Sites for sighting Mars

By From Miles O'Brien
CNN Space Correspondent

(CNN) -- With Mars in its best position to view in years, budding astronomers will want to take note of these sites to help explore the red planet and the infinite universe beyond.

Solarviews.com

Want to explore our solar system, but don't have quite as much money as Dennis Tito? Well, the next best thing might be at solarviews.com. This Web site is an in-depth resource about the planets that make up our solar system. There are also numerous statistics on Mars. Take a look at the sun. Find out how fast Saturn is orbiting or where the term meteorite came from. There is even an in-depth history of space exploration and profiles on astronomers and scientists. This site is an encyclopedia of our solar system and space exploration.

http://www.solarviews.com

Hubble

One of the best views from space is from the Hubble space telescope. High above the Earth's atmosphere, Hubble lets scientists view the universe without ever leaving the ground. Learn about the history of the telescope and how it was built. Look at pictures of comets, galaxies and black holes. Learn about what makes our universe tick. There are even directions on how to make your own comet!

http://hubble.stsci.edu

JPL.NASA.gov

Managed in part by the California Institute of Technology, the Jet Propulsion Lab is NASA's lead center for robotic exploration of the solar system. Learn about NASA's Voyager flyby mission of Neptune and find out more about NASA's future missions to Jupiter. You can also link to NASA's photo-journal of planets in our solar system. This site offers a wealth of resource about NASA's robotic explorations into space.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Badastronomy.com

Was NASA's first landing on the moon a hoax? What really happens when you get sucked into a black hole? Had enough of those crazy Hollywood versions of space being the final frontier? Find out the truth behind these questions and more at badastronomy.com. Philip Plait, an astronomer at Sonoma State University delves into the heart of these questions and helps you understand what's really going on in space. You can even send in your questions. And even if you don't have a question, read reviews on space movies, shows and books.

http://www.badastronomy.com

Skypub.com

Sky and Telescope magazine is one of the premier astronomy magazines. There are links to articles from the latest edition and links to resources and other great space sites. Don't know what's going on in the sky? A monthly sky chart and a calendar of special sky events should help you out. There are also tips and suggestions to help you find the right telescope or binoculars to view the constellations like a pro.

http://www.skypub.com

CNN.com/space

To find the latest news about space, go to CNN.com. Join in on discussions about stargazing and UFOs and read in-depth reports about Mars and the Cassini mission. All the latest space and technology news from our many correspondents is here as well as in-depth coverage from CNN's space correspondent, Miles O'Brien.

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