Observatory Resources

Craving more info? Check out these links:

Astronomical Organizations

Local (NH/New England) Amateur Astronomy Groups

General Info

John Gianforte's Home Page 
- Check out the personal home page for John Gianforte's Blue Sky observatory. John - our resident expert, local amateur astronomer and observatory volunteer - has created an astronomy related website that displays images taken from his personal observatory as well as many other interesting astro tidbits.

People of Space: Astronomy Resources
- A thorough collection of biographical information on famous astronauts plus links to information about planetary science and solar, stellar, and galactic astronomy, as well as cosmology and amateurism.

Astronomy Online
- Your first stop for Astronomy related topics, news, forums, resources and more. Great for educators and students!

The Sun Today
- A great resource of solar facts and space weather updates by NASA scientist and UNH Physics alumnus Dr. C. Alex Young

Stellarium 
- This is an amazing program for searching the heavens from your desktop! It shows where all of the constellations, planets and brighter deep sky objects are real time! It's available for Mac, Linux/Unix and Windows.

Aurorasaurus
- An NSF-funded project where you can learn about the aurora (northern lights) and even help participate in auroral research via Twitter!

Physics 195: Astronomy & Planetary Science
- Courtesy of CSU, Dominquez Hills & The Planetary Society. This is a streaming Astro course that you can watch online for free! Thanks for the link, Leo!

The Dome of the sky 
- This is a great hub to branch off from

Photopic Sky Survey
- An interactive, 5,000 megapixel photograph of the entire night sky stitched tohether from over 37,000 exposures

"Northern Lights"- Aurora Borealis Information
- A great link to a webpage explaining all about the aurora seen at the northern and southern poles  

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center 
- At the NHTI in Concord, NH

JPL's Calendar of Space Events and Anniversaries
- If you're interested in things like when meteor showers, conjunctions, and ocultations will occur, as well as when different launches are scheduled...

More Astronomy Resources
- A comprehensive list of astronomy resources ranging from info for beginners to astronomy job resources. Thanks to Brittany from Virginia for letting us know about this great site!

Curious About Astronomy
- A great one-stop destination for astronomy-related links and resources from Cornell University. Thanks to the kids at The Children's Cancer Center in New Jersey for the tip!

A Guide to the Galaxy from your Bedroom
- A great explanation of the evolution and different types of galaxies and stars. Thanks to the Lexington Middle School Science Club from Lexington, NE for the suggestion!

Air in Outer Space
- Ever wonder what the "air" is like in outer space? Check out this link to find out! Thanks to the kids at the Morrow Community Center in Georgia for telling us about it!

And of course be sure to check out and "Like" the UNH Observatory Facebook page.
- For the most up-to-the-minute session updates, info about special events, and astrophotos.

Especially for Kids

NASA's Space Place
- NASA's go-to website for kid's education and activities about space!

Best Education Sites: Astronomy and Space Sites
- A great collection of astronomy and space-related websites, including activities for kids, broken down by topic. A great one-stop option. Thanks to Maggie from the west coast for recommending it to us!

Live Watch
- A great collection of facts, games, and puzzles about celestial objects and photography. It even has links to live feeds of the ISS and different observatories. A terrific option for all ages! Thanks to Lauren from Virginia for recommending it to us!

NASA's Climate Kids
- NASA's kid-friendly site explaining about climate change; complete with games and activities

SciJinks
- Website from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that covers everything from oceans and tides to atmospheric science to space weather in one kid-friendly environment

Astronomy Prints and Activities for Kids
- A page from overnightprints.com that focuses on printable, kid-friendly hands-on activities. Thanks to the kids at The Children's Cancer Center in New Jersey for the tip!

Creation of the Universe
- A great site with activities and lesson plans ranging from the solar system to deep space. Thanks to the kids at The Children's Cancer Center in New Jersey for the recommendation!

 

Space-related blogs

Discover Magazine's Bad Astronomy- Dr. Phil Plait stays ever skeptical, yet fascinated by space

AmericaSpace.org- NASA news and updates about space exploration "for a nation that explores"

The Sky's the Limit- UNH Observatory Manager Ian Cohen updates and explains discoveries new and old

Dear Astronomer- Long-time amateur astronomer Ray Sanders brings space back down to Earth

NH Skies With John Gianforte Episodes

If you would like to see other episodes with John as well as many other interesting topics, check out the NH Outlook site!

Major Observatories

Here are a few links to major observatories found throughout The United States and The World:

Space Telescopes:

Major Ground-Based Telescopes:

National Public Observatory Sessions

News

Pictures