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Website
Other

Kitt Peak National Observatory

For Students 9th - 10th
Homepage of Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) which is the one of the premier astronomical observatory used by professional astronomers in the United States. Although the site is mostly geared toward the professional, the Kitt Peak...
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Unit Plan
Other

Sky Server: Old Time Astronomy

For Students 6th - 8th
This site from SkyServer provides information where students are introduced to Galileo and are transported back in time to learn what "Old Time Astronomy," was all about.
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Activity
Other

Fraser Valley Astronomers Society: Mirror Making

For Students 9th - 10th
Directions and suggestions for making a parabolic mirror out of epoxy for use in a reflecting telescope. Links provided for sources of epoxy.
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Graphic
NASA

Nasa: Astronomy Picture of the Day: Jupiter's Great Red Spot

For Students 9th - 10th
This collage of images by the Hubble Space Telescope captured the changes in Jupiter's Great Red Spot over a period of several years.
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Website
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: New Observatory Brings Stars Closer to Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
A radio story describing the development of the newest technology in telescopes based on an old idea. Images of the 80-acre interferometer are shown on the site.
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Website
NASA

Nasa: Starlight Riddle

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from NASA provides an interestinnng approach to telescopes. "Almost all telescopes nowadays use mirrors, not lenses, to gather and focus the light from celestial objects. We have just seen, though, that mirrors reverse the...
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Telescopes

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Overview of types of telescopes.
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Article
Famous Scientists

Famous Scientists: William Herschel

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the life and work of William Herschel, and find out about his telescope coinstruction and solar system reserach.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Ice Picks

For Teachers 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about a telescope called IceCube that is buried under the ice in Antarctica. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Technology and Science

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How technology and science are related and how they help each other advance.
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Article
Other

Astronomy: One Degree Imager Debuts at Wiyn Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
This article explains the debute of a One Degree Imager at WIYN Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. It discusses what the imager is capable of doing.
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Handout
Georgia State University

Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Refractive Telescopes

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Georgia State University Physics Department gives a discussion of the manner in which light is refracted by refractive telescopes. Discusses the Galielean telescope and the astronomical telescope.
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Website
Other

Seds Usa: Charles Messier

For Students 9th - 10th
Charles Messier (1730-1817 CE) is credited for discovering 13 comets. He also began the Catalog of Nebulae and Star Clusters. This catalog as well as a great deal of information on Messier is available here. The Messier objects are also...
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Handout
University of Maryland

Optics Highlights: The Telescope

For Students 9th - 10th
Part of an anecdotal history of optics and the study of light. Extremely thorough treatment of the invention of the telescope. Includes a short biographical sketch and discusses the work of Isaac Newton which focuses on his contribution...
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Activity
Optical Society

Optical Society of America: Optics for Kids: Make a Telescope

For Students 3rd - 8th
An activity for making a telescope using a cardboard tube and two lenses. Accompanied by an explanation of how the telescope works, and a link to an article about lenses.
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Graphic
National Museum of Science and Industry (UK)

Ingenious: Optics Images

For Students 9th - 10th
This series of images is a combined collection of over three museums' collections of optics images. The images are sorted by pages with about nine images per page and over ten pages.
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Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble Site: A Decade of Discovery

For Students 9th - 10th
Take a look back at a decade of discovery concerning the Hubble from the HubbleSite. Site contains links to a portfolio of pictures, a quicktime video as well as the vault of discovery.
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Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble Site: Telescope History

For Students 9th - 10th
The Hubble Space Telescope site takes a look back through time at the history and discoveries of telescopes.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Physical Science: Optical Instruments

For Students 7th - 9th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] What optics are and different types, and how they work and form images.
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Unit Plan
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Study of Space by the Electromagnetic Spectrum

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Overview of the electromagnetic spectrum.
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Website
Harvard University

Harvard Univ.: Chandra X Ray Observatory Center

For Students 9th - 10th
The Chandra Observatory uses x-ray telescopes to learn more about the make-up of the universe. To learn more about x-ray telescopes and to see what they reveal, click here for the official Chandra X-ray Observatory website.
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Handout
University of Chicago

University of Chicago: Reflector and Refractor

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Yerkes Observatory Virtual Tour web site. Compares and contrasts reflecting and refracting telescopes. A link from the page leads to a second page which explains why most modern research telescopes are reflecting telescopes.
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Website
Space Telescope Science Institute

Hubble Site: Edwin Hubble

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site from HubbleSite provides information on how Edwin Hubble (1889?1953 CE) made some of the most important discoveries in modern astronomy. Learn about them as well as the invention of the Hubble Space Telescope. Open 'Who was...
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Graphic
University of California

Center for Science Education: Gallery

For Students 9th - 10th
A gallery of astronomy images which depict galaxies, comets, the moon, planets, nebulae, supernovae as seen in various regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Each image in the gallery is described. Fascinating!