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Discover the Universe
With Skynet Junior Scholars

Tap into an international network of robotic telescopes and learn what it really means to be a scientist.

What is Skynet Junior Scholars?

Skynet Junior Scholars (SJS) is designed to engage young explorers in the study of the universe using the same tools as professionals.

The SJS web portal connects middle and high-school aged youth with activities, resources and guidance to become scholars of the sky.

Learn More About Skynet Junior Scholars
An observatory at night, silhouetted against the starry night sky, consisting of a cylindrical stone structure capped with a metal dome. A hatch on the dome is open, giving a telescope inside a view of the sky.

Who Are the Skynet Junior Scholars?

All are welcome. It is part of the SJS mission to continually improve access to the sky for people of all abilities.

Skynet Junior Scholars come from all over

  • Youth participating in 4-H clubs
  • Other youth clubs
  • After school programs
  • Museum programs or summer camps
A group of high-school-age students assembled for a group picture inside the dome of an observatory.

Work With Professional Astronomers

SJS youth join a scientific learning community as they use Skynet telescopes, share their work with each other and interact with astronomers, engineers and other Skynet scientists.

Control Powerful Telescopes With the Internet

Scholars complete investigations using world-class telescopes in the United States, Chile, and Australia.

Check out our telescopes
In addition to telescope access, SJS has created Explorations to guide youth. Explorations range from how to use a robotic telescope to how to create a scientific investigation using data from their own astronomical images!

Ready to lead a group?

Do you:

  • lead a U.S. based out‐of‐school time program?
  • youth group or club?
  • work or volunteer for a U.S. informal education facility?
  • lead a 4-H group?

Youth in your out-of-school-time programs may join SJS after you complete an SJS professional development workshop.

In our workshops you will learn how to conduct investigations with Skynet telescopes, practice hands-on activities to share in your program and learn techniques to develop the scientist or engineer within every young person.

Not an an adult? If you are a young person, please encourage your out-of-school time leader to participate in one of our workshops.

Apply to a workshop today!
Get started

Recent News

Skynet Site Maintenance Scheduled

Apr 16, 2018

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be moving all Skynet servers to a new data center. We've broken the move up into three parts which are scheduled as follows:

April 19, beginning at 11AM EST April 24, beginning at 10AM EST April 26, beginning at 10AM EST

We will try to keep as much of Skynet online as possible during the move, but expect disruptions in the website for a few hours each of the above days.

Forum may be unavailable while we update our security license

Feb 6, 2018

All, your browser may try to prevent you from accessing the SJS Forum, deeming it to be an unsecured website. Our security certificate expired, and we are rectifying the situation. The Forum is safe. Will update you here.