Interactive Visualization of the Scale of the Universe

I just received an email from a reader, Mary Murphy, who shared with me a fantastic interactive visualization of the scale of the universe. The Scale of the Universe 2 features a huge selection of objects in the universe that are arranged according to size and scale. You can zoom-in on the image to objects as small as neutrinos and quarks or as large as planets, constellations, and galaxies. When you click on an object in The Scale of the Universe 2 a small window of information about that object pops up.

Applications for Education
Trying to wrap their minds around the true size and scale of the universe can be a challenge for some students (I know it was for me). The Scale of the Universe 2 could be a great way for students to explore the size of the universe by comparing objects they're familiar with to objects that they've only read about.

Oh The Things You Will See - Five Planets With the Naked Eye

I'm not much of a star-gazer, but I can pick out a few constellations and planets when I look up at night (living in a town devoid of street lights really makes the stars pop too). According to this National Geographic article, this week many of us should be able to see five planets in the night sky without the aid of a telescope. Reading the article reminded me of some resources for teaching and learning about space that I've reviewed in the past.

Eight good resources for space science lessons.
A Planetarium for Your Browser
Use Google Sky to Know What You're Looking at Tonight
Real World Math has lessons that use the Moon, Mars, and Sky view in Google Earth.