DLTK's Crafts for Kids
International Astronomy Day (last Saturday in April)

POSTED ON APRIL 11, 2023 BY LEANNE GUENTHER

Introduction to International Astronomy Day

Happy International Astronomy Day, space explorers! Today, we celebrate the beauty and wonder of the cosmos and the amazing discoveries that have been made through space exploration. Astronomy is the study of the stars, planets, and other celestial objects in the universe. And guess what? You can be an astronomer too!

Let's learn some fun facts about space and the objects that inhabit it. Did you know that the sun is a star? It's true! It's the closest star to Earth, and it provides light and heat for our planet. The moon is another celestial object that we can see in the night sky. It orbits around the Earth, and it looks different depending on its phase.

There are eight planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Each planet has unique features and characteristics. For example, Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, and it has a big red spot that's actually a giant storm!

Astronauts are brave explorers who travel to space to learn more about the universe. They wear special suits and helmets to protect them from the harsh conditions of space. They get to see things that most of us can only imagine, like the Earth from space and the stars up close.

To celebrate International Astronomy Day, you can create your own space-themed coloring pages or choose your own adventure story! Let your imagination take you to the stars by coloring planets, rockets, astronauts, and more. You can even imagine your own alien solar system with different colors and designs.

You can also learn more about astronomy by visiting a planetarium or watching documentaries about space exploration. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be the next astronaut to explore space and make new discoveries about our universe!

Let's celebrate International Astronomy Day by appreciating the beauty and wonder of the universe and dreaming big about what we might discover in the future.

Fun Facts About Space:

1. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth!
2. The sun is so big that a million Earths could fit inside it.
3. The closest planet to the sun is Mercury, and it's also the smallest planet in our solar system.
4. Saturn has the most recognizable rings of any planet in our solar system.
5. The largest volcano in our solar system is on Mars, and it's three times taller than Mount Everest.
6. Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) get to see 16 sunrises and sunsets every day as they orbit the Earth every 90 minutes.
7. The first person to walk on the moon was Neil Armstrong on July 20, 1969.
8. Jupiter has more than 60 moons, the largest of which is called Ganymede.
9. The distance from the Earth to the moon is about 238,900 miles.
10. The Andromeda Galaxy, which is our nearest neighboring galaxy, is 2.5 million light-years away from us.

Visit DLTK’s Crafts for Kids for more:

• Outer Space Activities
• Outer Space Coloring Pages