Click on an image above for more details and credits. Image Credits: NASA-JPL/Caltech and others.
The Universe is huge. Trying to understand it can be a monumental task.
So, below are many articles that will introduce you to the cosmos and our attempts to venture out into it.
On This Page
Featured Articles
Featured Articles For Kids
The Night Sky
The Seasonal Night Skies (FAS Articles)
Neil DeGrasse Tyson (Star Talk)
- Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Guide to Skywatching (Star Talk)
- More Skywatching Tips from Neil deGrasse Tyson (How to Prove the Earth is Round)
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains How Many Stars You Can See In the Night Sky
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains the Constellations
- Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains The North Star
- Why is the Night Sky Dark? | Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains…
Books About The Night Sky
- Terence Dickinson and Alan Dyer. The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide, 4th Edition. Firefly Books. 2021. Amazon.
- Jonathan Poppele. Night Sky. Adventure Publications. 2018.
- Roger W. Sinnott. Sky & Telescope’s Pocket Sky Atlas. Sky Publishing Corporation. 2010. Amazon.
- Howard Schneider. Backyard Guide to the Night Sky. National Geographic. 2009. Amazon.
- H. A. Rey. The Stars, A New Way to See Them, 2nd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2008. Amazon.
- Emily Winterburn. The Stargazer’s Guide. Harper Perennial. 2008. Amazon.
- Robin Kerrod. The Book of Constellations. Barron’s. 2002. Amazon.
- Ian Ridpath. Stars and Planets. A Dorling Kindersley Book. DK. 2000.
- John Sanford. Observing the Constellations. A fireside Book. Simon & Schuster. 1989.
- Donald H. Menzel. A Field Guide To The Stars and Planets. Houghton Mifflin. 1964
This is a very incomplete list of books about the Night Sky. You might find others that are as (or more) useful.
The Solar System & More
The Solar System
- The Solar System (NASA Solar System Exploration)
- About The Planets (NASA Science)
- Worlds of the Solar System (NASA’s Night Sky Network)
- Solar System 101 (National Geographic/YouTube)
- The Solar System (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- Moons of the Solar System (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- New Moons for the Solar System (FAS)
- Our Solar System Lithograph Set (NASA STEM Engagement)
- The Nine Planets
- How Many Dwarf Planets Are There? (Mike Brown)
Books About The Solar System
- “10 Solar System Books That Will Expand Your Cosmic Curiosity.” Book Authority. June 23, 2025.
The Solar System for the Kids
Books About The Solar System for a younger audience
- Solar System Books for Kids. Amazon.
- Best Sellers in Solar System. Amazon.
- “10 Best Solar System Books for Kids of All Ages.” Grow Kido.
- Melissa Taylor. “Out-of-This-World Reads: Best Space & Solar System Books for Kids.” Imagination Soup. May 27, 2025.
- Katie. “9 children’s books about the planets and solar system.” Gift of Curiosity.
- “The Best Children’s Books About Space for Curious Young Readers.” Penguin Random House.
- “Space Books for Kids.” The Planetary Society. Amazon.
- Catherine D. Hughes. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space, 2nd Edition.” Penguin Random House. Amazon.
- Tish Rabe. There’s No Place Like Space! All About Our Solar System. Penguin Random House. Amazon.
- DKfindout! Solar System. DK. Amazon.
- Dr. Vienna Tran. The Solar System: An Illustrated Guide to Our Home in Space. Rizolli. Amazon.
The Moon
- The Moon (NASA Space Place)
- The Moon (NASA)
- The Moon (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- Moon Features (Planetary Society)
- Moon Phase and Libration, Current Moon (NASA/GSFC Scientific Visualization Studio)
- Supermoon, Blood Moon, Blue Moon and Harvest Moon (NASA Space Place)
- Traditional Full Moon Names (Timeanddate.com)
Here is a handout summarizing information about the planets and moons of the Solar System.
Astronomy & The Cosmos
Astronomy Terminology and Overview
The Cosmos for the Kids
Unmanned Space Exploration
Space Missions (Mars)
- Perseverance Rover (NASA Mars). 2020 to present.
- Curiosity Rover (NASA). 2011 to present.
- Insight (NASA Mars). 2018 to 2022.
- MAVEN (NASA Mars). 2013 to present.
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (NASA). 2005 to present.
- Mars Odyssey (NASA). 2001 to present.
- Mars Global Surveyor (NASA). 1996 to 2006.
Space Missions (Other)
- JUNO to Jupiter (SWRI). 2011 to present.
- Galileo to Jupiter (NASA). 1989 to 2003.
- Europa Clipper to Jupiter (NASA). Arrival 2030.
- JUICE to Jupiter (ESA) Arrival July 2031.
- Cassini to Saturn (NASA). 1997 to 2017.
- Dragonfly to Titan (NASA) Launch July 2028.
- SOHO to The Sun (NASA). 1995 to present.
- Parker Solar Probe (NASA). 2018 to present.
- New Horizons to Pluto (JHUAPL). Flyby 2015.
- DAWN to Ceres (NASA). Flyby 2015.
Human Space Exploration
The ARTEMIS Program
- Artemis Program (NASA)
- Space Launch System (NASA)
- Orion Spacecraft (NASA)
- Return to the Moon with Artemis (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- Return to the Moon with Artemis, Part II (FAS Astronomers Blog)
SpaceX
The Apollo Program
- The Apollo Missions (NASA)
- The Apollo Program (NSSDC/GSFS/NASA)
- What was the Apollo Program? (NASA)
- Project Mercury (NASA)
- Project Gemini (NASA)
- Project Apollo (NASA)
- Apollo 50th Anniversary (NASA)
- Project Mercury (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- Project Gemini (FAS Astronomers Blog)
- Project Apollo (FAS Astronomers Blog)
Telescopes
Ground Based Telescopes
Space Telescopes
- James Webb Space Telescope. 2021 to present.
- Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NASA/GSFC). Launch 2026.
- Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). 2018 to present.
- Hubble Space Telescope. 1990 to present.
- SPHEREx. 2025 to present.
- Euclid (ESA). 2023 to present.
- Gaia (ESA) 2013 to 2025.
- Kepler Space Telescope (NASA). 2009 to 2018.
- The Great Observatories (FAS Astronomers Blog).
Dinosaurs and More
Earth’s History (including Dinosaurs)
- Chart of Earth’s History (International Commission on Stratigraphy)
- Dinosaurs (Natural History Museum)
- Dinosaurs (National Geographic)
- Learn About the Different Dinosaur Periods (Bob Strauss/ThoughtCo)
- The most notorious scientific feud in history (Lukas Rieppel/TED)
Books on Dinosaurs (and more)
- Bill Bryson. A Short History of Nearly Everything. Broadway Books. New York. 2003. Amazon.
- Riley Black. The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World. St. Martin’s Press. April 26, 2022. Amazon.
- Riley Black. The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs: The 230-Million-Year Story of Their Time on Earth (The Shortest History Series). The Experiment. June 10, 2025. Amazon.
- Michael J. Benton. Dinosaurs Rediscovered: The Scientific Revolution in Paleontology. Thames & Hudson. June 11, 2019.
- Steve Brusatte. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A new History of a Lost World. Mariner Books. April 24, 2018. Amazon.
- Steve Brusatte. The Rise and Reign of Mammals: A New History. Mariner Books. June 6, 2023. Amazon.
- Steve Brusatte. The Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World’s Most Remarkable Animals. Quill Tree Books. March 2, 2021. Amazon.
- Donald R. Prothero. The Story of the Dinosaurs in 25 Discoveries. Columbia University Press. New York. 2019. Amazon.
Books about Dinosaurs for a younger audience
- Best Sellers in Children’s Dinosaur Books. Amazon.
- Melissa Taylor. “Must-Read Dinosaur Books for Kids.” Imagination Soup. May 27, 2025.
- “12 Best Dinosaur Books For Kids (2025).” Imagine Forest. Updated May 5, 2025.
- Stella Moore. “50 dinosaur books for children of all ages.” Pan Macmillan. August 14, 2024.
- Silvia Lladó. “33 Terrific Dinosaur Books for Kids – What Dino Lovers Need!.” The Fairy Glitch Mother. March 2, 2023.
- “10 ROOOOARingly Good Children’s Books about Dinosaurs.” My Storytime Corner.
- “Dinosaur Children’s Books.” Books For Topics.
- Katherine Hughes. National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs. Penguin Random House. Amazon.
- Bonnie Worth. Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur? All About Dinosaurs. Penguin Random House. Amazon.
- Dougal Dixon. The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Prehistoric Creatures. Lorenz Books. January 1, 2014. Amazon.
- Dinosaurs, a visual encyclopedia. DK Smithsonian. April 3, 2018. Amazon.
- John Woodward. The Dinosaur Book. DK Smithsonian. September 18, 2018. Amazon.
The below are probably out of print (and expensive)
- Christopher A. Brochu, John Long, Colin McHenry, John D. Scanlon, and Paul Willis. Dinosaurs, The Time-Life Guides. Time, Life Books. Weldon Owen Publishing. 2000. Amazon.
- Dougal Dixon. World Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs & Other Prehistoric Creatures. Lorenz Books. 2005. Amazon.
- Hazel Richardson. Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life. DK Smithsonian Handbook. October 12, 2021. Amazon.
Dinosaur Videos
- Steve Brusatte. “The full story of the dinosaurs, from extinction to extinction.” Big Think Video. June 27, 2026. (1:44:12)
- “Dinosaurs: Dinosaur Basics.” PBS Science Trek/YouTube. (5:42)
- “Dinosaurs 101.” National Geographic/YouTube. (3:48)
Dinosaur Videos for Kids
- “Dino Road Trip.” National Geographic Kids.
- “Dinosaur Train.” PBS Kids.
- “Dinosaurs for Kids | Learn about Dinosaur History, Fossils, Dinosaur Extinction and more!” Learn Bright/YouTube. October 3, 2018.
- “14 Dino-mite Dinosaur Videos To Share in Your Classroom.” We Are Teachers.
FAS does not formally recommend or endorse these or any other articles, videos, and books. Rather, this is a list of those available to the public that might be of some interest.
See The FAS Astronomers Blog for discussions about astronomy, science, and the universe.
You must be logged in to post a comment.