Resources by Royal Observatory Greenwich

Daytime Moon Viewing

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, uses daytime viewing of the Moon to reinforce ideas learned in the classroom about light, shadow and the Moon itself. Advice is given on the best times to view the Moon, and the compulsory and optional equipment needed. By viewing the Moon during the day,...

Drawing Orbits

This activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, allows students to visualise the orbits of planets as ellipses, rather than circles, and allows for the further study of the geometry of these orbits through basic algebra, using terms derived from the drawing...

Exotic matter in the solar system

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet introduces the concepts of dark matter and dark energy and its role in the solar system. Included is an online video that discusses how the Universe will end. Equations and physical terms are introduced and discussed. Questions and answers are included that...

Exploring Mars - key stage 2

Although no humans have been to Mars, we have sent lots of spacecraft and rovers to explore this distant world.  In this resource, students will design their own rover and answer the question “Which would be better to explore Mars, humans or robots?”

The accompanying video clip focuses on human missions to...

Exploring Mars - key stage 3

In this resource, students use real data to explore the conditions on Mars, and use their knowledge of the red planet to answer the question “Should humans or robots explore Mars in the future?”

The resource contains two activities:

• Conditions on Mars - students use real data and their...

Exploring moons

This activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, is designed to help students find out all about the Moon, and some of the other 200+ moons that orbit other planets in the solar system.

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Finding the mass of the black hole in the Milky Way

Produced by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet shows how to use Kepler’s third law to calculate the mass of the black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. Included is an online video that discusses what is inside a black hole. Equations and physical terms are introduced and discussed. Students are tasked...

Force of gravity

Produce by the Royal Observatory Greenwich, this booklet provides a brief overview of Newton’s law of gravitation, speed, distance and time, standard form and cosmological units. A description of Newton’s law of gravitation is supported by an online video that discusses the end of the Universe. This is followed by...

Formation of the Solar System

This resource, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, discusses a range of topics about how the Sun, planets, asteroids and/or moons have been formed over millions of years.

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Fruit Solar System

This activity, from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, helps students grasp the various sizes of planets in our Solar System using mostly fruit, with some other items. The class discussion before the activity encourages students to take an educated guess as to which...