Astronomical Links
Asteroid Ida and "moon" Dactyl.
Here is a brief listing of some astronomy-related web sites that might be of interest as you cruise the Internet. There are literally thousands of sites throughout the world, but this list should at least get you started on your adventure. If you find others of interest, or if any of these links are broken, please let me know at astro@avalon.net
Publications, Organizations, and General Information
Sky & Telescope The premier magazine for amateur astronomers. It has a wealth of practical information for observers and telescope jockeys, well-written articles, and terrific astrophotography.
Astronomy Another excellent magazine. It is written at a slightly more elementary level than Sky & Telescope, but it still has a plethora of useful information and wonderful photographs.
Scientific American Although it has a great deal of information that is not directly related to astronomy, there is a wealth of astronomical information available and almost every issue has somthing related to astronomy within its pages.
The Cedar Amateur Astronomers A local organization based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, open to individuals and families. The 100+ members come from all walks of life and with all levels of interest in astronomy. The Society's facilities are located at Palisades-Dows Conservatory and soon will include the Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center.
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific A nonprofit organization of amateur and professionals whose purpose is to promote astronomy and astronomy education.
Stardate The daily radio show from the University of Texas' MacDonald Observatory that is heard on various public radio stations around the country. Tune in on the radio or listen to the program online.
Jonathan McDowell’s weekly newsletter A weekly electronic newsletter by an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
Einstein@home According to Albert Einstein, we live in a universe full of gravitational waves. He suggested that the movements of heavy objects, such as black holes and dense stars, create waves that change space and time. You have a chance to help detect these waves using the Einstein@Home sofware. Participants donate computer time to process data from gravitational wave detectors when their computers are idle and not being used for other computer applications.
The U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications Department A good source of practical astronomical data.
The U.S. Naval Observatory's Time Service Department A one-stop source of all things related to timekeeping. You probably never imagined how complicated keeping track of time really is.
Image Galleries
The Hubble Space Telescope A terrific web site with a wealth of information made available to the public. Really cool pictures, too! They make great wallpapers.
The Astronomy Picture of the Day One of my favorite web sites and one my non-astronomer friends visit regularly. Not only are the daily pictures fascinating, the links take you to a variety of sites related to the daily topic regardless of whether the site is an astronomy site.
Images from the Anglo-Australian Observatory Terrific (although small) images taken by world-reknown astrophotographer David Malin.
NASA’s Photo Archive Another great photo archive made available to the public for free.
General Information
NASA An enormous resource and treasure trove of information and educational material. It's possible to spend hours perusing archives of previous space missions, current and future scientific investigations, and educational resources.
Today’s Weather On The Sun Up-to-date information on the surface of our ever-changing Sun with real-time data transmitted back to Earth from satellites studying the Sun. Interesting images at various wavelengths, too.
Science@NASA A NASA public-outreach site that features news stories geared towards informing the public about the application of science in the study of the near-Earth environment.
The Eclipse Page at Goddard Space Flight Center A terrific NASA web site with more information on eclipses that you could ever imagine.
Students for the Exploration and Development of Space An amazingly comprehensive web site by some very creative and dedicated students from around the world.
The Hawaiian Astronomical Society's Deep Sky Atlas A great amateur site with tons of information and photographs of the constellations and the objects contained within each of them.
The Apollo Saturn V Web Page An unofficial site, but it still contains a lot of interesting information.
NASA's Celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the the Apollo 11 Mission
Orbital Diagrams of the Asteroids Precise orbital elements of the thousands of asteroids that litter the inner solar system.
A Catalog of Bright Artificial Satellites See if you can spot some of the myriad satellites that circle the earth. It's not as hard as it may sound, either.
Telescopes, etc.
Orion Telescopes and Binoculars One of the best places to shop if you're into astronomy or would like to get started in astronomy as a hobby. They have an extensive range of top-notch equipment that will fit any budget. Orion carries their own line of of telescopes, eyepieces, binoculars, and accessories in addition to items manufactured by Celestron, and Tele Vue. One of the first places I look when I need equipment.
Meade Instruments Corporation A well-known manufacturer of telescopes and accessories with prices that range from beginner to through-the-roof with the latest technology.
Celestron International Another well-known manufacturer of telescopes and accessories. They also have a full line of binoculars. Meade and Celestron keep upping the ante with better and better telescope and the result is lots of choices for the consumer.
Tele Vue Arguably the best line of astronomical equipment and accessories money can buy. You'll pay dearly for it, but the results and performance are worth it
Space Exploration
The Chandra X-Ray Observatory The home page of the latest in the astronomical arsenal of orbiting observatories. The "first light" images promise great discoveries to come.
The Space Telescope Science Institute The public information page of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Find out about all things planetary at the home of the United State's unmanned (sorry, unpeopled) mission program.
The Center for the Exploration of Mars Home to the Pathfinder and Martian Global Surveyor spacecraft as well as the "ancient" Viking probes.
Mars Today Another site dedicated to the exploration of Mars.
Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn and Its Moon Titan The JPL web sites devoted the the exploration of the Ringed Planet. My friend George is working with instrumentation about the space probe.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Mission Find out about the mission to visit an asteroid as it careens through the inner solar system.
Observatories
Mauna Kea Observatories Lots of big eyes on the Big Island.
Mount Wilson Observatory Astronomical history was made by Edwin Hubble at this observatory. The instruments are still used today by professionals and students alike.
Mees Solar Observatory What astronomer could pass up the chance to study the nearest star?
The Anglo-Australian Observatory The observatory where astrophotographer David Malin makes his breathtaking images.
Heads Up!
NASA’s Collision Site Yes, Virginia, there are things that go bump in the night. Find out if you should be worried.
Impact Calculation Page Another page that won't help you much on those sleepless nights...
