K to Grade 5 Ages 5 to 11
Astronomy Year
Free online astronomy course · 12 missions
Moon phases, the North Star, planets and star patterns, meteors and dark skies. Twelve sky missions for the backyard.
Free Self-paced online course
A Rocket & Raven series
Astronomy Year
A free online astronomy course: 12 sky missions you can see from your own backyard.
Astronomy Year is a free online observation course built around what families can see from their own backyard in the Northern Hemisphere. Each of the 12 missions has short indoor lessons on weekdays with Rocket, Raven and Nova, then a guided Sky Night outside with a grown-up on Saturday, with a cloudy-night backup. Kids keep a Moon log, find the North Star and eight star patterns, tell planets from stars, and plan their own night of sky watching. Do one mission a week, or one a month for a full year.
What's in every course
- · Twelve sky missions, one per week or one per month
- · Short indoor lessons Monday to Friday, about 15 minutes each
- · A Saturday Sky Night outside with a grown-up, with a cloudy-night backup
- · Find the North Star and eight star patterns
- · Keep a Moon log and predict the next full moon
- · Each mission mapped to NGSS performance expectations
- · Free, start to finish. No card.
Courses in this series
The course is free, start to finish.
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost? +
Nothing. Astronomy Year is free from start to finish, with no card. A free parent account saves each kid's progress.
What ages is it for? +
Kindergarten to Grade 5. The reading is kept simple so younger kids can follow with a grown-up reading along.
Do we need a telescope? +
No. The course is built around what you can see with your own eyes. A flashlight covered with red paper helps your eyes stay used to the dark.
Where does it work? +
The star maps are for the Northern Hemisphere, such as the US and Canada. Some star patterns are best seen in certain seasons, and the course says when.
Is it safe? +
Sky watching is always done with a grown-up, near home. The course teaches kids never to look at the Sun, not even with sunglasses, binoculars or a telescope. It never asks for a name or location.