Mentioning stargazing typically brings to mind a telescope. And indeed, sooner or later anyone interested in viewing the wonders of the heavens must have one. (In next month’s issue we will discuss telescopes). But the best way to begin your exploration of the heavens is not with a telescope, but rather with a pair of binoculars.
The various Full Moons throughout the year have a variety of popular names given to them, perhaps the best-known being the Harvest Moon which in times past helped farmers bring in their crops by providing needed illumination at night. Others are much less-obvious, but not so this month’s name!
This month offers an opportunity to see a relatively unknown major meteor shower that radiates from a place in the sky that no longer exists! This will occur on the night of January 3rd into the morning of January 4th. Although considered by some skywatchers as one of the year’s best right alongside that of the Perseids and Geminids, few have actually seen it as explained below.
Of the four seasonal markers, this one seems to be the least understood (and for many the least welcomed with winter now ahead of us!). Contributing to this is a widely believed fact that not only is counter-intuitive—but is actually wrong!
Since starting as Scientifics Direct, I quickly discovered that there’s quite a list of classic science products. Packed with fun and brimming with nostalgia, these scientific demonstrations are hard to resist. Whether a perfect addition to your desk or the tool to unlock scientific curiosity in young minds, this is a section you don’t want to miss. [READ MORE]
Chemistry experiments really are one of the best ways to get children interested in science. Plus, chemistry kits make fun gifts that kids love, rarely realizing how much they’re learning.
Once you’ve decided to go the chemistry kit route, it’s just a matter of what kit to get – which is definitely the hardest part (especially if you’re indecisive – speaking from experience). I did the heavy lifting and ended up with a list of 6 (okay, 7) chemistry kits that make the perfect gift. [READ MORE]
An eclipse of the Moon is either total in which case our satellite is completely immersed in the Earth’s dark inner shadow (the umbra)—or it is partial meaning that only part of the Moon is covered. But this month, we have a very unusual situation involving a judgement-call between these two events!
I picked items to cover the different types of grownup science and math geeks out there and ended up with something for all of them and a runner-up (because there is way too much to choose from). I ended up with a list of nerdy, science-oriented, niche products that you really would never find on the shelves of Target or Walmart. You won’t find any children’s toys here, just advanced nerd [READ MORE]
With so many amazing educational science products to choose from, it’s hard to find the best. What will excite the science enthusiast in your life? With gift-giving for the upcoming holidays high in my mind, I can already tell it’ll be difficult to figure out what to get for the people in my life. And I can’t be the only one in this position! [READ MORE]
Finding the perfect gift is hard, and it can be even harder when the gift is for a pint-sized human. That’s where I stepped in. I’ve compiled a list of five of the most fun and educational products that should leave your preschooler (ages 3+) laughing and having fun. [READ MORE]
