Scouting Resources - Badge Astronomer

Astronomy Resources

Darren Dowling

The following list of resources & addresses have been collect by myself from a variety of sources. If you are after general information, help, advice, posters or freebies then I suggest that you do as I did. Take a little time to write a general covering letter that explains your position and requirements as a leader clearly. Politely ask if they could offer any advice or resources. Send a copy (along with a SAE envelope if possible/affordable) to some of the likely candidates below. In general I got an excellent response from the larger organisations (all things NASA, large observatories & musuems) and have gained a large box of material that forms the basis for much of the work we do when I teach the Astronomy badge.

If you are after posters, then I would suggest writing to NASA and to PPARC.

If you are after general help, advice and perhaps volunteers then your best bet is your local astronomical society.

If you have any more questions then please feel free to email me from the contact page on the main menu.

Quick Links

Online NASA Resources		Other Online Resources
UK Resources		Days of wonder
Places to Visit & General Sources of Information		Satellite & Space Info.
Posters		Associations
Orreries & Star Globes		Telescopes
Films & Video		General Resources

NASA Addresses		Planet Earth: Addresses

Book Reviews

Darren Dowling

Astronomy for evey kid		Nine Worlds
Interfact - Solar System		Zoomers - Solar System

Starry Night	Darren Dowling
	Software Review Starry Night www.starrynight.com Starry Night™ Complete Space & Astronomy Pack Deluxe Edition is an excellent piece of software that will enable you to take Scouts through their Astronomer badge with ease ...Read the full review

British Astronomical Association
Produce many A4 sheets. Send SAE. Also have items for purchase by mail order.	The British Astronomical Association Burlington House Piccadilly LONDON W1V 9AG Tel: 0171 734 4145 Produce many A4 sheets. Send SAE. Also have items for purchase by mail order.
Armagh Planetarium	https://secure.armagh- planetarium.co.uk
Produces a Mail Order Catalogue. Email: sales@armagh-planetarium.co.uk	Armagh Planetarium College Hill Armagh Northern Ireland BT61 9DB Tel: (+44) 01861 524725 Fax: (+44) 01861 526187
London Planetarium
Education Pack - £5 including postage. Cheque payable to The Tussaud's Group Ltd. From Autumn will be resuming the Saturday/Sunday morning sessions for Cub Scouts covering the badge.	London Planetarium Marylebone Road LONDON NW1 5LR Tel: 0171 486 1121 Fax: 0171 465 0862
Royal Observatory (Edinburgh)	www.roe.ac.uk
Email: vis@roe.ac.uk	Royal Observatory (Edinburgh) Visitor Centre Royal Observatory Blackford Hill Edingburgh EH9 3HJ Scotland Tel: 0131 668 8405 Fax: 0131 668 8429
National Maritime Musuem (Greenwich Observatory)	www.nmm.ac.uk
The Planetarium lecturer will run special shows for the astronomy badge in response to special requests during school holidays. Contact the bookings unit to arrange a visit on 0181 312 6608	National Maritime Musuem (Greenwich Observatory) National Maritime Museum Greenwich LONDON SE10 9NF Tel: 0181 858 4422 Fax: 0181 312 6632
Jodrell Bank
Ask for the Resources List. Open to school parties & has a resource centre for teachers.	Jodrell Bank Jodrell Bank Science Centre &Arboretum Nr. Macclesfield Cheshire SK11 9DL Tel: 01477 571339 Fax: 01477 571695
Science Museum	www.nmsi.ac.uk
Prebooked groups get free entry.	Science Museum Exhibition Road LONDON SW7 2DD 0345 600444 - Science Line Information Service (for specific questions only) 1p.m. - 7p.m. weekdays
Days of Wonder	www.daysofwonderonline.co.uk
Prebooked groups get free entry.	Days of Wonder operate a mobile planetarium in the South East of England, and are about to deliver their first shows to Scouts and Cubs in Crowborough. They are writing a show that will be tailored for the Cubs and Scouts, and are happy to take evening and Saturday bookings. Days of Wonder 55 Views Wood Path Uckfield TN22 1JJ 01825 766010 enquiries@daysofwonderonline.co.uk

Todmorden Astronomy Centre	Interaction, London
Todmorden West Yorks OL14 7HW 01706 815816 01706 814774 www.astronomycentre.org.uk	Interaction, London HMS President Victoria Embankment EC4Y OHJ 0171 583 2652

William Herschel House & Museum	Light On Science
19 New King Street Bath Avon	Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry Newhall Street Birmingham

Xperiment! (Manchester)	Museum of the History of Science
Museum of Science & Industry Castlefield Manchester M3 4JP	B3 1RX (Oxford) Broad Street Oxford

Exploratory, Bristol	Whipple Museum of the History of Science
Old Station Temple Meads Bristol	Free School Lane Cambridge

William Day Planetarium (Plymouth)	South Shields Planetarium
University of the South West Drake Circus Plymouth Devon PL4 8AA 01752 232462	S.Tyneside College St. George's Avenue S.Shields Tyne & Wear NE34 6ET 0191 427 3589

Techniquest	Science Musuem, York
Stewart Street Cardiff CF1 6BW 01222 475475	Museum Gardens York YO1 2DR 01904 629745

Summer Space School	Richard Knox
Brunel University Uxbridge UB8 3PH 0189 5274000 x 2556	3 Alexander Terrace Penzance Cornwall TR18 4NX 01736 62947

Herts. University Observatory	Space Camp
Bayfordbury Nr. Hertford Herts	BP76 06322 Cannes la Bocca France

Liverpool Museum & Planetarium	Southend Planetarium
William Brown Street L3 8EN 0151 207 0001	Central Museum Victoria Avenue Southend on Sea SS2 6EW 01702 215131

Dundee Mills Observatory & Planetarium	University of London Observatory
Balgay Park DD2 2UB 01382 67138	Department of Physics & Astronomy University College Mill Hill Park LONDON NW7 2QS (44) (0)181 959 0421

Associations
Association for Astronomy Education c/o The Royal Astronomical Society Burlington House Piccadilly LONDON W1V ONL	Society for Popular Astronomy 36 Fairway Keyworth Nottingham NG12 5DU website: www.popastro.com

British Interplanetary Society 27-29 S.Lambeth Road LONDON SW8 1SZ	UKSEDS (Space Education Development) Space Education Trust 4 Hamilton Place LONDON W1V OBQ

Federation of Astronomical Socities Chris Seldon "Whitehaven" Maytree Road Pershore WR10 2NY

British Sundial Society D.Young 112 Whitehall Road LONDON E4 6DW	Other (Local) Societies If you want details of your local astronomical society please email me with your location details.

Posters	Orreries & Star Globes
Pictorial Charts Educational Trust 27 Kirchen Road LONDON W13	Cochranes of Oxford Ltd Fairspear House Leafield Oxon.

Spacecharts Newton Tony Salisbury Wilts.	Hammonds A/V & Video Services 60 Queens Road Watford Herts.

PPARC Particle Physics & Astronomy Research Council Polaris House North Star Avenue Swindon Wiltshire SN2 1SZ	George Philips Northampton Road Rushden Northants NN10 9PU

Edward Stanford Ltd. 12 Long Acre LONDON WC2E 9LP

Films & Video	Telescopes
British Universities Film Council 55 Greek Street LONDON W1	Astro Promotions Ltd. 24 Old Bedford Road Luton Beds.

DS Ltd. The George Building Normal College Bangor Gwynedd	Broadhurst, Clarkson & Fuller Telescope House 63 Farringdon Road LONDON EC1

Royal Observatory Edinburgh Blackford Hill Edinburgh EH9 3HJ	H.N.Irving & Son 258 Kingston Road Teddinton Middx.

Virgin Record Stores (have some space videos)	Society for Popular Astronomy (kit) see under associations

Glenbuck Films British Film Institute 21 Stephen Street LONDON W1P 1 PL	SCS Astro The Astronomy Shop 1 Tone Hill Wellington Somerset TA21 0AU 01823 665510 Freephone: 0800 018 1544 www.scsastro.co.uk

General Resources	Satellite & Space Information
Armagh Planetarium College Hill Armagh N.Ireland	British National Space Centre Bridge Place LONDON SW1V 1 PT

Astro Instruments 45 Derby Road Portsmouth Hants	British Telecom Room B4074 BT Centre 81 Newgate LONDON EC1

Bretmain 99b Hamilton Road Felixstowe Suffolk	National Remote Sensing Centre North Gate Road Farnborough Hants. GU14 6TW

Earth & Sky 74 Sutton Springwood Calow Chesterfield Derbys. S44 5XF	Royal Meteorological Society James Glaisher House Grenville Place Bracknell RG12 1 BX

Molehill Press Grange Farmhouse Geddington Kettering NN14 1AL	Stewart Aviation PO Box 7 Market Harborough Leics. LE16 8XL

Educational TV Company PO Box 100 Warwick CV34 6TZ	Satellite Project Dyfed County Council Aberarad Newcastle Emlyn Dyfed SA38 9DB

Planet Earth
Shell Education Service Bankside Business Service 10 Fleming Road Newbury Berks RG13 2DE	Pictorial Charts Educational Trust 27 Kirchen Road LONDON W13 OUD

The Conservation Trust George Palmer Site Basingstoke Road Reading Berks RG2 OEN	BNFL Education Unit P.O. Box 10 Wetherby West Yorkshire LS23 7EL

Esso UK Plc Public Affairs Dept. Esso House Mailpoint 512 Victoria Street LONDON SW1E 5JW	BP Educational Service P.O. Box 934 Poole Dorset BH17 7BR

NASA Addresses
NASA Ames Research Center Teacher Resource Center Mail Stop T12-A Moffett Field CA 94035-1000	NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility Public Affairs Office (Trl.42) Teacher Resource Center Edwards AFB CA 93523-0273

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Teacher Resource Laboratory Mail Code 130.3 Greenbelt MD 20771-1000	NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Teacher Resource Center JPL Educational Outreach 4800 Oak Grove Drive Mail Code CS-530 Pasadena CA 91109-8099

NASA John F.Kennedy Space Center Educators Resources Laboratory Mail Code ERL Kennedy Space Center FL 32899-0001	NASA Johnson Space Center Teacher Resource Center Mail Code AP 2 Houston TX 77058-3696

Online Resources

NASA Spacelink
For educators and students.
http://spacelink.nasa.gov/

JPL Information
Planetary exploration etc.
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Planetary Photojournal
NASA Images
http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/

JPL Education Outreach
http://learn.jpl.nasa.gov/

NASA / Ames Research Centre's "Explorer" Archive / "Quest" K-12 sites
ftp://explorer.arc.nasa.gov/quest.arc.nasa.gov
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov

Space Telescope Science Institute Electronic Information Service
Hubble Space Telescope material
ftp.stsci.edu/stsci/epa
gopher://stsci.edu/
http://www.stsci.edu/public.html

Updated "Welcome to the Planets"
http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/

Guide to NASA On-line Resources
With keyword search
http://naic.nasa.gov/naic/guide

NASA On-line Resources
http://mosaic.larc.nasa.gov/nasaonline/

Space Shuttle Information
Including current events
http://shuttle.nasa.gov

Space Shuttle News Reference Manual (c 1988)
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle

Space Station Mir Naked-Eye Visibility
http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/mir/

Satellite 2-Line Elements
For use with orbit tracking programs
http://www.celestrak.com/

The "Telescopes in Education" Project
http://tie.jpl.nasa.gov/tie/

Solar View
With daily X-ray images
http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/images/

Big Bear Solar Observatory
http://www.bbso.njit.edu/

The 150-foot Solar Tower at Mount Wilson Observatory
http://www.astro.ucia.edu/~obs/intro.html

Clementine Lunar Images
http://www.nrl.navy.mil/clementine

Student for Exploration of Space (SEDS)
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu
http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/pub/astro/SL9
(for Shoemaker-Levy-9)

NASA History
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/

NASA Hotlist
http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/hotlist/

Today at NASA
http://www.nasa.gov/today/index.html

NASA's Observatorium
http://observe.ivv.nasa.gov/nasa

Satellite Predictions Page
http://www.gsoc.dir.de/satvis/

Astronomy Picture of the Day
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/

NASA-Wide Search Engine
http://www.nasa.gov/search/

Origins Theme Roadmaps
http://origins.jpl.nasa.gov/library/
http://origins.jpl.nasa.gov/library
(1.8 Meg File!!!!)

Structure and Evolution of the Universe Theme Roadmaps
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/seus
http://www.srl.caltech.edu/seus/

Sun-Earth Connection Roadmaps
http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/SCE/

Mission to the Solar System: A Mission and Technology Roadmap
http://eis.jpl.nasa.gov/roadmap/

Solar System Exploration Roadmap
http://eis.jpl.nasa.gov/roadmap/

NASA Education Home Page
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/education/

Learning Technologies Project Home Page
http://learn.ivv.nasa.gov/

NASA TV Home Page
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/

Deep Space 1
Hi-tech experimental mission to test new spacecraft and systems, including solar electric propulsion
http://nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/ds1/

Stardust
Technically daring mission to fly a spacecraft within 100 miles of a comet.
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/

MUSES-C / MUSES-CN
Mission using new flight technology to send a spacecraft to an asteroid
http://www.muses-c.isas.ac.jp

Deep Space 4
Will go to the heart of a comet and land on it.
http://champollion.jpl.nasa.gov

NEAT (Near Earth Asteroid Tracking)
http://huey.jpl.nasa.gov/~spravdo/

NEAR (Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous)
http://sd-www.jhuapl.edu/NEAR/

ANSMET (Antartic Search for Meteorites)
http://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/curator/antmet

Contour
Mission designed to improve our knowledge of comet nuclei
http://sd-www.jhuapl.edu/sdhome/

Other Online Resources

K Cassini-Huygens Mission Home Page
www.ssd.rl.ac.uk/news/cassini/

Astronomy Now Web Site
http://www.demon.co.uk/astronow

After School Astronomy
http://www.afterschoolastronomy.org/

Neatherd High School Astronomy Club
http://www.neatherd.org/astronomy/