WELCOME TO THE SCIENCES & EXPLORATION DIRECTORATE
WELCOME TO THE SCIENCES & EXPLORATION DIRECTORATE
The largest Earth and Space Science research organization in the world.
Dust Silhouettes a Galaxy's Bright Heart
- Dark dust lanes silhouette the bright central bulge of stars in the galaxy NGC 4710. Located 65 million light-years away, NGC 4710 is a member of the giant Virgo Cluster of galaxies.
Stars & Galaxies Science at Goddard
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- What makes stars explode?
- When did the first galaxies form?
- What happens inside a black hole?
- How did the universe begin--and how will it end?
These are just some of the important questions about stars and galaxies that that scientists are exploring at Goddard Space Flight Center.
Podcasts, Blogs, and Images
- Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Each day a different image of our fascinating universe, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
- Blueshift Podcast
- Your "backstage pass" to the science, missions and people here at Goddard.
- GLASTcast
- Episode 5 - how some of the GLAST scientists got into science in the first place.
Games & Models
- JWST Scope it Out!
- The Webb Telescope may be unusual in appearance - but it has a lot in common with simple tube-shaped telescopes. Play the "Scope It Out!" game to find out more!
- Cosmic Distance Scale
- Why don't humans travel to the nearest star or galaxy? Find out by using this interactive site that explains the immense distnaces to objects in our universe.
- JWST Virtual Model
- Check out this 3D grab-able, rotate-able model of the JWST - NASA's next flagship astrophysics mission.
- WMAP 3D model
- Manipulate a 3D model of the latest cosmology satellite!
Latest Stars and Galaxies Science News
- NASA Provides Hubble Hardware to Smithsonian
- Two key instruments brought back from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have a new home in the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington
- COBE Satellite Marks 20th Anniversary
- NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite rocketed into Earth orbit on Nov. 18, 1989, and quickly revolutionized our understanding of the early cosmos.
- Milky Way Portrait Celebrates Astronomy History
- NASA unveiled a never-before-seen view of the turbulent heart of our Milky Way galaxy to commemorate the 400 years since Galileo's telescope discoveries.
- NASA satellites tune into a middleweight black hole
- Astronomers have long studied lightweight and heavyweight black holes, but evidence for black holes with intermediate masses has been much harder to come by.
New Education Resources
- Cosmic Times is a series of curriculum support materials that trace the history of our understanding of the universe
during the past 100 years, from Einstein's formulation of gravity to the discovery of dark energy.
- What is Your Cosmic Connection to the Elements? is a poster and activity booklet explaining how our very existence is
connected to elements that have their ultimate origins in cosmic events.
Featured Education Resources
- Imagine the Universe! is a website containing high-energy astrophysics science information, news, features, online activities and
lesson plans. Grades 8-college
- StarChild is a website containing general astronomy for young astronomers (at two reading levels), including info, multimedia, quizzes, lesson
plans. Grades K-8
Informal Education Resources
- Afterschool Universe is an out-of-school-time astronomy program targeted at middle school students. It explores astronomy concepts through
engaging hands-on activities and takes participants on a journey through the Universe beyond the solar system.
- Family Science Night is a program is for middle school students and their families. Come to the Goddard Visitor Center
once a month to discover the wide variety of science and engineering being performed here at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. As a family you will work with NASA
volunteers to explore various themes through two hours of hands-on activities and even get to take home a bag full of goodies to then perform your own experiments at
home!
