Resources

Planet Earth

• Aurora Page - Information, links and images about the aurora or "northern lights."
• Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics - Complete text and figures from a book published by the U.S. Geological Survey.
• NASA Office of Earth Sciences - An excellent collection of astronaut photographs of the earth.
• Night Sky in the World - Satellite photos of the world's artificial night sky brightness and stellar visibility.

 Maps/Atlases

• All the Maps in the World - Links to all kinds of maps.
• Mapquest Interactive Atlas - An online atlas of the world.

 Dinosaurs and Other Ancient Life 

• Dr. Paul Sereno, Paleontologist - Dr. Paul Sereno's dinosaur expeditions of discover.

 Weather / Meteorology

• Clear Sky Clock - This innovative graphic device (with links to prognosticated satellite photos) provides 48-hour cloud cover predictions for 253 locations in the U.S and Canada.
• Intellicast: World and National Weather
• Real-Time Weather Data - A collection of current weather information resources for meteorologists.
• Space Science and Engineering Center - An outstanding collection of current weather satellite images.
• Storm Prediction Center - A great resource for U.S. severe weather forecasting.
• Storm Track - A collection of resources for storm chasers, including current weather conditions, past storm chases and storm research.
• Weather Channel

 Meteorology Education 

• Online Guide to Meteorology - Multimedia instructional modules that introduce and explain fundamental concepts in meteorology.

Getting Started in Astronomy

• Abrams Sky Calander - The Abrams Planetarium's monthly look at the current sky.
• Astronomy Equipment Ratings - Before you buy, read the evaluations of numerous models of binoculars, telescopes, eyepieces, etc. posted to the Web site by amateur astronomers.
• Astronomy Magazine Online
• Astronomy Picture of the Day - Features a different astronomy picture each day, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.;
• Clear Sky Clock - Developed from data supplied by the Canadian Meteorological Centre, this Web site presents graphics-based, 48-hour forecasts for observing conditions at sites scattered throughout the United States and Canada.
• Cloudy Nights Telescope Reviews - Dedicated to providing reviews of astronomical scopes and equipment as written by experienced observers in the amateur astronomy community.
• ScopeReviews.com - Another excellent Web site that reviews telescopes, eyepieces and accessories.
• Sky and Telescope Magazine Online - Sky and Telescope's revised Web site now features "how to" articles, a searchable magazine archive, online shopping, current sky information and customized star maps.
• Sky and Telescope's Astronomy Basics - Provides a wealth of information on backyard astronomy, including how to use a star map, how to select and use binoculars and telescopes, and more.

Star Charts, Astronomy Calculators and Simulators

• Heavens Above - This excellent Web site can generate user-defined star maps as well as predictions for observing the space shuttle, International Space Station, Iridium Flares and other visible satellites from any location on Earth.
• Skymaps.com - Publication quality sky maps and star charts for both the northern and southern hemisphere.
• SpaceWeather.com
• Your Weight on Other Worlds - Calculate your weight on the moon and other planets of our solar system.

Sun, Moon, Planets, Comets and Meteors

• Consolidated Lunar Atlas - This Web site features a collection of the best photographic images of the moon.
• Java Jupiter - Shows the positions of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter, their shadows and the Great Red Spot
• Lunar and Planetary Institute - A NASA-funded institute in Houston, Texas, devoted to studying the solar system and sharing the excitement of space exploration with the public.
• Moon Page
• Moons of the Solar System - Managed by the Planetary Society, this Web site keeps pace with the rapidly changing number of known moons in our solar system.
• Mr. Eclipse.com - Solar eclipse expert Fred Espenak's excellent guide to eclipse photography.
• NASA Space Weather Bureau - Forecasts solar flares, magnetic storms, auroral activity and other space-related phenomena.
• Nine Planets - An outstanding resource for planetary information.

Stars, Constellations and Celestial Wonders

• American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) - How to observe variable stars and their importance to astronomy.
• Constellations - Provides information on all 88 constellations, including both myths and facts.

NASA/Space Exploration

• Association of Space Explorers - This organization, comprised of 200 individuals from 26 nations who have flown in space, promotes space exploration and environmental awareness.
• Bad Astronomy.com
• Great Images in NASA - A collection of more than a thousand images of significant historical interest scanned at high-resolution in several sizes.
• NASA History
• NASA Humans in Space
• NASA Human Spotlight
• NASA Image and Video Library
• NASA International Space Station
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• NASA Space Telescope Science Institute - The latest news about the Hubble Space Telescope.
• NASA Spot the Station
• Space.com - The latest space news, as well as space-related entertainment and science fiction.
• Universe Today - The latest space exploration news.

Astronomy Education/Astronomy News

• Hands-On Universe - A national science educational program that enables high school students (and eventually middle school students, museums and science centers) to request their own observations from professional observatories.
• NASA Office of Education
• Night Sky in the World - Satellite maps showing the artificial night sky brightness (light pollution) throughout the world, based on research conducted by the Italian Light Pollution Science and Technology Institute.
• Paper Plate Education - An award-winning Web site that has a variety of innovative hands-on astronomy learning activities that can be demonstrated with common paper plates.

Astronomy/Planetarium Organizations

• American Astronomical Society (AAS) - The major professional organization in North America for astronomers.
• Astronomical League (AL) - The parent organization for most astronomy clubs in the United States.
• Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) - The largest general astronomy society in the world, comprised of both amateur and professional astronomers.
• International Dark Sky Association - Its goal is to improve the darkness of the night sky through more efficient outdoor lighting.
• International Planetarium Society (IPS) - The largest organization of planetarium professionals in the world.

Chicago Area Astronomical Societies

• Astronomical League (AL) - Find your nearest astronomy society (in the United States).
• Lake County Astronomical Society
• Northwest Suburban Astronomers

Astronomy Discussion Groups (Free subscription to the discussion group is generally required)

• Astromart Forums
• Cloudy Nights Forums

Space Entertainment/Attractions

• Star Trek.com - The official Star Trek Web site.
• Star Wars.com - The official Star Wars Web site.