Cosmos, Voyage through the Universe

The Laboratory covers the solar system, the stars and the far sky. You can look at close-up photos or video images, listen to commentary, watch the movement of a celestial body in orbit, or get a size comparison between one body and another. The Heavens offers a historical perspective on our relationship with the universe. A feature called Mythologies and Constellations tells the ancient stories that were created to explain the constellations. Another feature, The Great Legends, recounts ancient tales of the sun, moon, eclipses and other astronomical phenomena.

The Sphere of Knowledge is a wheel with different topics that you can click for answers. It tells the history of astronomy from the ancients to the present as well as answers questions about stars and galaxies, the possibility of life elsewhere, and several other topics. The Planetarium starts by showing you the night sky today (using your computer's date setting) as it appears in New York City. You can view a 3-D map of the sky or make a sketch of a constellation and keep it in a logbook. You can also use tools such as binoculars for close-up views, search for a certain body's location in the sky that night, or view the sky from a different position on the Earth.

Cosmos has plenty to offer an adult who wants to learn more about astronomy, but it is also perfect for an interested student in junior or secondary school. --Matthew Kohut, Amazon.com

In the Laboratory, become the astronomer's apprentice. The Laboratory is a veritable testing ground where you can conduct your own experiments. Here you can analyse, measure and compare the stars, as well as different objects in the solar system and deep space. You can also wander among the planets and their satellites and visualise their movements.

In the Sphere of Knowledge, retrace the history of astronomy. From the first theories of antiquity up to the latest discoveries of the 20th century, learn all about the big bang, the formation of the solar system, the secrets of the stars, and the laws that govern the universe. Thanks to the interactive animated sequences, you can assist Eratosthenes as he calculates the circumference of the Earth, learn about the laws that regulate the seasons, and discover the laws of gravitation with Newton.

In The Heavens, learn about the mythological tales of the cosmos. Since ancient times, the sky has been as much a source of wonder as of fear for humankind. In the sun, the moon, and the constellations, the ancients saw their gods. In this section you will find mythological tales regarding the cosmos such as the stories of the 12 signs of the zodiac, the legend of Hercules, the creation myths from different civilizations and the stories about comets.