This page includes links to recommended online resources and activities to accompany my Night Sky Unit! Find the Night Sky Unit and other nature-based learning materials in my Shop!
1.) Star Chart Websites and Star Gazing Resources (external links)
- Stellarium is a great, beginner-friendly star chart website. Be sure to input your location and date/time at the bottom corners of the page for the most accurate star chart. You can also switch on/off the constellations, deep sky objects, night mode, and more using the control panel at the bottom.
- Sky and Telescope is another fantastic online star chart for beginner astronomers! In the control panel on the left, input your location and time, and select the objects to highlight in the sky.
- Want to view the International Space Station in your sky? You can find a list of times when the International Space Station will be visible from your location on the SpotTheStation site from NASA
- The American Meteor Society offers info on upcoming meteor showers
- Look up the moon’s rise and set times for your location with The Old Farmer’s Almanac
2.) Sun and Star Activity Ideas – links for instructors (external links)
This is a list of free guides and materials for sun activities from other websites for educators.
- Planetarium –
- Find a planetarium near you
- Star Charts –
- Try starting here: Stellarium is a great, beginner-friendly star chart website. Or, for more options, see “Star Chart Websites” above.
- Constellation Snacks –
- Form different constellations out of pretzel sticks and marshmallows. Then eat them!
- Here are some free constellation printouts that can be helpful for this activity, from Little Minds Prints
- You can find more constellations from Constellation Guide or Star Date
- Moon Phases Snack –
- The National Park Service offers free printable directions for this Moon Phases activity
- Also, Science Bob has free printable directions for this activity
- Night Sky Scratch Art –
- YouTube Video: how to draw space step by step from Cute Art For U
- You can purchase the scratchboards for this scratch art project of course, or read a tutorial about how to make your own scratchboards, from PBS
- Moon Calendar –
- Download a Moon Calendar, from The Old Farmer’s Almanac
- Watch a meteor shower –
- The American Meteor Society offers info on upcoming meteor showers
- EarthSky.org also has information on viewing meteor showers, including where to look for each shower in the sky.
- Astrophotography –
- NASA’s Lunar Photography Guide
- For the more advanced astrophotographer, this free online book from NASA, A Guide to Smartphone Astrophotography, includes a huge amount of info on everything from best practices for photographing different night sky objects to a list of Apps and accessories for astrophotography.
- Distance model –
- Stretch out a long tape measure and mark the sun at 0. Calculate the relative distance each planet would be from the sun (start with Neptune, then work your way backward from there).
- Worksheets and guides for this activity are available in my Sun Unit.
- Or, check out this page about making a scale solar system from Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Here is a True Scale Model of the Solar System webpage from Tennessee Tech University
- How big is the solar system? By Las Cumbres Observatory
- Eclipse model –
- Model a lunar eclipse using two orbs on sticks and a flashlight. Place the larger orb (Earth) between the light source and the smaller orb (Moon) to cast a shadow over the smaller orb.
- For more information on how a lunar eclipse works, watch this short lunar eclipse video from Khan Academy.
3.) References (external links)
These include reference websites, books, and materials I used to fact-check the information within the Night Sky Unit as well as other websites you may find helpful in planning your lessons. Use the links below to enjoy the wealth of information these resources have to offer!
- Constellation Guide (n.d.). Constellations by Month. Available: https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellations-by-month/
- Constellation Guide (n.d.). Northern Constellations. Available: https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-map/northern-constellations/
- Constellations Guide (n.d.). Zodiac Constellations. Available: https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-map/zodiac-constellations/
- Editors of EarthSky (2024). Cassiopeia ascends in September and October. Available: https://earthsky.org/constellations/cassiopeia-the-queen-charts-lore-science/
- Ford, D. (n.d.). List of the Constellations. In-The-Sky.org. Available: https://in-the-sky.org/data/constellation.php?id=19
- Fraknoi, A., Morrison, D., Wolff, S. C., (2016). Astronomy. OpenStax. Available: https://openstax.org/books/astronomy/pages/1-6-a-tour-of-the-universe
- GoAstronomy (n.d.). Constellations of the Night Sky. Available: https://www.go-astronomy.com/constellations.htm
- Horvatin, S. (n.d.). Constellations. Michigan State University. Abrams Planetarium. Available: https://web.pa.msu.edu/people/horvatin/Astronomy_Facts/constellations.html
- International Astronomical Union (n.d.). The Constellations. Available: https://www.iau.org/public/themes/constellations/
- NASA (n.d.). Moon Phases. Available: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/moon-phases/
- NASA (n.d.). The Moon and Eclipses. Available: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/
- O’Callaghan, J. (n.d.). Lunar eclipse guide: what they are, when to see them and where. Natural History Museum. Available: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/lunar-eclipse-guide-what-they-are-when-to-see-them-and-where.html
- Pearson, E. (2024). Earth didn’t always have a Moon! So how old is it? Recently-opened Apollo samples reveal the Moon’s age. BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Available: https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/how-old-is-moon
- Lotzof, K. (n.d.). How Did the Moon Form? Natural History Museum. Available: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-did-the-moon-form.html
- Whitt, K.K. (2025). Canis Major and brilliant Sirius in the New Year. EarthSky. Available: https://earthsky.org/constellations/canis-major-the-greater-dog-sirius/
- Williams, D. R. (n.d.). Moon Fact Sheet. NASA. Available: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/moonfact.html
