Resources

Did you know there are more ways to get into the growing space industry than being a rocket scientist or astronaut?

Check out this presentation to learn about different careers, their education levels, and their importance in the new space age.

10 Free Space Tools Every Student Should Know

Last updated: Aug 24, 2025

Stellarium (Web/Desktop)

Planetarium that shows a realistic night sky from any location/time. Great for star-hopping and learning constellations.

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NASA Eyes

Interactive visualizations of Earth, the Solar System, exoplanets, and missions. Explore spacecraft paths and planets in 3D.

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JPL HORIZONS

High-precision ephemerides (positions) for planets, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft. For when you need real numbers.

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ESA Sky

Web sky explorer with multi-wavelength survey layers and mission data (Gaia, Planck, Herschel, etc.).

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WorldWide Telescope

Panoramic sky/planet explorer with guided tours. Switch between wavelengths and telescopes.

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NASA Exoplanet Archive

Official database of confirmed exoplanets with plots, downloads, and tools for exploration.

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SIMBAD / Aladin Lite

Look up any astronomical object, then view images/overlays right in your browser with Aladin Lite.

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Heavens-Above

Track satellites, ISS passes, and bright flares for your location—great for planning skywatching.

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Stellarium Web Sketcher (Alt: Sky & Telescope Charts)

Create printable star charts for outreach or personal observing sessions.

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GLOBE Observer (NASA)

Mobile app to log clouds, trees, mosquitoes, and land cover—feeds real science datasets.

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Top Citizen Science Projects You Can Join Today

Last updated: Aug 24, 2025

These projects welcome beginners and students. Most only need a browser or a phone—no advanced math required.

Cloudspotting on Mars (NASA/JPL)

Help identify Martian clouds in Mars Climate Sounder data to improve our understanding of Mars’ atmosphere.

Join

Planet Hunters TESS (Zooniverse)

Classify light curves from NASA’s TESS mission to help find new exoplanet candidates.

Join

Backyard Worlds: Planet 9

Search WISE infrared images for moving objects—brown dwarfs and distant solar system bodies.

Join

Disk Detective

Help identify planetary-system debris disks in telescope data by classifying images.

Join

Aurorasaurus

Report aurora sightings and help researchers map auroral activity in real time.

Join

Gravity Spy (LIGO)

Classify noise “glitches” in gravitational-wave detectors to improve astrophysical signal detection.

Join

Exoplanet Watch (NASA)

Contribute transit timing observations; also offers educational resources for beginners.

Join

Globe at Night

Measure sky brightness to study light pollution trends—simple and global.

Join

Radio Galaxy Zoo / RGZ: EMU

Match radio sources to their host galaxies to study black holes and galaxy evolution.

Join

Citizen Science on Zooniverse

Explore hundreds of vetted astronomy and space projects. Filter by difficulty and topic.

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Tip: For students under 18, join with a parent/guardian or teacher account when a project has age restrictions.

External Resources

While AstroVisionaries is an accessible starting point, there are many other programs and opportunities available at colleges and more established institutions. Many of these programs offer in-depth training and specialized resources to build a strong background in space sciences.