Astronomy: Let Your Imagination Send You Soaring Through The Heavens

Solar system and constellation charts, updates on astronomical breakthroughs, captivating color photos of the planets: all these features beckon astronomy buffs to the Internet. Where else, after all, can you virtually tour a galaxy? Websites showcase video clips from deep space that you won’t see on television, and allow you to download photos from the Hubble Space Telescope. One site even creates maps of the heavens as they have appeared throughout time, dating back to 4713 B.C. These impressive capabilities have contributed to the happy marriage between many branches of science and the Web, with astronomy a particularly bright star in the network.

For those interested in astronomy who nevertheless believe themselves too scientifically challenged to delve into these sites, rest assured that many of them include glossaries and suggestions for background reading; there’s no shame in visiting pages that explain astronomy basics for kids, either. If you’re a parent or a teacher, you might find yourself learning about astronomy from your children, as websites often recommend activities and science project ideas that they kids will eagerly share with adults.

Sky and Telescope magazine’s website does a good job of presenting hard scientific information in accessible language, in addition to proving an excellent resource for buying telescopes. The active message boards stimulate conversation with fellow enthusiasts, while directories guide you to nearby observatories and planetariums. Here and at other sites, you’ll also find speculation on the quest for extraterrestrials and explanations of Worm Holes, Space-Time Wrinkles, and even more creepy-crawly-sounding phenomena. At the end of a thorough search, kick back with the sci-fi offerings at Space.com and let your imagination send you soaring through the heavens.