Why Does the Moon Have Phases?
The Moon is the brightest object in the night sky when its whole face is showing. This only happens at full Moon. So why isn't it always a full Moon?
Why Does the Earth Have Tides?
The level of the sea rises and falls about 2 times each day. We call these changes tides. But what causes them?
Gravity Simulator
Is gravity the same everywhere? Experiment with how the ball reacts in each of the Solar System locations by dropping or throwing the ball. How similar or different is each location to Earth?
Calculate Your Age on Another Planet
The 'Space Age' Calculator
Every year, the Earth completes one orbit of the Sun, and every year, you have a birthday! And during a year, the Earth rotates 365 times on its axis and we experience 365 sun rises and sun sets.
Carl Sagan
Early Life
Carl Sagan grew up in Brooklyn, USA in a working-class family. Carl’s interest in astronomy began as a 5-year old child when he would visit the library to find books about stars. He loved science fiction books and became fascinated by extra-terrestrial life. As a teenager, he visited museums and science fairs, to learn as much as he could. He went to university aged 16, to study physics, alongside genetics, chemistry, and biology.
Year born: 1934
Research Areas: Extraterrestrial Life, Planetary Science
"Not explaining science seems to me perverse.
When you're in love, you want to tell the world."
Solar System Word Search
We've hidden 11 words in this grid. All the words are linked to the Solar System. Can you find them?
Timeline of the Apollo Missions
Did you know astronauts landed on the Moon six times between 1969 and 1972?
Explore the people and science of each Apollo mission using our timeline!
The First Moon Landing
In 1969, the Apollo 11 mission landed on the Moon. For the first time, people stepped foot on another world in our Solar System.
Earth, Sun and Moon Quiz
The Earth is the planet you (and everyone else) live on! The Moon is a natural satellite of the Earth. This means it travels around our planet in a huge circle called an 'orbit'. The Sun is a star in the centre of our Solar System.