Astronomy For Children

The smallest planet in our solar system is also the closest to the sun. That means on Mercury, one year is just 88 days long! Discover more facts about the small but mighty Mercury.

Far off Neptune holds many mysteries! Its great distance from the sun makes it the coldest planet in the solar system. Discover the secrets of this chilly, blue ice giant that was named after the sea.

Saturn is famous for its rings. This very windy planet has another claim to fame—it has the most moons of all eight planets! Discover more amazing facts about the sixth planet in the solar system!

Mars is famous for its coloring, but the fourth planet from the sun has more than that going for it. Discover more interesting facts and secrets about the famous "red planet."

Scott Kelly, an American astronaut, went to space in the 1990s and 2000s. In 2015, he spent nearly a year in space. While there, his body was compared to his twin's on the ground. The data helped us learn about the impacts of space on the human body. Learn more about Kelly's life as an astronaut!

Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun and has a special feature, it tilts! Discover the mysteries of this ice giant that sits half in darkness for more than 40 years at a time!

Everything about Jupiter is big! Its size is big. Even its storms are big! Get the big and small facts about this gas giant that can be seen glowing in the night sky.

On January 31, 1961, a three-year-old chimpanzee named Ham made history. Strapped inside a Mercury capsule, the little chimp blasted off into the sky, becoming the first intelligent being to ride an American rocket into suborbital space. Ham made a vital contribution to the United States space program. Because there were so many unanswered questions about space travel, scientists could not risk sending humans on a journey into the unknown. Chimpanzees, however, are very similar to humans in the makeup of their skeletons and internal organs.

Director Solomon gives a guided tour of Star City Planetarium, where he explains such things as what equipment is used in a planetarium show and what some of the different objects in the night sky are.

If I were an astronaut, I would zoom into outer space! I would help fix the International Space Station. Dream big, and see what fun it is to be an astronaut.

Benjamin Banneker wasn't just a scientist. He was also an author, astronomer, and mathematician. Young listeners will discover how this self-taught man came to be one of the first important African American intellectuals.

The story of Christa McAuliffe and six other NASA astronauts who lost their lives in the Challenger space shuttle disaster on January 28, 1986.

Did you know people live and work in laboratories in space? How are these space stations built? Find out more in Space Stations.

Meet Moon! She's more than just a rock - she’s Earth’s rock, her best friend she can always count on. Moon never turns her back on her friend (Literally: She's always facing Earth with the same side!). These two will stick together forever. With characteristic humor and charm, Stacy McAnulty channels the voice of Moon in this next celestial "autobiography" in the Our Universe series.

Meet Sun: He's a star! And not just any star - he's one in a billion. He lights up our solar system and makes life possible. With characteristic humor and charm, Stacy McAnulty channels the voice of Sun in this next celestial "autobiography". Rich with kid-friendly facts, Sun! One in a Billion is an equally charming and irresistible companion to Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years.

Look no further than The Solar System for Kids Six to Eight! This book is the perfect resource for children ages six to eight who are curious about the planets, stars, and other celestial bodies that make up our galaxy.

Kick-start your future genius! Tinker Toddlers is a series designed to introduce first nonfiction emerging STEM concepts to babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Look up at the night sky. What do you see? From the award-winning Tinker Toddlers series, Solar System for Kids is a great way to introduce the eight planets in our solar system and beyond. With interplanetary travel a real possibility for the next generation, this space book will launch your little astronomer on an amazing space adventure - with colors, shapes, sizes, and super-simple facts.

Does your child struggle to fall asleep easily? Then this story about a relaxing walk in the forest might be just the thing they need to help them fall asleep themselves. Your child will take a journey in their imagination, through the trees, meet the Green Man and hear the voices of the trees around them. If your child loves nature stories or fun adventures, they'll love this bedtime meditation - and you'll love it, as the the story can help them relax and get ready for sleep.

Many things look very different seen up close. To us, the sun is a giant ball of light in the sky, but to other solar systems, it might look like just another star! Those tiny lights you see in the night sky are what our sun might look like from another planet far out in space. The sun gives light and energy to our entire solar system, and is necessary for many other things. Can you name them all?

Where do all the metals on earth come from? They were all made by stars! In this science story, you'll discover how the fusion of atoms in dying stars in space creates enough heat and energy to make metals.