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Year 9-10

Year Group: Year 9-10

person exploring the southern night sky with a telescope

Our stellar neighbourhood

@space_samuel April 12, 2026

Our Stellar Neighbourhood: Stars Within 50 Light Years
Our Sun is surrounded by many nearby stars within a 50 light-year radius, most of which are small, cool red dwarfs.

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All Teaching Resources

the mission patch from Mark Rocket's space flight
The First New Zealander in Space: A Conversation with Mark Rocket
Observation & Evidence, Space & Scale
What does it feel like to leave Earth, experience weightlessness and see our planet surrounded by the immense...
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The Sun
Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion
Gravity & Motion, Observation & Evidence, Planetary Systems, Space & Scale, Time & Change
Explore Kepler's Second Law through an interactive orbital simulation. Investigate how a planet's speed changes throughout its elliptical...
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Mars and Saturn
Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion
Gravity & Motion, Observation & Evidence, Planetary Systems, Space & Scale, Time & Change
This page demonstrates Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion with an interactive simulation.
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The Moon over three days
Phases of The Moon
The Moon is one of the most recognisable celestial objects. Its subtle changes in appearance over the course...
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pleiades
Explore Matariki in 3D
Space & Scale, Stars & Fusion, Time & Change
This interactive experience allows students to move through the cluster and explore the three-dimensional structure of Matariki from...
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Nebra Disk Matariki
Matariki Around the World: Perspectives on the Pleiades
Observation & Evidence, Time & Change
Discover how cultures around the world interpreted the Pleiades star cluster through mythology, astronomy, observation and changing perspectives.
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Stories and observations

Old boat on Deception island
What can an Antarctic extremophile teach us about life beyond Earth?
Matariki Dawn Viewing on top of Mount Victoria Wellington
Matariki: The Stars That Became a Nation’s New Year
Traditional Navigation
Navigation & Storytelling
Orakei Korako Spacewardbound Field trip
Astrobiology for Educators
Star Safari skyglow and Paul Malinson telescope 2025-11-1246
Dark Skies & Light Pollution
Star Safari7181 Large
Observing the Night Sky

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