Science 6: Sky Science: Solar System

In today's Crash Course Astronomy, Phil takes a look at the explosive history of our cosmic backyard. We explore how we went from a giant ball of gas to the system of planets and other celestial objects we have today.

The fourth planet from the sun and the outermost of the terrestrial planets, Mars has long been a popular spot for missions and imagination. Phil walks you through the planet's topography, core, and features. We'll take a look back at Mars's past and makes predictions for its future, including the possibilities for human life.

Phil takes us for a closer (eye safe!) look at the two-octillion ton star that rules our solar system. We look at the sun's core, plasma, magnetic fields, sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and what all of that means for our planet.

Today you'll learn about our Sun and the formation of the planets. You'll learn about the Solar nebula, the birth of the sun, the formation of planets, and how the Earth and the rest of the solar system developed.

Moons come in many shapes, sizes, and types. A few have atmospheres and even hidden oceans beneath their surfaces. Learn more on this site from NASA.

This NASA resource starts with an overview or definition of a planet. The In Depth section includes information about how this definition continues to evolve and how new discoveries inform the discussion.

This site has information about each planet and moon in our solar system with many pictures of each planet, discussion of the history of its discovery and exploration, and its physical characteristics. In addition to the planets, there are also pages about the Sun, moons, asteroids and more.

Free online model of the solar system and night sky

This study jam is about our solar system, specifically the inner planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Check out the slide show and then take the quiz to test yourself.

Check out this slide show about the outer planets: Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and the plaetoid Pluto. Take the quiz to test yourself.

This 7 minute video will put the size of the solar system in perspective. They use a marble as a scale representation of Earth, and then spread out over 7 miles of dry Nevada lakebed to fit it all in.

Launch your students into space exploration with these space-based, hands-on engineering challenges from PBS & NASA. They are designed for grades 4 to 8.

The purpose of this series of 7 lesson activities is to enrich students’ understanding and to gain appreciation of Indigenous Science and Western Science in astronomy. Students will experience practices in thinking about Indigenous ways of knowing and western culture.

Space Station Explorers collects the best space-based activities from across the web. Content can be sorted by grade, subject, and learning environment. Teachers can also search for specific subject matter (e.g., a search for "gravity" reveals five lesson options including "Ants in Space" and "Invisible Forces").

Students can learn all about the universe we can see in infrared. Spectacular images, fun games, resources for educators, and more!

This site is a 3-D environment full of real NASA mission data. Students can "explore the cosmos" from their computer. "Hop on an asteroid. Fly with NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft. See the entire solar system moving in real time." (NASA description)

A 3D adventure through our cosmic neighborhood with NASA and Google. Learn about the planets, moons, and man-made objects that are part of our solar system.

Based on an exploration of space, this escape room is suitable for students in Grades 5+

Welcome to the first episode of Crash Course Astronomy. Your host for this intergalactic adventure is the Bad Astronomer himself, Phil Plait. We begin with answering a question: "What is astronomy?"

This interactive activity enables a greater understanding of the concept of gravity by examining life without gravity, as well as the role of gravity on other planets.

In the year 2011, NASA sent a rover to the planet Mars. The mission was only supposed to last three months, instead the rover lasted over two years, performed numerous test and experiments and sent back some amazing images. This episode traces the rovers journey.

Do you know how to explain gravity and how it works? Check out this video and then test yourself with the quiz.

Neil deGrasse Tyson takes us on a quick (3 minute) tour of our solar system. Could we live on the other planets in our solar system?