Home

By Mrs. McManus

Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects such as moons, planets, stars, nebulae, and galaxies. It is one of the oldest fields of study in science; prehistoric cultures all over the world wondered about what was going on in the sky above them. There were Egyptian, Babylonian, Chinese, Mayans, and Native American Astronomers (people who study outer space) who studied the moon, stars, planets, and comets thousands of years ago. Over 2000 years ago, Aristarchus of Samostheorized that the sun was six to seven times larger than the Earth and that the Earth was a round planet that orbited (circled) the Sun. Since then, Astronomers have discovered so much more about our galaxy and the galaxies beyond us.

As you embark on your first mission, you will learn all about the Milky Way, the galaxy that contains our solar system. Then, with the help of your teacher, you will select a celestial body, such as a planet, moon, or star, to study further.

You will become an Astronomer, just like the great Galileo Galilei or Neil deGrasse Tyson. After gathering research about your chosen planet, moon, or star, you will share what you've learned with your fellow Astronomers (your classmates and teachers) and members of our community (your parents and siblings). You will be expected to submit and present a project that includes 8-10 sentences about the planet, star, or moon you've selected and a model of your celestial body.

Please also reread the project directions and check out these photos of sample projects. If you have any questions, please contact your teacher via email by clicking the Contact Us link.