Google Sky
By Michelle Kitt,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Interactive space map needs an update.
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What’s It About?
Drag the star map in all directions and zoom in on objects of interest. Kids can use the search box to find stuff like planets or stars, and then drag and zoom around those, too. For different views, click the infrared, microwave, and historical layers -- one at a time or all at once. Kids can explore showcases listed at the bottom of the page; the Chandra X-Ray, Galex Ultraviolet, Spitzer Infrared, and Hubble Space Telescope showcases are the most useful as they display images and information right on the map.
Is It Any Good?
The hundreds of bright dots against GOOGLE SKY’s dark expanse of space beg to be explored. Zoom in and the whole thing loses gas like a dying white dwarf star. A bright blue dot becomes a bigger, fuzzy blue dot and Google Sky doesn’t say what it is, where it is, or if you can see it in your backyard sky (kids will ask). Linked sky-gazing podcasts from Earth & Sky could help, but the most recent is from 2008. Showcases from reputable sources like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey supply stunning pictures -- also from 2008 -- but the information pop-ups may be too advanced for most kids. Try visiting the sources directly; Earth & Sky still publishes daily podcasts and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey continues today. But neither beats a peek through a telescope at the real thing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about timeliness and websites. If a website is one year out of date, do you trust its information? What about five years or 10? Does it depend on the topic? Are there types of websites for which timeliness don't matter?
Check out our review of sky-gazing mobile apps like Celese SE and SkyView and head outside for a look at what's in your night sky.
Website Details
- Subjects: Science: astronomy
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: collecting data, investigation
- Genre: Educational
- Topics: Space and Aliens
- Pricing structure: Free
- Last updated: November 5, 2015
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