unprecedented new capability for scientists to better understand our sun’s dynamic processes. These solar activities affect everything on Earth.
Smile! It’s a sunbeam!
Without the sun, life as we see it today could not exist. Maybe that is why humans have looked to the sun as an inspiration; a symbol of hope and new beginnings. We study it, tell stories about it, and wonder about this critical part of our solar system.
Solar System in Action
The Sun is the Power House for the entire Solar System. It is a fairly typical star that is not burning, but is fusing together Hydrogen to form Helium. In so doing, it releases energy in vast quantities.
Watch Comet McNaught
This real-time movie, which shows the most recent 48 hours of solar activity, is updated every hour if satellite communications permit.
Stanford Solar Center
Students can explore the Sun’s tangled magnetic field, its turbulent surface motions, the dramatic sunspot cycle, and even what magic happens in the solar interior where instrumental eyes cannot penetrate.
Sun Image
Huge, live image of the sun, updated periodically, from the Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawai`i
Where Is the Sun?
With this activity you can verify that the Sun appears in a different location at a specific time every day of the year with one exception.
Earth
Our Planet – Earth Science
Experiments to discover more about our earth.
The Moon
The Moon unit Study – Homeschooling Astronomy
Get a deeper understanding of the moon with these resources for a unit study about The Moon. Videos, maps, history of discoveries: Neil Armstrong, included.
Mars
Mars – A to Z Home’s Cool Homeschooling Astronomy
Unit study based around all the excitement of the Mars Landers.
Jupiter
Juno Mission
NASA’s Goal: Understand origin and evolution of Jupiter, look for solid planetary core, map magnetic field, measure water and ammonia in deep atmosphere, observe auroras.
Saturn
Cassini-Huygens: Kids Space
Hey, kids! My name is Cassini and along with my buddy Huygens, I’m on my way to explore the planet Saturn. Welcome to command central for this spectacular journey.
Cassini: Unlocking Saturn’s Secrets
NASA’s Cassini mission lifted off on October 15, 1997, and arrived at Saturn in June 2004, where it will explore of the planet, its giant moon Titan, and several of its smaller moons.
Saturn
The sixth (and some would say prettiest) planet in the solar system. The planet is mostly hydrogen and helium, but the rings are made of little chunks of ice. The dark line in the rings is a gap called the Cassini Division, swept clear of ice chunks by the periodic gravitational tugging of a moon, Mimas, which is in orbital resonance with anything in that gap. Kids Astronomy.
Saturn Model with AOL CD
Everyone has one too many AOL CD’s around the house! Here’s how to turn it into a glistening model of Saturn to hang in your room. Find out more about Saturn.
Uranus
Pluto
Pluto FlyBy, July 15, 2015
On July 15, 2015 the NASA “New Horizon” probe did a close flyby with much data recorded that will be sent for the 5.5 hour journey back to earth for analysis and distribution.
Hail King of the Ice Dwarfs!
For a long time, scientists have been trying to decide how to define the word “planet.” If Pluto is a “planet,” many other recently discovered objects nearly as large would also be planets. There is no telling how many “planets” kids would have to memorize someday!
Pluto – Astronomy for Kids
Pluto is smaller than 7 of the moons in the Solar System. Because it is so small many scientists don’t consider it a planet at all.
Pluto, The Ice Dwarf
Pluto is named for the Roman god of the underworld. Venetia Burney, an 11-year-old girl from Oxford, England, suggested the name. If you need some number facts about Pluto, you’ll find them here.
Pluto’s Secret
An action game from the National Geographic. May take a little while to come up. Be patient. Learn how the objects can be moved, and then play the game.
Eris
New Planet
This new dwarf planet is the largest object found in orbit around the sun since the discovery of Neptune and its moon Triton in 1846. It is larger than Pluto, discovered in 1930.
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