Back

Facts for Kids

The universe is an enormous and fascinating space filled with stars, planets, and galaxies, including visible and invisible contents.

Overview

Planets And Moons

The Expanding Universe

Formation Of The Universe

Cosmic Microwave Background

Dark Matter And Dark Energy

Exploration Of The Universe

Stars Life Cycle And Types

Black Holes And Neutron Stars

Galaxies And Their Structures

Theoretical Physics And The Universe

main image

Inside this Article

Hubble Space Telescope

Cosmic Radiation

Andromeda Galaxy

String Theory

Edwin Hubble

Neutron Star

Black Holes

Dark Energy

Dark Matter

Big Bang

Did you know?

๐ŸŒŒ The universe contains everything we can see and things we canโ€™t, like dark matter.

๐Ÿš€ It is estimated to be about 93 billion light-years across!

๐Ÿ’ฅ The universe began with the Big Bang about 13.8 billion years ago.

๐ŸŒŸ Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is shaped like a spiral!

๐Ÿช There are eight planets in our solar system, including Earth, Mars, and Jupiter.

๐Ÿ•ณ๏ธ Black holes are regions in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape!

๐ŸŒŒ Dark matter makes up about 27% of the universe, even though we can't see it.

๐ŸŒก๏ธ The Cosmic Microwave Background is a faint glow left over from the Big Bang.

๐Ÿ“ˆ The universe is expanding, and distant galaxies are moving away from us!

๐Ÿ”ญ Astronomers use telescopes to explore the universe and learn about stars and galaxies.

Introduction

The universe is an incredible place filled with stars, planets, and galaxies! ๐ŸŒŒ

It includes everything we can see, like the Milky Way galaxy where Earth is located, as well as things we canโ€™t see, like dark matter. The universe is very, very big; scientists estimate it is about 93 billion light-years across! ๐Ÿš€

A light-year is the distance that light travels in one year, which is super fast! The universe also has a fascinating history, with scientists studying it to understand how it all began and how it is changing every day.
Read Less

Planets And Moons

Planets are big, round objects that orbit stars! ๐Ÿช

In our solar system, we have eight planets, including Earth, Mars, and Jupiter. Earth is special because it has water and life! ๐ŸŒ

Most planets have moons, which are smaller objects that orbit them, just like how the Moon orbits Earth. For example, Jupiter has over 79 moons! ๐ŸŒ•

Some planets like Saturn have beautiful rings made of ice and rock. Planets and their moons can be very different, and scientists explore them to discover amazing things about our universe!
Read Less

The Expanding Universe

Did you know the universe is growing? ๐Ÿ“ˆ

Yes, itโ€™s expanding! Scientists discovered this in the 1920s when Edwin Hubble noticed distant galaxies were moving away from us! The farther galaxies are, the faster they seem to be moving! This means the universe is getting bigger, like blowing up a balloon ๐ŸŽˆ. This expansion is not because galaxies are moving through space; instead, space itself is stretching! The rate of expansion is called the Hubble Constant. Learning about this expanding universe helps scientists understand how our cosmos will change in the future! ๐ŸŒŒ

Read Less

Formation Of The Universe

The universe started about 13.8 billion years ago with a giant explosion called the Big Bang! ๐Ÿ’ฅ

This event created all the space and time we know today. At first, the universe was super hot and full of tiny particles. As it cooled down, particles joined together to form atomsโ€”like little building blocks. These atoms came together to create stars and galaxies. Over time, the universe expanded, like blowing up a balloon! ๐ŸŽˆ

Scientists learn about the beginning of the universe by studying cosmic radiation, which is like an echo of that great explosion.
Read Less

Cosmic Microwave Background

The cosmos is filled with remnant heat from the Big Bang, called the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)! ๐ŸŒก

๏ธ Itโ€™s a faint glow found everywhere in the universe. Imagine that if the Big Bang was a big explosion, the CMB is like the warm air left behind! Scientists discovered it in 1965, and itโ€™s a very cool way to study the universe's early days. The CMB helps us learn about what the universe was like just 380,000 years after the Big Bang! Knowledge from the CMB helps unlock the secrets of how the universe formed! ๐ŸŒ 

Read Less

Dark Matter And Dark Energy

Dark matter and dark energy are two of the biggest mysteries in the universe! ๐ŸŒŒ

Dark matter is something we canโ€™t see, but we know it exists because of its effect on gravity. Scientists estimate that about 27% of the universe is dark matter! It's like an invisible friend helping galaxies stay together! ๐Ÿค

Dark energy, on the other hand, seems to be pushing the universe to expand even faster, making up about 68% of it! Together, dark matter and dark energy help shape the universe and how it moves, fascinating scientists everywhere! ๐Ÿค”

Read Less

Exploration Of The Universe

Astronomers use telescopes to explore the universe and learn about distant stars, planets, and galaxies! ๐Ÿ”ญ

Since we canโ€™t travel to these faraway places, astronomers study the light they give off. Space missions like Hubble Space Telescope and the Mars Rover explore space up close! ๐Ÿš€

Hubble has captured stunning images, while the Mars Rover helps us learn about other planets! Scientists also send out spacecraft, like Voyager, which has traveled farther from Earth than any other human-made object. Exploring the universe is exciting, and it helps us find answers to big questions! ๐ŸŒŒ

Read Less

Stars: Life Cycle And Types

Stars are like big balls of hot gas, mostly made of hydrogen and helium! ๐ŸŒ 

They are born in clouds of gas and dust, called nebulae. A starโ€™s life can last from millions to billions of years. It goes through several stages: first, it forms, then it shines brightly (like our Sun), and finally, when it runs out of fuel, it can explode in a supernova! ๐ŸŽ‡

Some stars become neutron stars or black holes, depending on their size. There are different types of stars, like red dwarfs (small and cool) and blue giants (huge and hot)!
Read Less

Black Holes And Neutron Stars

Black holes are mysterious objects in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape! ๐Ÿ•ณ

๏ธ They form when a massive star collapses after a supernova. Black holes can be small or supermassive, and their pull is very strong. Neutron stars are whatโ€™s left after a supernova explosion, and they are super tiny but incredibly dense! ๐ŸŒŒ

Imagine squeezing a whole star into a space no bigger than a city! A sugar-cube-sized piece of a neutron star would weigh as much as a mountain! These objects teach us about gravity and the universeโ€™s laws.
Read Less

Galaxies And Their Structures

Galaxies are huge groups of stars, gas, and dust! ๐ŸŒŸ

Our galaxy is called the Milky Way, and it's a spiral galaxy, shaped like a big, swirling whirlpool. There are billions of stars in our galaxy, including our Sun! ๐ŸŒž

Other types of galaxies include elliptical galaxies, which look like bright, fuzzy eggs, and irregular galaxies, which donโ€™t have any shape. The nearest galaxy to us is the Andromeda Galaxy, located about 2.537 million light-years away! ๐Ÿƒ

โ€โ™‚๏ธ Scientists explore galaxies with telescopes to learn more about them and their secrets.
Read Less

Theoretical Physics And The Universe

Theoretical physics is like a grand adventure for scientists! ๐Ÿ”

It involves making cool guesses about how the universe works. One example is string theory, which suggests that tiny strings, smaller than atoms, vibrate and create everything around us! ๐ŸŽถ

Scientists also study the laws of physics, like gravity and energy, to understand how things move and interact. These theories help answer questions about black holes, the Big Bang, and more. Theoretical physicists love to dream big and explore ideas that might seem impossible! Who knows what new discoveries they will make about our universe next? ๐Ÿš€๐ŸŒŒ
Read Less

Universe Quiz

Q1
Question 1 of 10
Next

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DIY back?!
How do I reactivate my account?
How do I sign up?
Are the android and iOS apps coming back?
What is DIY?
What is a โ€œChallengeโ€ on DIY?
What is a โ€œCourseโ€ on DIY?
What are โ€œSkillsโ€ on DIY?
What if I'm new to all thisโ€”where do I begin?
Do I need special materials or equipment?
Is DIY safe for kids?
Can I collaborate with other DIYers on a project?
How do Mentors, Mods, and Jr. Mods help us?
What is DIY?
What's the recommended age for DIY?

Our Mission

To create a safe space for kid creators worldwide!

Download on AppStoreDownload on Google Play

2025, URSOR LIMITED. All rights reserved. DIY is in no way affiliated with Minecraftโ„ข, Mojang, Microsoft, Robloxโ„ข or YouTube. LEGOยฎ is a trademark of the LEGOยฎ Group which does not sponsor, endorse or authorize this website or event. Made with love in San Francisco.