But computer simulations suffer from no such cosmic constraints. These are not static animations but interactive models in which students can tweak the experimental variables and watch the results appear as animated visualizations in the browser window. The site also allows students to download simulation software to create similar models on personal computers. Instructional resources ready for use in the classroom are provided, too. The view from out there.
Astronauts are real shutterbugs, never missing an opportunity to photograph the Earth from orbit.
You and your students can use those images in the classroom to illustrate global and local phenomena with the help of EarthRISE , a searchable online database of more than 20,000 pictures taken during space shuttle missions. Here you can find photos of a particular spot on the globe by clicking on interactive political and topographical maps or by using an interactive search form. You can even search for photos by image features such as deserts or pollution. It's the closest to being in orbit most of us will get. Where to go, what to do.