This video segment adapted from First Light explains why the highest peak in the Pacific, Mauna Kea, is an ideal site for astronomical observations. Featured are new telescope technologies that allow astronomers to explore the universe...

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.

Illustrated discussion of the invention of the telescope with details on Galileo's telescope, the reflecting telescope, and the space telescope.

NASA's web site about the James Webb Space Telescope, which will replace the Hubble telescope and is expected to observe the farthest reaches of the universe.

South African Large Telescope (SALT) homepage describes a multi-national project sponsored by the South African Astronomical Observatory to build a large telescope in South Africa. Visually appealing and written for the lay person.

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...

This is a tutorial for creating a breadboard with an LED display as an educational outreach effort for the Telescope Array cosmic ray research project near Delta, Utah. When completed, the breadboard could be programmed to use actual...

An interesting article describing repairs which were completed on the Hubble telescope in 1993 and 1997. Also contains links to pictures taken by the telescope.

This resource briefly describes how telescopes work and provides helpful tips for stargazing.

This is an informative site from Georgia State University. It gives a discussion of the thin lens equation and an illustration of its use in determining the image distance based upon the object distance and the focal length.

A discussion of the lens-maker's formula and its use in determining the effect of lens shape and index of refraction upon the magnifying power of a lens. Includes an interactive problem-solving section.

Elementary particles are the smallest known building blocks in the universe- and the neutrino is one of the smallest of the small. These tiny neutrinos can tell us about the furthest reaches and most extreme environments of the universe...

This collage of images by the Hubble Space Telescope captured the changes in Jupiter's Great Red Spot over a period of several years.

Learn about the life and work of William Herschel, and find out about his telescope coinstruction and solar system reserach.

Students explore Mars and Jupiter, the fourth and fifth planets from the Sun. They learn some of the unique characteristics of these planets. They also learn how engineers help us learn about these planets with the design and development...

Lenses are precisely shaped pieces of glass that have been developed and used in corrective glasses, telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, and magnifying glasses. They can be convex or concave. Links are provided to a video an a test.

Brief biographical sketch of Galileo Galilei, famous scientist and astronomer whose discoveries include the Tower of Pisa Experiment and the Galilean Telescope.

Brief biographical sketch of Isaac Newton, famous scientist whose discoveries include the law of gravitation, three laws of motion, reflective telescope, and calculus.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read a fiction text about a boy named Marcus who watched a partial eclipse through a telescope and answer questions about comprehension, climax, supporting details, characterization,...

Albert Einstein was one of the most influential scientists in the 20th century. Read about his contributions on the fact filled site from the Space Telescopes Science Institute.

We think of the sun as being bright yellow, however, the sun is actually different colors based on whether the sun is in an active stage. Scientists used telescopes and satellite cameras to take these stunning photographs of the sun....

Learn how and when to look up into the sky to see the Andromeda galaxy.

Nova offers an enlightening conversation with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. Topics include origins of the universe, multidisciplinary approaches to science, exciting recent discoveries, his position as director of the Hayden...

There are galaxies far, far away, but just how big is our own solar system? Scroll through this interactive to quickly observe just how much we know and have learned about our solar system.