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Astronomy

There are many great web sites related to Astronomy. Here a few that we found to be exemplary in the quality of experience they offer and for having materials will be of use to educators.

The NASA Technology Portal

This the portal web site for the National Aeronautics and Space Space Administration. Despite the fact that this is a government web site it has a modern look and feel, replete with Flash animations and Quicktime videos. Highlights include:

Article archive - latest stories involving NASA and a searchable well-organized archive of previous stories involving NASA and other space agencies.
A list of annotated destinations related to commercial ventures partnered with or funded by NASA
Upcoming media event webcasts that are available for viewing over the web via their streaming media center.
Educational Projects and Materials provided by NASA. This section will be of special interest to educators as it contains resource lists and distance learning opportunities for teachers and students alike.

NASA has really outdone itself with their technology portal and has provided a terrific quality product for all to see.

http:/nasatechnology.nasa.gov/

National Air and Space Musuem

The legendary Smithsonian Institution’s online gateway to their space museum. Another well-crafted and easy to navigate web site concerning all things dealing with the heavens. Highlights:

List of upcoming events appearing at the museum.
Live web cameras that let you view the museum over the web in real-time.
QuickTime movies that allow web site visitors to see inside the museum’s exhibition galleries, artifact cockpits, and allow you to witness the new Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center that is currently under construction. These are full panoramic views of the exhibition items.
Geography from Space - Fun quizzes you can take online that test your knowledge of Astronomy. The answers are available online.
Perpetually updating headlines on recent and past news stories involving space.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Your official source for Space Weather Alerts, forecasts and warnings. Highlights:

A large body of recent and past space related data conveniently categorized and annotated. Categories include data that is grouped by: Space Weather Environment, Sensors, Programs and Formats, User Group, and External data sources.
Perpetually updating SXI Solar X-ray imager showing the current condition of the sun. Includes alerts on recent geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, and radio blackouts that occurred in the past 24 hours with a data window that tracks real-time solar wind conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions guide, events and announcements listings, and a newsletter (including an archive or previous issues).
For educators there is a list of informative papers and materials for the classroom.

http://sec.noaa.gov/

Astronomy and robots go hand in hand, the most notable example is the lunar and mars rovers that NASA has launched and stirred our imaginations over the years. Now the robots are coming to our homes in the form of fun and adorable toys. Three recent arrivals are the Ugobe Pleo dinosaur, the Tomy/Takara i-SOBOT robot, and the Spykee Skype robot compatible spy robot. The i-SOBOT is being billed as the world’s smallest humanoid robot while the Spykee is the first mass produced robot that is controllable over the Internet and acts as a remote spy.

Find out where to buy Pleo and see pictures of the Pleo robot in action. Pleo is the first artificial life form and was invented by Caleb Chung, the talented inventor who gave us the best selling Furby toy. Funny pictures of Pleo have already begun to spring up on the Internet, include Pleo as a turtle, a purple Pleo, and a Pleo wearing tiny boat shoes.

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