Space for Kids: Planets, Stars, the Moon and Space Missions Explained Simply

Space is everything beyond Earth's atmosphere — the Moon, the Sun, the planets, the stars and the galaxies. Children's questions about space ("Why does the Moon change shape?", "Why is the sky dark at night?") are a perfect way into science, and New Age Learning's Mysterious Space books answer them through stories for Class 5 to 10.

Big ideas, explained simply

• The solar system: the Sun and everything that travels around it — eight planets, their moons, asteroids and comets.
• Why the Moon changes shape: the Moon does not make its own light. As it travels around Earth, we see different amounts of its sunlit half — new moon, crescent, half, gibbous and full moon.
• Day and night: Earth spins on its axis once a day, so one side faces the Sun while the other is in darkness.
• Seasons: Earth is tilted, so different parts get more direct sunlight at different times of the year.
• Stars: huge balls of hot gas, like our Sun, so far away that they look like tiny points of light.
• Space missions: rockets carry satellites and spacecraft that study Earth, the Moon and planets — India's space agency ISRO has sent missions to the Moon and Mars.

Space activities at home

• Watch the Moon every evening for two weeks and draw its shape.
• Use a torch and a ball to show day and night and the phases of the Moon.
• Find the brightest "star" after sunset — it may be a planet such as Venus or Jupiter.

The Mysterious Space books

The series grows with the child — Mysterious Space Basic for younger classes and Advance books for Class 8 to 10 — with stories, solved examples and quizzes with instant feedback. Start with Mysterious Space - Basic 1 or browse all story books. For school topics like light, motion and the solar system, see Science practice.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the Moon change shape?

It doesn't. We see different parts of its sunlit side as it moves around Earth, which creates the phases from new moon to full moon.

How many planets are in our solar system?

Eight: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Which classes are the space books for?

From about Class 5 to Class 10; each book shows its classes.

Are the space books free?

Yes, they can be read free on phone or computer.