Astronomy is a fascinating topic, it deals with everything in the known universe!
You may simply be curious to find out what you can see in the sky from your backyard
at night or what it's like to explore the sky with a telescope. Or, you'd like to
dive even deeper into the wonders of the universe.
Michigan has a lot of astronomy resources. The Sunset Astronomical Society is a club in our local area and there are many others throughout the state. There are a number of planetariums and observatories to visit in addition to the Delta College Planetarium here in Bay City. Astronomy classes are even offered right here at Delta College.
Sky Treasures
Home Activities from The Delta College Planetarium
During this time of needed isolation, the planetarium has been using its social media platforms to inform everyone, including children, students, adults and families, of the online (fun!) learning opportunities that are available.
The main landing page for the whole agency; look under “Kids and Families.” Tours, ebooks, videos, be a scientist among other things.
A series of videos with interesting experiments and information from the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.
A series of webinars for parents, educators, school administrators with practical tips for how to keep their children engaged and learning with STEM.
Explore a wide variety of STEM hands-on activities that can be done at home with materials you may already have. These include NISE Net and NASA resources, DIY apps, videos, and citizen science projects.
The YouTube playlist for the Lawrence Hall of Science offers a lot of interesting information and at-home activities.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific staff and special guests read their favorite illustrated children’s books about the sky and space, as well as share fun and easy activities and sky observations that families can do together at home.
PBS has curated free, standards-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for educators.
Free sky maps each month for you to explore, learn and enjoy the night sky.
A short weekly podcast from the Delta College Planetarium about what can be seen in night sky.
Original productions by Planetarium staff, including an in-depth look at the constellations.
A safe place for children to play as they learn about NASA and its missions.
Teach science fundamentals with this collection of simple projects! Learn about magnetism, states of matter, density, anatomy, osmosis and more.
Links & Resources
Some our favorite astronomy links and resources.
Do you have what it takes to become an astronaut? Find out if you do, and what education you need, to travel into space as an astronaut.
Explore a career as an Astronaut
Are you interested in space? Would you like to make a career out of it? It will take a lot of work on your part but the rewards are spectacular. See how you can have an opportunity to answer the universe's most mysterious questions.
An umbrella organization of over 200 astronomical societies from all over the U.S., the League encourages interest in astronomy (and especially amateur astronomy) throughout the country. They encourage and inspire access to telescopes and observing programs.
Astronomy Information & Connections
Citizen Science projects harness the efforts of thousands of space enthusiasts to amass data that no single scientist could ever produce. Learn how you can participate in real science!
Science Information & Activities
This “Observing With NASA” program allows free, public access use of reflecting telescopes located at the Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona. If you are a teacher interested in introducing astronomy in a hands-on way, a parent wanting to show kids that they can also take astrophotos, or just interested in experience with Internet-based remote observatories, making use of this free system is well worth a try!
This astronomy club serves the Tri-City Bay Area and east central Michigan. Activities include observing sessions, annual public star parties, and friendly meetings with presentations that are free and open to the public.
Head up to the Headlands Dark Sky Park, west of Mackinaw City, to take in the beauty of the night sky. Or if you want to spend a few days there, they have a house to rent right on the beach.
Headlands International Dark Sky Park
If you are looking for a place to watch a meteor shower or just take in the night sky close to home, check out the Michigan Dark Sky Preserves. There are six preserves across Michigan so you probably aren't far from one.
News and discoveries from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s dozens of active space missions exploring Earth, the solar system and worlds beyond.
A place to play space games and learn about NASA. Designed for K-4 science and mathematics students and teachers.
Educates and entertains kids using games, activities, and articles. Demonstrates and explains scientific concepts related to astronomy in a fun, hands-on manner.
Interactive project designed to encourage young women to pursue careers in math, science and technology by providing outstanding women role models at NASA.
This is our go-to forecast tool to decide whether or not to observe at night. It can be a little tough to figure out so make sure you scroll down their page to see what all the different colors mean.
If you are new to astronomy and thinking about buying a telescope, this guide from Sky & Telescope is for you. It will discuss the different types of telescopes and accessories available to help you choose the one right for you.
Check out the National Weather Service's site to check out how the weather is looking in your area.
NASA chooses a new picture every day to show the beauty of the universe we live in.
Browse through the image library of the world's most famous telescope.
From the first images of Jupiter to the latest images from Hubble, take a look at all the images NASA has taken over the years.
Take a look at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center to see if you have a chance to view the Aurora in the next few days.
Are you trying to get familiar with the constellations in the night sky? Print out this star chart to see what is visible this month and practice finding your favorite stars and constellations.