Using Google Earth to fly through the Solar System

This past year, while teaching my students about the solar system, I ran across an awesome feature on Google Earth. This feature (I have not idea what it is called) allowed my class to take a trip through the solar system. Let me give you the steps on how to get there.

1. Download Google Earth (www.googleearth.com or www.google.com/earth/index.html)

2. Open Google Earth. At the top are buttons. The fifth button from the right looks like a planet with a ring around it. Click on that button and select Sky.

3. On the left side, there is a pane showing "Search," "Places," and "Layers." Select Layers.

4. Select "Our Solar System." When this opens, you will see the names of some bodies in the solar system. Simply click on the planet (or Sun), and you will "fly" through space until you get there.

There are a couple of bodies that you can zoom in on. I think you can even "walk" on the moon. Play around with these features to see what it can do. My kids LOVED flying through space on the SmartBoard!