NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Image above: Look towards the sky! Credit: NASA

Sunsets, clouds, auroras, comets, meteors, asteroids, planets, galaxies... how far does it reach? With an eye on the sky, scientists, educators and students observe upward -- with the naked eye, with satellites, and with powerful telescopes -- as far as they can see. Join in the excitement of discovery, and tune in to NASA TV from December 13 through December 19, 2004, as NASA showcases some of its award-winning shows and explores the sky and the wonders beyond.

NASA TV Education Schedule
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This 'Extra' feature highlights educational products, multimedia, and assorted other materials and Web sites related to "Eye on the Sky."
 
NASA Educational Products

Image above: NASA Educational Products are available online. Credit: NASA

Space Based Astronomy Educator Guide (Grades 5-8)
This NASA educator guide tells the story of why it is important to observe celestial objects from outer space and how to study the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
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Optics: Light, Color and Their Uses (Grades K-12)
This NASA educator guide contains activities for grades K-12 in Science and Math. It has color and light activities using lenses, prisms, hidden messages, periscopes, and kaleidoscopes.
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Chandra Space Telescope Coloring Book (Grades 5-8)
This fun and exciting 24-page coloring and activity book includes general information on X-ray astronomy, Chandra and the STS-93 mission. It also looks at the sources Chandra investigates: black holes, supernovas, galaxy clusters and even a mystery object.
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Mercury Lithograph (All Grades)
The two different faces of Mercury appear on this lithograph-one battered and one smooth. These Mariner 10 images also show the Caloris Basin and a photomosiac of Mercury's southern hemisphere.
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Venus Lithograph (All Grades)
Radar penetrated the thick clouds on Venus to capture this false-color image of Aphrodite Terra, a highland that winds across the planet's southern hemisphere.
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Mars Lithograph (All Grades)
The planet Mars is shown here with its northern polar cap and Valles Marineris. Also featured are the three Tharsis volcanoes, Olympus Mons and gullies with very sharp, deep, V-shaped channels.
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Saturn Lithograph (All Grades)
This natural-color image shows Saturn, its rings, and four of its icy satellites - Tethys, Dione, Rhea, and Mimas. The smaller pictures are false color images of the rings, cloud features, and a longitudinal wave. One shows haze layers covering Saturn's largest moon Titan.
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Jupiter Lithograph (All Grades)
The pictures on this lithograph of our largest planet show the latitudinal bands created by the east-west winds in its atmosphere, as well as Jupiter's ring and moons - Io and icy Europa.
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NASA Educational Multimedia Materials

Image above: NASA develops multimedia resources for educators.

Visit the Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) which serves as the worldwide distribution center for NASA-produced multimedia materials. CORE offers 'Education Modules' which are bundled by topic and may include CD-ROMs, videotapes, educator guides, posters, lithographs, books, lesson plans, bookmarks, fact sheets, slide sets and activity kits.

CORE has the Space Science/Astronomy Module related to this theme.

For materials related to Eye on the Sky, click on 'Search Catalog' and enter the keywords telescope or sky.
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Online Educational Activities

Way Out (Grades 3-Adult) Play this game on the Hubble Space Telescope page and help one cow plot a path out of the Milky Way. Fun for all ages! + View site

What Are the Northern Lights? (Grades 3-5) Try this activity using magnets and steel wool pieces to help students understand about magnetism. + View site

Cloud Game (Grades K-4) Have fun matching the different types of clouds. Don't forget to view the About Clouds section. + View site

Color the Chandra Pictures (All Grades) Learn about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and some of its discoveries by coloring the pictures in this online coloring book. + View site

Tutorials

Field Guide to the Night Sky
Imagine the Earth in its place in the Milky Way. You are standing on the Earth looking out into space. How far away are all those stars and objects in the night sky?
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Sun Watchers Through Time
Move through this timeline and learn about ancient observatories for watching the Sun.
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Infrared Astronomy Timeline
Which came first -- Spitzer or SOFIA? Did you know that Sir William Herschel discovered infrared radiation in 1800? What's a bolometer? Find out here.
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Clouds
Let this online tutorial help you learn the different types of clouds! Cumulous or cirrus - which ones are higher in the sky?
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Cool Sites & Hot Activities

Why Is the Sky Blue? The light from the Sun looks white. But it is really made up of all the colors of the rainbow. + View site

What Makes the Sky Blue? To understand why the sky is blue during the day, you must first understand light. Watch a video, read the update and take a quick quiz. + View site

Fun Facts About Five Planets Read about Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. + View site

Origins Missions Learn about the missions that are searching for galaxies, stars, planets and life. + View site

How Good Is the Amazing Hubble Space Telescope? If you could see as well as the Wide Field and Planetary Camera on the Hubble Space Telescope, you would be able to read the fine print on a newspaper one mile away! + View site

Send a Chandra Greeting Card Follow the simple steps to send someone a spacey greeting with Chandra's Virtual Post Cards! + View site

Interact with NASA!

Images / Videos / Webcasts / Interactive

Ancient Observatories - Timeless Knowledge
This year's Sun-Earth Day theme is a fascinating journey through time exploring centuries of sun watching by a great variety of cultures! Participate in webcasts, local events and visits to historical observatories. Lots of exciting educational resources!
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Solve This Crossword and Visit the Keck Telescopes
The Keck Telescopes are the largest optical instruments in the world!
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Chandra X-Ray Observatory Center
Chandra is one of NASA's great observatories. Visit this site for the latest images, scientific user support, public information and educational outreach.
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Hubble Space Telescope
This is the Web site for NASA's Hubble Space Telescope project. Check out the latest images from the telescope.
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Spitzer Space Telescope
Spitzer is the final mission in NASA's Great Observatories Program. It will help us understand our cosmic roots, and how galaxies, stars and planets develop and form.
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Take a Trip
Zoom out past Earth, Venus, Mercury and the Sun. Go beyond the solar system, and out of the Milky Way.
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Auroras
Read this flash version of a storybook about the lights in the night sky.
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Dancing in the Night Sky Video
Middle school students will learn about the Aurora Borealis and the many legends and myths that have revolved around the aurora throughout the history of mankind. Discover how NASA scientists and engineers use satellite technology to measure and analyze aurora data.
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Space Thrills Poster
Download this poster cover and nine accompanying panels for a closer look at NASA's Discovery Program.
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Videos Showcased in the December 2004 Education File Schedule
Eyes on the Sky; Weather Satellites; A Lightning Field Trip; Destination Tomorrow™, Programs 6, 7, 11, and 15; Venus Transit and the Search for New Worlds; "A" Train Express; Case of the Great Space Exploration; Introduction to High Altitude Ballooning; Space Place Live, Programs 1 and 4; Landsurvey Satellites; Earth Crew Webcast, Program 3; Case of the Phenomenal Weather; Auroras - Living With a Star; and Live From the Auroras.

Videos are available from the Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE).
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Additional Resources

Exploring the Universe - Watch the Skies
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NASA's High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center
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Solar System Exploration
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PlanetQuest
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Eclipses
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Join the Night Sky Network
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Join the Planet Finder Club
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The CERES S'COOL Project
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Amazing Space
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Starchild: The Hubble Space Telescope
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Backyard Telescopes for New Planets
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Join the NASA Education EXPRESS mailing list to receive announcements of new NASA educational publications, Central Operation of Resources for Educators (CORE) multimedia materials and other opportunities for educators.


Next Month's Theme: Preparing for the Journey

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