Solar system and planets - Space Web Links

Teacher support Teaching resources and activities

Search for a space activity near your school or browse our selection of websites and recommended space resources using the STEM eLibrary.

Down2Earth

http://down2earth.eu/

Through this website, students can study the threat posed by asteroids and comets. The website offers an Impact Calculator programme that has been specially designed for student use.

Using the Impact Calculator, students can create a virtual impact on Earth by changing the size, speed and composition of an approaching asteroid or comet. Down2Earth uses a mix of resources, some new and some adapted from various other sources. While a selection of worksheets gives students the opportunity to learn more about asteroids and comets - their detection, orbits, deflection/ destruction and the possibility of impacts - and the study of meteorites.

Down2Earth is run by the Faulkes Telescope Project, supported by the National Museum of Wales and the Science Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Impact: Earth!

http://www.purdue.edu/impactearth

An interactive web programme created by scientists at Purdue University and Imperial College London, which allows users to enter details about a hypothetical asteroid impactor, such as diameter and density. The web programme then estimates the scale of the hypothetical disaster and returns details such as the likely size and depth of the resultant crater, safe distance from the impact zone to avoid damaging after-effects and so forth.

As well as being an entertaining programme to use, Impact Earth is also a very important reference tool, as it enables users to calculate further details such as the tsunami wave height should there be an ocean-based impact; a danger about which we have become even more acutely aware in recent times.

Institute of Physics

http://www.iop.org/

The leading UK society for physicists, the IOP produces much free material and information for schools. There is a video-lending service for members and affiliated schools. For details of all educational activities contact the Education Department.

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