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🔭 Astronomy

From our solar system to distant galaxies, learn how the cosmos works.

lessons

~30 min

to learn

🔬 Science

subject

Teens

level

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What you’ll learn

Explain what astronomy studies, use light-years, and describe the solar system and stars.Astronomy studies everything beyond Earth using light that takes time to reach us. Distances are measured in light-years, our solar system is centered on the Sun, and every star is itself a sun powered by fusion.
Describe the Milky Way and other galaxies and explain how telescopes and spectroscopy reveal cosmic secrets.The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars, one of hundreds of billions of galaxies. Telescopes across the electromagnetic spectrum and spectroscopy let astronomers learn what distant objects are made of and how they move.
Trace the life cycle of stars, describe planets and moons, and begin observing the night sky.Stars are born in nebulae, live by fusing hydrogen, and end as white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes. Planets and moons form from surrounding disks, and anyone can begin exploring the sky and our place in the cosmos.

Questions this course answers

What is a light-year a measure of?

A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, about 9.5 trillion kilometers.

Which is the hottest planet in our solar system?

Venus is hottest because its thick atmosphere traps heat, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun.

What powers a star's light?

Stars shine because nuclear fusion in their cores converts hydrogen into helium, releasing energy.

What type of galaxy is the Milky Way?

The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy with a disk spanning more than 100,000 light-years.

Why do astronomers put telescopes in space?

Earth's atmosphere blurs and blocks much light, so space telescopes get clearer, fuller views.

What does a redshift in a galaxy's light indicate?

Light from objects moving away shifts toward red; this revealed the universe is expanding.

Grounded in trusted sources

NASA Science, "Solar System: Facts" (science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts)
NASA Science, "Stars" (science.nasa.gov/universe/stars)
NASA Science, "Galaxies" (science.nasa.gov/universe/galaxies)
"Milky Way," Encyclopaedia Britannica (britannica.com/place/Milky-Way-Galaxy)
NASA Goddard, "The Milky Way Galaxy," Imagine the Universe (imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov)

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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