Science data based astronomy education

Abstract

Virtual Observatory (VO) is meeting the challenges resulting from the large new influxes of data in astronomy. Worldwide Telescope, as an embodiment of VO, provides a powerful science data based education environment for educators and students. In the paper, the critical requirements for science data based education are discussed; VO and WWT and their features are introduced; and experiences learned from astronomy courses based on the WWT at Central China Normal University are given out. The experiences indicates that WWT is a wonderful tool to astronomy teaching and learning, it made teaching more active, aspiring, interesting, visual, vivid and different from traditional teaching.