Our Star: The Sun
Use these free online resources before or after your visit to further explore themes presented in the Journey to the Stars space show.
Downloads
Online Resources
Activity
How the Sun Works
Talk about a long-term power source. For billions and billions of years, the Sun has been giving off energy that equals 4 x 1026 watts. What keeps the Sun burning so bright?
Article
One-on-One with the Sun
Crack reporter Stella Stardust holds another cosmic celebration, this time with the Sun. Meet the medium-sized star with a big following.
Seasonal Cycle
If the Earth turns all the way around every 24 hours, then why are some days longer than others? And why do we have winter and summer? See the answers for yourself—in a matter of seconds.
Activity
See the Light
Light always travels in straight lines—that is, unless it bends or bounces off an object's surface. Take an enlightening look at light with these three easy experiments.
Exhibition materials
SunScapes: Our Magnetic Star
Telescopes capture the Sun's ultraviolet light as beautiful images that are full of information about solar processes. This spectacular interactive photo gallery portrays the turbulent Sun in action.
Activity
The Abundance of Elements in the Sun
What’s the universe made of? Scientists tackle this puzzle by studying the composition of the different objects contained in the universe. In this activity the object is the Sun, and the tools are the periodic table and a graph.
Activity
Using Solar Energy
After having students conduct a simple solar energy experiment, challenge them to build a better water heater with this classroom competition.