International+Year+of+Astronomy

2009 is the International Year of Astronomy Come along on the journey!

May - Hubble Space Telescope
The best of everything Hubble is here at the [|Hubble's official website]!

===I've linked two really quick videos here that show some way cool science going on right now out in our solar system. The first is of a solar eclipse as seen from the Moon. Although solar eclipses are not uncommon, they tend to be viewable from narrow swaths of the Earth. If your kids can discuss the differences between lunar and solar eclipses - then take the conversation to the next level and ask how would an eclipse occur that was viewable from the Moon? Can you close your eyes and imagine the darkness the absolute specialness of being someplace so silent and for just that fleeting moment so black? It was Christmas 1968 when the first three humans orbited around to the far side of the Moon for the first time. Now the Selene spacecraft has captured this video and it marks the first time we can not only imagine but really see what this phenomenon looks like from another place in space. l [|http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/25feb_kaguyaeclipse.htm?list1110881] The 2nd video is of one of Saturn's moons in transit. Again, this is science happening right now (well a week ago - sorry I didn't get this to you in time!). Talk about Saturn's rings, about the size of its moons compared to the planet itself, about why some planets have captured multiple moons. This video was actually taken using an Earth based telescope - capturing video of an event happening 1.2 billion km away (746 million miles). There has to be at least some math fun just in that fact alone! Scroll down on the page for a beautiful image of the moons on the big day! [|http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/19feb_quadrupletransit.htm]===

**Astronomy Ambassadors Page**

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Have you ever wondered what a solstice is? Or why the seasons begin and end when they do? There are many misconceptions about the seasons.

Many people believe that it is winter because the Earth is farther away from the Sun. Nope. The Earth travels in an almost circular path around the Sun, so it is not distance that is making the difference. Some people think that it is winter on the whole Earth at the same time, possibly because the Earth is facing away from the Sun. Not true. The Earth has two important types of movement -- the Earth revolves around the Sun: it orbits are travels in a circular path. The Earth rotates on its axis. This is what causes day and night. As the Earth rotates, it faces away from the Sun (night) but not for a whole a season! It is not the same season all over the Earth at the same time. When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is Summer in the Southern Hemisphere. media type="custom" key="2975946"