ASTRONOMY.COM

     The lefthand steering column has a section, “Intro to Astronomy” which is just the thing for amateurs. The site is absolutely packed with fascinating information -- though some of the most fascinating is for their magazine subscribers only.

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx

CELESTIA

     You can TOUR THE STARS AND PLANETS IN 3-D WITH CELESTIA. It’s the kind of thing the scientifically inclined will enjoy for hours, playing with it as the most delightful of toys. Nonscientists who do not know how to play with scientific toys may find it boring. It’s easy to download, so you can see for yourself and delete it if you don’t like it. (To uninstall a program, go into your computer’s Start menu, click on Control Panel, then on Add or Remove Programs. Right-click on the program you want removed, and ask for it to be removed.)

http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

     And here’s the “Mother Lode” site for those who find Celestia a delightful plaything:

http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/

NASA’S HOME PAGE

     On the right side of NASA’s home page, you’ll see “Popular Content,” and, if you scroll down, the “Kids’ Page.” But you’ll also find, in the sections listed at the top, more serious information for educators and students.

http://www.nasa.gov/home/

ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY

     You’ll find here not only NASA’s picture of the day but a splendid archive of past photos.

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

NASA SOLAR SYSTEM SIMULATOR

     I didn’t find the solar system simulator to be all that great – it’s just photos – but the videos were great. And there’s much more on the site for the scientifically inclined.

http://space.jpl.nasa.gov/

EXPLORE THE UNIVERSE WITH HUBBLE

     Explore the universe through HUBBLE's eye, and witness the “most dangerous, spectacular and mysterious depths of the cosmos.” You’ll also find desktop wallpaper and large photos suitable for framing.

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/