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Universe

About the Universe
Photo: Composite of spiral-shaped Messier 81 galaxy

Galaxies

What's in a galaxy?

Go Deep
Photo: View of the Milky Way's oldest known planet

Universe Origins

From marble to macrocosm

Learn More
Photo: Quintuplet star cluster

Stars

They're great balls of fire.

See the Light

Did You Know?

Across the Universe

Earth orbits the sun at a distance of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). The distance is known as an astronomical unit (AU) and is the scale that scientists use to measure distances across the universe.

News: Latest Space Stories

NEW ROBOT PICTURES: Best Moon-Digging Rovers Named
SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: Test Rocket, Moon Plume, More
2009 Orionid Meteor Shower Peak Begins
See More Space News
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Related Features
Photo: Artful rearrangement of the solar system

Interactive: Solar System

Explore the solar system like never before.

Get Started
Photo: Eta Carinae

Article: The Cataclysmic Death of Stars

Once a second somewhere in the universe a star explodes with the brilliance of an entire galaxy. In recent years scientists have begun to understand how these doomed suns die.

Read More
Photo: Saturn and its rings

Photo Gallery: Saturn

Saturn's rings have bewitched sky watchers since Galileo first observed them in 1610. See why the second-largest planet in our solar system is also arguably the most beautiful.

See the Photos

Space Topics

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Photo: 2009 Winner

Photo Contest

Find out who takes home the Grand Prize!

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Photo: Glass of water

Take Quiz

Test your water knowledge.

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Support Conservation
Photo: Two penguins

Help conserve the world's natural resources.

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The Green Guide
Photo: Green flower

Get tips for helping the environment.

Visit The Green Guide

National Geographic Kids

Image: A cross-section of the human head

Play games, watch videos, and much more in this just-for-kids site.

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