Welcome Natural Sciences

Spectra Workshop Participants

A Collection of Astronomy Links for Educators

Hubble Space Telescope Websites:

This link takes you directly to the vast educational resources offered by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). You will find several links to HST key sites as well as the James Webb Space Telescope (Next Generation Space Telescope). From the eDown-to-Earth Astronomyi page, you can navigate to Hubble-specific information, images, press releases, and data files, as well as link to abundant curriculum support for HST and astronomy in general. Background on the Institute, its partners, press releases as well as past and future missions are described. http://www.stsci.edu/outreach
The website produced by the formal education group of STScI can also be accessed via the previous site. Its eTeaching Toolsi contains numerous interactive activities, each with a brief description, grade level, detailed lesson plan, background information and computer needs (important to check this out if you have problems with running the programs), and links to National Standards. Also in the tools section are graphic organizer (you can even download posters) and reading selections. A spectrum activity to check out: Star Light, Star Bright, introduces the electromagnetic spectrum, color and light, and is listed for grades 6-9. http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/eds/
A "search site" page indexes the website for easier access:
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/search/
A link to HST informal educational resources.
http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/
http://hubblesite.org A vast array of resources, including a large portfolio of images, news archives, on-line games, multi-media presentations, the list goes on and on. Computer needs, instructions for on-line use of interactive materials and downloading is provided. Some selected links:
An in-depth look at Hubble's instruments, optics, and systems.
http://hubblesite.org/sci.d.tech/nuts_.and._bolts/
Hubble's statistics, history, and founders.
http://hubblesite.org/sci.d.tech/facts_.and._figures/
How to operate a telescope in space.
http://hubblesite.org/sci.d.tech/team_hubble/
Astronomy-related games:
http://hubblesite.org/fun_.and._games/
For information on computer needs for accessing some of the materials:
http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/resources/explorations/galaxies-galore/computerneeds.html
Astronomy reference resource with facts and figures and a glossary of terms:
http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/
From the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, this website dedicated to the Hubble Space Telescope Project provides program highlights, oversight information, historical background, operation details, live web-cams, and servicing missions. No specific materials specifically designed for educators, but a great resource with links to Kennedy, Marshall, and Johnson Space Centers. http://hubble.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Computer Activity Websites:

MAST: Multimission Archive at Space Telescope, where one can access and download HST data files. http://archive.stsci.edu/index.html
Access to Specview software which can be used to analyze astronomical spectra. http://www.stsci.edu/resources/software_hardware/specview
Access to DS9 software which can be used to analyze astronomical images. http://hea-www.harvard.edu/RD/ds9/
Access to DS9 activities: http://chandra-ed.harvard.edu/activities.html
DS9 installation instructions: http://chandra-ed.harvard.edu/install.html
Learning DS9: http://chandra-ed.harvard.edu/learning_ds9.html
All about the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, multiple links to track Chandra, view images. http://chandra.harvard.edu/about/axaf_mission.html
The education section of the Chandra Website is sectioned into both formal and informal education, and both are useful. There are numerous classroom-ready activities on supernovae, the electromagnetic spectrum, spacecraft and instruments. Lessons and activities work across the curriculum. For example, the ebuild a satellitei activity takes students through the construction of a satellite (using readily available materials and downloadable patterns); incorporated into the lesson on the actual Chandra assembly is a review lesson on mathematical scale and ratios using scale diagrams to stress their importance to the manufacturing process of highly specialized technical equipment. http://chandra.harvard.edu/pub.html
Chandra also has an eask an astrophysicisti page:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/ask.cgi?name=cxcpub&addr=cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
For an overview of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, go to:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/edu/chandra101.html

NASA Websites:

Jet Propulsion Laboratory
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
There's too much here to even begin to describe..
http://www.nasa.gov/
For teachers and students, includes information on fellowships, workshops, curriculum support resources, networking opportunities, electronic field trips, and much more: http://education.nasa.gov/
http://teachspacescience.org/cgi-bin/ssrtop.plex Not Hubble-specific, this is NASAis space education resource directory.
Information about the Educator in Space Program, both high-graphics and text version available. http://edspace.nasa.gov/
NASAis comprehensive list of WWW space science education and outreach sites: http://spacescience.nasa.gov/education/educators/links/index.htm

Spectroscopy Websites and Activities:

Where to purchase Project Star spectrometers:
http://www.starlab.com/
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ The Infrared Processing and Analysis Centeris Cool Cosmos website which includes a variety of educator materials, activities and educational resources for studying spectroscopy.
The home of "practical amateur spectroscopy", this website attracts both novice and experienced astronomers. Materials are not specifically for teachers, but there are pages designed to introduce "newcomers to the exciting field of astronomical spectroscopy". www.astroman.fsnet.co.uk/index.htm
Their beginner's page is located at: http://www.astroman.fsnet.co.uk/begin.htm
A classroom-ready activity on classifying stars according to their spectra is available at: http://chandra.harvard.edu/edu/formal/bar_codes/

Additional sites of astronomical interest:

The awesome Griffith Observatory is closed to the public until late 2005 for renovation, but the Observatory has a satellite operation in Griffith Park. This website has numerous features, including links to astronomy clubs, and sites of interest to amateur astronomers. http://www.griffithobs.org/
Griffith Observatory reviews and recommends websites they believe to represent excellence in the public promotion of astronomy. Some terrific sites. http://www.griffithobs.org/StarAward.html
Sky & Telescope software resources
Yahoo Astronomy
Sky Charts: Best free planetarium software
Celestia: A realistic Solar system and nearby star simulator
IRIS image processing software
Photography and CCD imaging
STSCI Digitised sky survey
JPL Horizons
NASA Planets: Excellent site for the educator

And then, just for fun...

Download HST wallpaper:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/
Chandra Images Screensavers:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/resources/screensavers/index.html
Postcards from the Edge of the Universe:
http://chandra.harvard.edu/cards/index.html
http://www.skyimagelab.com/hubphot.html
This website sells spectacular posters and prints from Hubble images, some at very reasonable prices.