Intrigued by the show? Want to know more about what's going on in the sky? Here are some links to get you started, whether what you want is to identify constellations or learn about black holes. (These links all take you out of the UitP website.)

Astronomy Information

Images, scientific discoveries, NASA missions and how Hollywood gets it wrong...

• Astronomy Picture of the Day: Every day a different image of an astronomical nature, with a brief explanation by a professional astronomer.
• Sky and Telescope: The website for the great magazine for amateur astronomers.
• Space.com: New discoveries, images, technology and spaceflight.
• NASA: With sections for kids, students and educators of all levels, and researchers, on topics from aeronautics and satellites through the Sun and stars to black holes and other galaxies. Learn about current missions like the Mars Rovers, Deep Impact, Cassini, Hubble, Chandra -- or look at past missions.
• Bad Astronomy: A look at common misconceptions about astronomy, with a special section for inaccuracies in movies.

The Night Sky

There are many websites where you can find information for different levels, from the general interest, naked eye objects to detailed observing plans for amateur telescopes. Here are just a few:

Beginners and Basics

Some of these sites require you to enter your lattitude and longitude. For reference, Madison is at 43N and -89W.

• SkyMaps: A monthly SkyMap and with constellations, comets and planets. Also includes dates of interesting events and phenomena. This is a two-page PDF to download and print. (It's available for either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere -- in case you are planning a trip?)
• BBC's Sky Maps and Notes: Maps, notes and astronomical highlights for the month.
• Kids Astronomy: Skymaps and games to teach you about the constellations, the phases of the Earth's moon, the moons of Jupiter, and more.

Advanced

• Heavens-Above: Detailed information about observing satellites (including Iridium flares), the International Space Station, plus comets, minor planets -- and, yes, constellations -- generated in real-time and customized for your location and time zone.
• Tonight's Sky: Helps you plan an observing schedule based on your location, time, instrument, experience level and interest.

Miscellaneous

• Night Sky Live: See the Sky at telescopes around the world
• Astronomy Weather Forecast: Forecasts of weather information useful to astronomers from the Canadian Meteorological Center.
• Space Weather: "What's Up in Space," frome solar wind, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, predictions of auroras and other transient phenomena.

Another great resource for information on astronomy and telescopes in the Madison area is the UW Space Place.