Products
Tools for understanding science.
Astronomy I
This book provides the missing pieces that have kept you from understanding astronomy in the past.(see The Missing Link) It starts at the beginning and explains the daily motion of the sun, moon, stars, and planets using a "Sun Puppet."
Upon completing this book, you will be able to find the moon any time it is out, and be able to predict where it will be and what the phase will be tomorrow, or any other day.
Untangling the daily motion of celestial objects is a necessary first step for learning the rest of astronomy. Astronomy I even gives you a simple way to track the planets with no charts or calculations required. Simply check the planet's position relative to the sun and you will be able to find it with ease.
Order now to begin having fun finding the moon, stars, and planets, and to start building a foundation for more advanced astronomy.
Astronomy I - book, 51 pages, $25.99 + $2.99 shipping
Sun Puppet Demonstration Device
The best way to teach the motion of the sun, moon, stars and planets is to show it. There is no substitute for seeing how the moon travels with the sun each day, yet falls behind on a monthly cycle.
The simplified image of celestical objects moving with and relative to the sun that the Sun Puppet provides will stick with students forever. Every time a student sees the sun, moon, stars, or planets, he will imagine the simplified motion of the Sun Puppet, and he will know with certainty what is happening.
The Sun Puppet is recommended for everyone, including homeschoolers, classroom teachers, and anyone who just wants to enjoy the sky.
Made in the USA out of rigid, lightweight plastic. It includes magnetically interchangeable sun, new, full, quarter, crescent, and gibbous moons, star, and the five visible planets. The movable arms sweep out a diameter of 32 inches. The Sun Puppet folds up to a size of 26 x 19-1/4 x 3 inches for easy storage.
Sun Puppet Device + Astronomy I book - $149.95 + $9.99 shipping
Planet Finder
Finding the bright planets, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn, is not much harder than finding the moon. These objects are very bright, usually much brighter than any star. If you know where to look, you will be sure to find them.
But where should you look? Before Falling Apple's Astronomy I, this was not an easy question to answer. The planets are in constant motion and regularly disappear from view altogether. Traditionally, you needed to know the stars before you could find the planets.
Using the Sun Puppet method of tracking celestial objects makes finding the planets easy and fun; no star charts are required Here's how it works: Planets follow the same path as the sun and moon. The Planet Finder shows you how far ahead or behind the sun the planets are on any given day. Turn the sun dial to the correct time of day, and the planets automatically position themselves just as they are in the sky.
You'll want to hang the Planet Finder in a prominent place, like on the refrigerator, so you are reminded where to look for the planets every evening and early morning.
The Planet Finder is a calendar that needs to be renewed every year. Each finder lasts for a year. The 2012 version lasts from January through December 2012.
Planet Finder Jan - Dec 2012 - $9.99 + $1.99 shipping