Our first stop along the celestial highway is the "Astronomy
Picture of the Day". This site features a high quality
image with a description of its significance, written by a
professional astronomer in clear, easy to understand terms.
Recent images (as of this writing) were of the Missoula Crater
on Mars and comets Bradfield and LINEAR. If you miss one,
don't worry, there's an extensive archive going back several
years. Astro Pix - http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
The Hawaiian Astronomical Society has created a SPECTACULAR
astronomical Web site called "Views of the Solar System".
The site tells you EVERYTHING you could ever want to know
about most of the astronomical objects in our solar system,
gives information about the history of astronomy and space
travel, and offers stunning pictures and movies from around
the Solar System. Views of the Solar System - http://www.solarviews.com
In a similar vein, The Nine Planets is an overview of the
history, mythology and current scientific knowledge of each
of the planets and moons in our solar system. Each page has
text and images, some have sounds and movies, and links to
related information. Nine Planets - http://www.nineplanets.org
And finally, some Bad Astronomy. This website is dedicated
to righting wrong ideas about astronomy and scientific misconceptions
spread by movies, the media and popular culture. Phil Plait,
a real-life astronomer, debunks common myths such as Hoagland's
Face on Mars, the Apollo Moon Hoax and everything you've always
wanted to know about Standing an Egg on End During the Vernal
Equinox . Bad Astronomy - http://www.badastronomy.com
Ever thought about joining an Astronomy Club? Clubs frequently
offer discounts on astronomy related magazines and other printed
material, loaner telescopes, and practical advice on how to
get started in the hobby of Astronomy. Check out this list
of clubs which covers the whole world: Astro Clubs - http://www.astronomyclubs.com
If you're USENET savvy, you could try reading sci.astro.amateur.
Here, amateur astronomers from all over the world, some with
a wealth of expertise, hang out, ask questions and discuss
diverse astronomy topics. Quite a few of the posts deal with
purchasing the right astronomical telescope or the right equipment
to go along with it. This newsgroup is also another source
of late breaking news, on comets, meteor showers, and aurora.
Newsgroup - news:sci.astro.amateur
By the way, there is a really great web-based interface to
Usenet created by the folks at Google -- no special software
required. Google Groups - http://groups.google.com
Some other great links:
http://www.sec.noaa.gov/sxi/ Space Environment Center
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html Mars Exploration
Rover Mission
