Modern Astronomy
The age of modern astronomy can be marked with the beginning of the telescope, which has allowed humans to extend their range of vision farther into space. For more than 300 years, advances in technology have met the high aspirations of scientists to know more about what lies in the universe that they can see and beyond. In this timeline activity, use the timeline icon or the arrows in the lower right corner to view each of the highlights of modern astronomy. Click the player to begin.
Download a printable version of the interactivity above.
Learn more about NASA's Mars Science Laboratory and the rover Curiosity by viewing the video Curiosity: A Robotic Geologist from eMediaVA℠. As you view the video, consider the following questions:
- How will NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory assess Mars’s habitability?
- Why do you think NASA named the rover Curiosity?
Highlights of Modern Astronomy Review
Now that you have learned of some of the highlights of modern astronomy, check your knowledge by completing the non-graded activity below. On each slide, drag and drop the events into their correct sequence. Once you have selected your answer, click SUBMIT. Click the player to get started.