The students work in teams of two to discover the relative positions of the Earth, Sun and Moon that produce the different phases of the Moon. The students will be given a Styrofoam ball that they will attach to a pencil so that it looks...

Andy Cohen details the extraordinary celestial phenomenon of a total solar eclipse, and when it will next occur. [3:47]

In this task, students investigate why total solar eclipses are rare. They will learn that, in addition to requiring the positioning of the Sun, Moon, and Earth, the Moon can only completely block out the Sun when it is closest to the...

An interactive simulation that teaches about gravitational force, circular motion, and astronomy by manipulating the sun, earth, moon, and a space station to observe the effects of gravity and orbital paths. This simulation can either be...

A profile of the ancient Greek mathematician, geographer, and astronomer, Eratosthenes. Looks at his many accomplishments, including measuring the circumference of the Earth and the distance to the Moon and the Sun. Includes links to...