The NASA’s Universe of Learning team connects the public to the data, discoveries, and experts that span NASA’s Astrophysics missions. Our team is made up of scientists, engineers, and educators who have direct connections to these missions. We also rely on a nationwide network of informal educators, scientists, and engineers who not only share our resources, but also help us develop them.
UOL In partnership with STScI, SAO, ASTC, Smithsonian Affiliations, and informal science centers, UoL fosters accessible, inclusive learning across the country.
All of our projects and events are designed to inspire engagement and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Once learners get started, they often return to unlock more secrets of the universe – and perhaps even chart their own path to become a scientist or an engineer.
Every one of us can explore the universe, no advanced degree required! The team behind NASA’s Universe of Learning aims to put everything learners need to begin at your fingertips. It might be as straightforward as watching a video about stars or distant planets, or participating in the scientific process itself by editing an image of a galaxy captured with a remote-controlled telescope. We connect the public to the data, discoveries, and experts that span NASA’s Astrophysics missions. Our team is made up of a variety of scientists, engineers, and educators with direct connections to NASA’s Astrophysics missions. We are all immersed in exploring, researching, and communicating about space – and our expertise and direct connections allow us to create innovative projects and design novel approaches to engage learners.
In addition to these deep, wide-ranging experiences, we know that inviting more people to contribute to our projects makes them significantly better. That is why our NASA’s Universe of Learning team relies on a nationwide network of informal educators, scientists, and engineers who not only share our resources (and learners’ feedback!), but also help us develop them. For example, we help staff at museums, science centers, public libraries, and other venues expand their knowledge about astrophysics by connecting them directly to the researchers who make scientific discoveries. Our regular professional learning experiences cover a series of science topics and allow plenty of time for questions.
We also match astronomy visualization experts and planetarium staff, allowing them to exchange best practices, discuss the latest techniques, and collaborate on projects. Best of all, scientists and engineers consult with our writers and designers to explain objects in space, like a galaxy or the remains of an exploded star, helping our team add engaging details to capture learners’ imaginations and discover the underlying science. Plus, our entire network shares our resources with their local audiences – multiplying how many learners benefit. All of our programming is designed to inspire engagement and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We’re willing to bet once learners get started, they will keep coming back to slowly unlock more secrets of the cosmos – and perhaps even become a scientist.
Key Programs & Kits Available
Mini Star Kits
- Includes 3D‑printed models of astronomical objects (e.g. Pillars of Creation, Crab Nebula, Eta Carina).
- Accompanied by audio descriptions, data sonifications, and Braille/text handouts designed for multisensory engagement
Touchable Universe in a Box
- Features 5 tactile, 3D‑printed models (Cassiopeia A, SN 1987a, V745 SCO, Eta Carina, Pillars of Creation).
- Includes Braille/tactile posters and audio modules to create rich, accessible learning experiences
Be a NASA Detective: Expanding Your Senses
- A STEM activity kit developed through NASA@My Library.
- Activities include modeling solar system scales, moon phases, planetary science experiments using everyday tools like thermometers and magnets
Sun‑Earth‑Moon Connections Kit
- Along with the “Detective” kit, this toolkit helps libraries host hands‑on learning tied to fundamental astronomical interactions (part of NASA@My Library)
MICROOBSERVATORY
About this Project
Take your own astronomical images by commanding one of MicroObservatory’s ground-based robotic telescopes.
MicroObservatory is a network of automated telescopes that can be controlled over the internet. The telescopes were developed by scientists and educators at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and are designed to enable youth nationwide to investigate the wonders of the deep sky from their classrooms or after-school centers. They are located and maintained at observatories affiliated with the Center for Astrophysics, including the Harvard College Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona.
The MicroObservatory remote observing network is composed of several 3-foot-tall reflecting telescopes, each of which has a 6-inch mirror to capture the light from distant objects in space. Instead of an eyepiece, the MicroObservatory telescopes focus the collected light onto a CCD detector (similar to an electronic chip in a digital camera) that records the image as a picture file with 650 x 500 pixels.
Users control the MicroObservatory telescopes and download their images themselves, with no human intervention in the loop. You can access the Observing With NASA Control Telescope web interface at any time. The telescopes are weatherproof and do not require a dome for protection, and the Control Telescope software automatically lets users know which targets are up that night. This means that even first-time observers can control the instrument without dependence on a telescope operator or other outside experts.
After you choose your target and select an exposure time, color filters, and other parameters, you submit your email address along with your request for the telescope to take the image that night. Within 48 hours, you will receive an email notification with links to access and download your very own image.
Additional UoL Resources
- Universe of Learning Resource Catalog
A searchable repository of events, webinars, videos, and classroom activities for all ages universe-of-learning.org+12astc.org+12science.nasa.gov+12. - Cosmic Conversations
A monthly virtual forum connecting educators and scientists on topics like inclusive programming, partnership strategies, and best practices . - Mobile & Online Resources
Interactive tools offered through NASA Kids’ Club, Space Place, and other platforms, designed to engage Pre‑K to 12 audiences
NASA’s Universe of Learning brings astrophysics into the hands—and imaginations—of learners everywhere. Through accessible design, data-rich content, and community partnerships, UoL exemplifies how to make space exploration inclusive, engaging, and locally adaptable. Whether you’re an educator, librarian, or science center coordinator, these programs and multisensory kits offer powerful tools to ignite curiosity and deepen understanding of our universe.