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BTN: Living on the International Space Station

What would it be like to live on a space station? In this clip you'll see footage of astronauts on the International Space Station and discover what their daily life is like. You'll also find out about how the space station was built and about some important research being done there.

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Why we can see some planets but not others

In this planetarium demonstration, the air has been sucked out of the sky to give us a black sky so we can actually see the planets that are above us. Why is it that we can't always see the planets? How does our proximity to the sun affect how visible a planet is to us?

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Triple J: Why is Pluto not a planet?

Watch this clip and learn why Pluto was taken off the official list of planets. Dr Karl Kruszelnicki explains the three criteria that must be met before planets can be called planets. What are they?

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Why do the stars move across the sky?

If you stand still and look up at the night sky for hours on end, you'll notice that the stars will move across the sky westwards. The truth is, it's not the stars that are moving, it's us! Do you know how the Earth moves in space? What do we orbit?

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And now for the Sun's weather

The Sun is the primary source of energy on Earth and plays a major role in the weather we experience, but how does it affect weather in space? Watch this animation showing what happens when there is solar wind, solar flare and even a solar storm. Find out about their impacts on our planet and on us.

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Phases of the moon

Can you name the different phases of the moon? Watch this video and learn about the phases, how long a full lunar cycle is and why the moon looks larger at times.

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ABC News: Dr Karl discusses mining asteroids

Imagine an asteroid, half the size of a football field, hurtling towards Earth at a speed of 28,000 kilometres per hour! Watch this clip to find out about Asteroid 2012 DA14 and whether it poses any threat to Earth. You will also discover why mining prospectors are keen to capture asteroids such as this one. Could the next ...

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An eclipse of the Moon

The phases of the Moon and lunar eclipses occur due to the Moon's orbit of Earth, and its position in relation to both the Earth and the Sun. Watch this animation showing a model of the Moon's orbit, its phases and a lunar eclipse. Discover what a total lunar eclipse is and what causes the red colour of a 'blood moon'.

Interactive

Earth rotation: night and day

Watch an animation of the Earth rotating in space showing day and night, the equinox where locations on Earth experience close to equal hours of daytime and night-time (12 hours) and views of the Earth from above the North and South Poles. Turn an animated model of the Earth to explore how rotation is related to night and ...

Interactive

Light and shadows

Look at how a tree makes a shadow during a sunny day. Notice that objects always casts shadows that face away from the Sun. Examine how the shape and position of a shadow is related to the time of day and position of the Sun. Explore the shadows cast by different objects such as a bike, an umbrella and a child. Position ...

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Orrery, c1770 - part 2

This is a mechanical model of part of the solar system, commonly known as an orrery, manufactured by English mathematician and instrument maker Benjamin Martin in about 1770. This bronze model features a cylindrical clockwork mechanism with an orb representing the Sun placed in the centre. Extending from this on an arm ...

Interactive

Pushing and pulling

Move animals from a boat to their new home in a zoo. Put them on a cart, then use monkeys to push or pull them up a hill. Use the minimum amount of force needed to move each animal. For example, use a single monkey to push a pelican or use three monkeys to pull a zebra. This learning object is a combination of three objects ...

Interactive

Seasons

Control the motion of the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine seasons in the different hemispheres. Work out how the Earth’s orbit and the tilt of its axis determine day length in the different hemispheres. Examine the heating effect of the Sun. Compare seasons ...