January 2009 Education Update

NASA Earth and Space Science Education E-News
January 2009

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/edreports/index.html
This monthly broadcast includes upcoming educational programs, events, opportunities and the latest resources from NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

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UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS
(1) American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, Long Beach (Jan.  4-8)

  • AstroZone (open house for local families and teachers – Jan. 3)
  • K-12 Educator Reception (local K-12 teachers and informal educators – Jan. 4)

(2) “Explore! Ice Worlds” Offers Free Webcasts for Informal Educators (Beginning Jan. 8)
(3) POLAR PALOOZA – Houston Museum of Natural Science (Jan. 12-13)
(4) Global Cloud Observation Day (for all ages - Jan. 13)
(5) 2009 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health Decision Makers
(Registration deadline Jan. 15)
(6) Life in Extreme Environments Educator Conference (Registration deadline Jan. 16)
(7) The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Jan. 18)
(8) Discover the Universe: NASA/NSTA Web Seminar for Teachers Grades 5-12 (Jan. 20)
(9) Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (Jan. 22)
(10) Educator Launch Conferences (K-16)

  • National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Application Deadline: Jan. 23
  • Orbiting Carbon Observatory, Applications Deadline: Feb. 13

(11) Kepler Mission Events for Educators

  • A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop (Jan. 24, Kennedy Space Center)
  • A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop (Jan. 31, Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
  • NASA Kepler Mission Videoconference (March 25)

(12) NASA Invites Students to Name New Mars Rover (Entries due Jan. 25)
(13) Global Climate Change Student Research and Education Workshop (Jan. 25-28)
(14) Space Exploration K-12 Educators Conference (Feb. 5-7, Houston)
(15) NASA Public Lecture Series at the Library of Congress: Farming, Food Security, and Climate (March 3)
(16) K-12 Teachers: Apply to be a NASA Endeavor Fellow (March 6)
(17) DAWN Mars Flyby Educator Workshop for K-12 and Informal (March 7)
(18) NASA Sponsors 2008/09 Odyssey of the Mind Problem – Earth Trek (K-16 Students)

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
(19) Proposal Opportunity: Science Education and Public Outreach Forums (Notice of Intent due Feb. 11; Proposals due April 9, 2009)

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
(20) Two Education Positions Open With the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP)
(21) Earth Systems Educator Position – University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
(22) Permafrost/Active Layer Monitoring Network
(23) NASA Earth Science Week Video Online on YouTube
(24) A Celestial Snowglobe of Stars – New Hubble Image
(25) Earth Observatory Feature Article: Earth Perspectives
(26) The Incredible Journey of the James Webb Space Telescope

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SCIENCE NEWS
(27) NASA’s Top Ten Accomplishments in 2008
(28) Mars Rovers Near Five Years of Science and Discovery
(29) Landsat Imagery Leads to Discovery of New Species
(30) Saturn’s Crazy Christmas Tilt
(31) Scientists Find Missing Mineral and Clues to Mars Mysteries
(32) Giant Breach in Earth’s Magnetic Field
(33) Dark Energy Found Stifling Growth in Universe
(34) New Satellite Data Reveal Impact of Olympic Pollution Controls
(35) Saturn’s Dynamic Moon Enceladus Shows More Signs of Activity
(36) Upper Atmosphere “Breathing” Pattern in Rhythm with the Sun
(37) The Boundary Between the Earth’s Ionosphere and Space Contracting
(38) Solar Flare Surprise
(39) Mars Orbiter Completes Prime Mission
(40) Pacific Remains Locked in Cool Pattern
(41) Hubble Finds Carbon Dioxide on Extrasolar Planet
(42) NASA Sets Target Shuttle Launch Date for Hubble Servicing Mission
(43) Return of the Leonids

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CALENDAR
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS/EVENTS

(1) AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY (AAS) MEETING, LONG BEACH
Jan. 4-8, 2009, Long Beach, Calif.

The AAS meeting (http://aas.org/meetings/aas213/schedule_splash.php) features numerous NASA science and education presentations, as well as the following sessions for local families and educators:

Sunday, Jan. 3: Participate in AstroZone, a four-hour open house for families, teachers and kids. Participants will meet scientists, do hands-on astronomy activities, and take home astronomy-related resources. http://aas.org/meetings/aas213/event_splinter_astrozone.php

Monday, Jan. 4: K-12 Educator Reception, a three-hour reception for K-12 teachers and educators from local museums and science centers. Participants will interact with astronomers in a social setting, gain background knowledge, and collect classroom resources. http://www.astroed.org/

(2) NASA’s Explore! Ice Worlds Offers Free WebCastS for INFORMAL Educators

“Explore! Ice Worlds” (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities) is a suite of activities designed for children ages 8 to 13 in celebration of the International Polar Year.  Developed by the Lunar and Planetary Institute and funded by NASA, the activities are intended for the informal learning environments, including libraries, after-school programs, and museums. All activities are tied to National Science Education Standards and use inexpensive, easy-to-find materials.

Free Webcast training in using these activities will be available in either one 4-hour session or over three separate one-and-a-half hour sessions, spaced a week apart. A complete training session includes discussion with a NASA polar scientist and demonstrations of the activities. Participants completing the training receive a certificate for four professional development hours and are eligible for drawings for Earth and space resources. Register with Katy Buckaloo at buckaloo@lpi.usra.edu / 281-486-2106.

Upcoming training sessions are:
-Thursdays Jan. 8, 15, and 22, 2009 at 2:00 Eastern (1.5 hours each)
-Tuesday Jan. 13 at 1:00 Eastern (4 hours)
-Tuesdays Feb. 10, 17, and 24, 2009 at 3:00 Eastern (1.5 hours each)
-Thursday Feb. 12, 2009 at 1:00 Eastern (4 hours)
-Wednesday March 4, 2009 at 1:00 Eastern (4 hours)

(3) Polar-Palooza at the Houston Museum of Natural Science Jan. 12-13, 2008

POLAR-PALOOZA, the national tour, features high-energy public presentations entitled "Stories from a Changing Planet," tales of adventure and science told by a charismatic "cast" of characters, including ice researchers, geologists, oceanographers, climate scientists, biologists and Arctic residents. The event uses HD video and authentic props such as a 2,000 year old piece of ice core or a caribou parka to bring polar research to life. Each event includes special programs for schools and workshops for K-12 educators and museum volunteers.

The next POLAR PALOOZA event is scheduled for Jan. 12-13, at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Houston, Texas.  Stay tuned for details at: http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp0408k.php

(4) GLOBAL CLOUD OBSERVATION DAY - JAN. 13
To celebrate the 12th anniversary of the first student cloud observation report for Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line (S’COOL) Project, everyone is invited to make and report cloud observations on Jan. 13 when the NASA CERES satellite instruments pass over your location. You can find out “When to Observe” and “What to Observe” at the S’COOL Rover Web site: http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/Rover/.

Use the “Report Form” to record your observation and send the information to NASA. Return to the Web site later to explore the “Database” and compare what you and others saw versus what the satellite reported.

(5) 2009 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health
Registration Deadline: Jan. 15, 2009 (limited to 12 participants – some scholarships available)
Course Dates: June 1-12, 2009

The summer Institute will be run by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), in partnership with the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) and the Mailman School of Public Health. This two-week training course offers public health decision-makers and their partners the opportunity to learn practical methods for integrating climate knowledge and information into health decision-making processes through expert lectures, special seminars, focused discussions and practical exercises. For more course information and registration information, visit:
http://iri.columbia.edu/education/summerinstitute09.

(6) LIFE IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS EDUCATOR CONFERENCE
Registration Deadline: Jan. 16, 2009

Join NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 24-25, 2009, for the Life in Extreme Environments Educator Conference. All educators (including museum staff) and students in high school or above who are interested in exploration, Earth and space science are encouraged to attend.
Astrobiologists, planetary scientists and astronomers will present the latest information on the expanding understanding of the habitats of life on Earth and the prospects for the development of life elsewhere in the solar system and much farther beyond. The conference content is generally nontechnical but does include some detailed scientific and engineering content. The objective of the conference is to tell the exciting tale of real-life exploration and new discovery in a way that will excite and inspire students. Students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a registered adult.
For more information about this conference, visit http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/events/conference20090124.html.

(7) The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
The Sunday Experiment is a two-hour open house – the 3rd Sunday of each month from 1-3 pm - for kids, families and teachers in the Washington, DC, area. During the event, families get to participate in a variety of hands-on activities, demos and explore the Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center.  For more information, visit: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Upcoming events include:
Jan. 18: Planets
Feb. 15: Hubble Servicing Mission-4 (SM4)
Mar. 15: Astrophysics

(8) DISCOVER THE UNIVERSE: NASA/NSTA WEB SEMINAR – JAN. 20
Join NASA and NSTA for two free Web seminars featuring NASA scientists and education specialists. The seminars will focus on key science concepts -- Earth’s place in the universe; light, energy, and optics; and models and evidence in science -- as participants investigate how NASA’s space-based missions extend the legacy of observation and discovery that Galileo Galilei initiated when he turned his telescope to the skies in 1609. Presenters will share their science expertise, answer questions from the participants and provide information regarding educational Web sites.
 
Designed for educators of grades 5-12, the 90-minute seminars will begin at 6:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 16, 2008, and 6:30 p.m. EST on Jan. 20, 2009.

To learn more about these seminars and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/webseminar.aspx.

(9) Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
This monthly two-hour program is open to the DC metro area middle school kids and their families. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. The Goddard Visitor Center, the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Astrophysics Science Division support this event.  For more information, visit: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Upcoming Family Science Nights include:

Jan. 22 - Be a Star (life cycles of stars)
Feb. 19 - TBD (NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter theme)
Mar. 19 - Batteries Not Included
April 16 - Now you see it … Now you don’t (eclipses)
May 21 - Searching for Other Worlds (search for planets outside our solar system)
TBD in June or July - Family Science Night Overnight.

(10) UPCOMING EDUCATOR LAUNCH CONFERENCES
These educational programs are geared to K-16 educators and administrators and will provide a general introduction to the specific NASA mission and a variety of K-12 education workshops and specific science related to the satellite mission being launched. All K-12 educators will be provided learning opportunities as well as a teacher’s guide, a classroom poster and mission CD for classroom use. For more information and to register, visit http://endeavours.org/sec/.

NOAA-N Prime National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS)
Feb. 3-4, 2009 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Registration Deadline: Jan. 23, 2009

NPOESS will provide data about the Earth’s weather, atmosphere, oceans, land and near-space environment. Participating educators are invited to watch the launch and learn about real-world Earth, atmospheric and rocket science, and NPOESS’s satellite instrument technology.

Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)
Feb. 21-23, 2009 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
Registration Deadline:  Feb. 13, 2009

OCO will provide space-based observations of atmospheric carbon dioxide and will improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the distribution of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

(11) Upcoming Kepler Mission Events for Educators
NASA’s Kepler mission is set to launch in March 2009 on a search for habitable planets. The spacecraft will look at the very slight dimming of starlight as a planet passes in front of it and could potentially find hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets. Following are upcoming mission events for educators; a letter verifying eight hours of professional development can be provided for participants at each event. Please note that pre-registration is required for all events. To register or learn more about these workshops, visit http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html.

A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Jan. 24, 2009
Join Kepler Mission deputy principal investigator Dr. David Koch for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. Dr. Koch will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, interface and graphing software, and a lamp and light bulb.

A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jan. 31, 2009
Join Kepler Mission co-investigator Dr. Nick Gautier for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. Dr. Gautier will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Participants will take part in standards-based, classroom-ready activities. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, and interface and graphing software.

NASA Kepler Mission Videoconference
Online Professional Development, March 25, 2009, 4-5 p.m. EST.
NASA's Digital Learning Network presents a videoconference for educators to stay current on the latest developments in NASA's Kepler Mission. The Kepler Mission will allow scientists to search the galaxy for Earth-size or smaller planets orbiting sun-like stars. With this cutting-edge capability, Kepler may help to answer one of the most enduring questions humans have asked throughout history: Are there others like us in the universe?

(12) NASA INVITES STUDENTS TO NAME NEW MARS ROVER
Entries Due: Jan. 25, 2009

NASA, in cooperation with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' movie WALL-E from Pixar Animation Studios, will conduct a naming contest for its car-sized Mars Science Laboratory rover that is scheduled for launch in 2009. The contest is open to students 5 to 18 years old who attend a U.S. school and are enrolled in the current academic year. To enter the contest, students will submit essays explaining why their suggested name for the rover should be chosen. In March 2009, the public will have an opportunity to rank nine finalist names via the Internet as additional input for judges to consider during the selection process. NASA will announce the winning rover name in April 2009.
http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov

(13) GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION WORKSHOP
Jan. 25-28, 2009, Geneva, Switzerland

The GLOBE program is launching a Student Research Campaign on Climate Change to develop student climate research and learning activities that will be introduced to GLOBE schools in 2011. These activities will provide a framework for meaningful and relevant research to enhance climate literacy and understanding for students and their communities worldwide. To start this campaign, GLOBE is convening the Global Climate Change Research and Education workshop to bring together a cross-section of experts from the climate science and education communities to identify key climate research questions of interest to students, teachers, and scientists and to secure organizational and individual commitments to the campaign. Although this initial workshop is fully subscribed, educators and scientists interested in the campaign are invited to become cyber-participants in pre and post-workshop discussions by emailing ClimateChangeCampaign@globe.gov.

(14) Space Exploration K-12 Educators Conference
Feb. 5-7, 2009, Houston, Texas

Register today for the 15th Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference, to be held February 5-7, 2009, at Space Center Houston. This conference is for all K-12 educators. Activities presented use space-related themes to teach across the curriculum and can be used for science, language arts, mathematics, history and more.

Attend sessions hosted by scientists and engineers working on the International Space Station, Mars exploration and the planets beyond. Hear from astronauts who will be leading the charge in exploration. Learn about the bold vision to send humans back to the moon and off to Mars. Attend sessions presented by educators and receive ready-to-implement classroom ideas. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing professional education credit.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit http://spacecenter.org/TeachersSEEC.html. If you have any questions about the conference, please call 281-283-7773 or e-mail seec@spacecenter.org.

(15) NASA LECTURE SERIES AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS:
FARMING, FOOD SECURITY, AND CLIMATE

March 3, 2009, Washington, D.C.

Molly Brown, Senior Research Scientist, Hydrospheric and Biospheric Sciences Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), will speak on Farming, Food Security, and Climate at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, in the Mary Pickford Theater on the third floor of the James Madison Building, Washington, D. C.  The presentation is made possible through a partnership between the Library's Science, Technology, and Business Division and NASA GSFC.  The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required. 

Upcoming programs in the series include:

--April 22, Edward F. Guinan: Our Sun: Its Influence on Life and Climate
--June 2, Daniel Glavin: Astrobiology: Life in Space
--Sept. 16, Tracking Severe Storms
--Oct. 13, Richard Mushotzky: Dark Matter
--Nov. 17, Update on Polar Ice

Webcasts of these presentations will be available at: http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html - cybercasts (note: the Webcasts are typically not available for at least a couple of months after the event). For more information, go to: http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html.

(16) K-12 TEACHERS: APPLY TO BE A NASA ENDEAVOR FELLOW
Applications for the September 2009 cohort are due March 6, 2009 (open to in-service, alternative-route and pre-service teachers).

As part of NASA’s commitment to the effective preparation of K-12 science teachers, formal educators are invited to apply to become a NASA Endeavor Fellow. Each Fellow will be fully funded to complete a unique Online Certificate in Applied Science Education with Teachers College, Columbia University. The goal of the project is to ensure that teachers across the country can use NASA science discoveries to inspire the next generation of explorers, engineers and astronauts.  For more information and to apply, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html.

(17) DAWN MARS FLYBY EDUCATOR WORKSHOP – MARCH 7
Four locations:
•   Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, CA
•   Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Portland, OR
•   Denver Public Schools (DPS), Denver, CO
•   NASA IV and V Facility Educator Resource Center, Fairmont, WV- Jet

On March 7, 2009, join Dawn scientists and engineers along with K-12 and informal educators from around the country in a set of unique, convergent workshops.

Dawn flies by Mars in February 2009. As the spacecraft executes special maneuvers to shift its direction into the correct orbital plane for encountering the object of its first intended destination, the asteroid Vesta, science and engineering teams will be sharing key updates and information with conference participants.  Participants will also receive curricular materials as part of this unique opportunity.

For more information and registration, go to: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp.

(18) NASA SPONSORS ODYSSEY OF THE MIND PROBLEM – EARTH TREK
For the 9th time, NASA's Earth Observing System Project Science Office is sponsoring an Odyssey of the Mind Long Term Problem — Earth Trek. This problem requires teams to design and build a small vehicle that will visit four locations. The locations will be different places within one or more team-determined environments. Each time the vehicle leaves a location it will look different in appearance, and after leaving one of the locations it will appear to be a group of vehicles that are traveling together. The team's performance will incorporate the visits to the locations, the environments, and the changes in appearance of the vehicle.

The 2009 Odyssey of the Mind World Finals will be held May 27-30 at Iowa State University.

Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college.  For more information, including team registration and practice problems, visit: http://www.odysseyofthemind.com/.

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

(19) Proposal Opportunity: Science Education and Public Outreach Forums
Notices of Intent (NOIs) due Feb. 11, 2009
Proposals due April 9, 2009

On Jan.2, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing a Cooperative Agreement Notice (NNH09ZDA004C) soliciting proposals for Science Education and Public Outreach Forums to collaborate with SMD in execution of its Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) program. The objective of the effort is to increase the overall coherence of the SMD E/PO program leading to more effective, sustainable, and efficient utilization of SMD science discoveries and learning experiences.

It is anticipated that there will be a total of four awards with one Science Education and Public Outreach Forum (SEPOF) being individually affiliated with each of the four SMD Science Divisions: Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science. The areas to be addressed by this Cooperative Agreement include, but are not limited to, the following areas of collaboration:

  • E/PO Community Engagement and Development;
  • Division E/PO Product and Project Activity Analysis; and
  • SEPOF Coordination Committee Service.

Proposals should clearly articulate an approach to the overall objective and to these areas of activity that extends the value of SMD investments in E/PO and contributes to NASA's education and outreach efforts. NASA anticipates making $3.5 M per year available for this selection. Awards will be for 5 years duration.

Participation is open to all categories of domestic organizations, including industry, educational institutions, not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other Government agencies.  The Cooperative Agreement Notice is available electronically from http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ (select "Solicitations" then select "Open Solicitations" then select " NNH09ZDA004C").

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

(20) TWO EDUCATION POSITIONS OPEN WITH THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC (ASP)

Director of Education
The ASP is looking for a person with at least a masters degree in science or science education and experience in project management and education, to provide overall management of and help develop strategic directions for the broad range of the Society's educational programs. Duties include developing new initiatives, helping with conceiving and writing proposals, supervising staff and programs, and cultivating partnerships with other organizations.

Lead Formal Educator
The ASP is looking for a person with good knowledge of astronomy and experience in K-12 education to work on a number of existing and developing programs in astronomy education.  Current duties include coordinating Project ASTRO, managing a web-based quarterly newsletter for teachers, conducting training programs for school districts interested in hands-on astronomy, and assisting with other initiatives in formal education.

More detailed information about each position and specific instructions for applying can be found at the Society's Web site at:
http://www.astrosociety.org/about/career.html

(21) EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE EDUCATOR – UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN
This is a non-tenure leading Assistant Professor or Practice position established for a period of one year beginning in the spring semester of 2009. Continuation of this position beyond one year is contingent upon the availability of grant funding and satisfactory accomplishments of assigned duties, up to a maximum of three years. Primary responsibilities are to 1) develop and facilitate online Earth system science courses, 2) conduct research on the teaching and learning of distance-delivered Earth system science, and 3) seek additional resources to support online education initiatives. For more detailed information, minimum qualifications and specific instructions for applying, visit: http://employment.unl.edu and search requisition 081042.

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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

(22) PERMAFROST/ACTIVE LAYER MONITORING NETWORK
With support from NASA and the International Polar Year, the University of Alaska Fairbanks launched the Alaska Permafrost Project. The project has developed the Permafrost/Active Layer Monitoring Network, a network of over 100 schools in Alaska and Yukon, Canada that measure permafrost temperature and active layer depth on a weekly basis (active layer is seasonally freeze thaw layer above permafrost). The network places all of their data plots and latest information on their Web site as well as Google Earth (accessible through their Web site.) To learn more about permafrost and access the program data and other education materials, visit http://www.uaf.edu/permafrost.

(23) NASA Earth Science Week Video Online on YouTube
NASA created a brief educational video about satellite monitoring of arctic sea ice for Earth Science Week 2008. In less than two minutes, the video discusses global trends in climate change and the melting underway in polar regions. NASA, a longtime Earth Science Week partner, offers geoscience perspectives that often are possible only from space. To view the video, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXnOGEEVtjQ.

(24) A CELESTIAL SNOWGLOBE OF STARS – NEW HUBBLE IMAGE
Like a whirl of shiny flakes sparkling in a snow globe, Hubble catches an instantaneous glimpse of many hundreds of thousands of stars moving about in the globular cluster M13, one of the brightest and best-known globular clusters in the northern sky. This glittering metropolis of stars is easily found in the winter sky in the constellation Hercules and can even be glimpsed with the unaided eye under dark skies.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/hst_img_20081204.html.

(25) EARTH OBSERVATORY FEATURE ARTICLE: EARTH PERSPECTIVES
In 2008, as NASA celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Earth Observatory asked a number of Earth scientists what we have learned about our home planet by going into space.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/EarthPerspectives/

(26) THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE
From humble beginnings in a Utah beryllium mine to the most advanced laboratories in the world, the mirrors of NASA's next great observatory are taking an incredible journey to space.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10dec_mirror.htm?list1110881

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SCIENCE NEWS

(27) NASA’s Top Ten Accomplishments in 2008
NASA landed on Mars, photographed distant worlds, added to the International Space Station, took part in a lunar science mission with India and made major progress toward returning astronauts to the moon as the agency celebrated its 50th birthday in 2008. Here on Earth, NASA researchers recorded the continued decline of Arctic sea ice, won awards for aviation breakthroughs, discovered the cause of storms that brighten the Northern Lights and helped create state-of-the-art swimsuits worn by Olympic gold medalists. Read about NASA’s top ten accomplishments in 2008: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/yir2k8/index.html.

(28) MARS ROVERS NEAR FIVE YEARS OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY
Dec. 29 - NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity may still have big achievements ahead as they approach the fifth anniversaries of their memorable landings on Mars. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer-20081229.html

(29) LANDSAT IMAGERY LEADS TO DISCOVERY OF NEW SPECIES
Dec. 26 –In October and November 2008, 28 scientists visited Mount Mabu in northern Mozambique and discovered a cornucopia of wildlife there including three new species of butterflies and a new snake species.
http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/news/news-archive/dyk_0011.html

(30) saturn’s crazy christmas tilt
Dec. 22 - All year long, the rings of Saturn have been tilting toward Earth and now they are almost perfectly edge-on. The opening angle is a paper-thin 0.8o. Viewed from the side, the normally wide and bright rings have become a shadowy line bisecting Saturn's two hemispheres--a scene of rare beauty. To learn more and see a composite image of how the geometry has changed, visit: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/22dec_crazytilt.htm?list1110881

(31) Scientists find ‘missing’ mineral and clues to mars mysteries
Dec. 18 - Researchers using a powerful instrument aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have found a long sought-after mineral on the Martian surface and, with it, unexpected clues to the Red Planet's watery past.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-331_Mars_minerals.html

(32) GIANT BREACH IN EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD
Dec. 16 - NASA's five THEMIS spacecraft have discovered a breach in Earth's magnetic field ten times larger than anything previously thought to exist. Solar wind can flow in through the opening to "load up" the magnetosphere for powerful geomagnetic storms. But the breach itself is not the biggest surprise. Researchers are even more amazed at the strange and unexpected way it forms, overturning long-held ideas of space physics.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/16dec_giantbreach.htm?list1110881

(33) dark energy found stifling growth in universe
Dec. 16 - For the first time, astronomers have clearly seen the effects of "dark energy" on the most massive collapsed objects in the universe using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. By tracking how dark energy has stifled the growth of galaxy clusters and combining this with previous studies, scientists have obtained the best clues yet about what dark energy is and what the destiny of the universe could be.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/photosH08-329.html

(34) new satellite data reveal impact of olympic pollution controls
Dec 16. – The Chinese government emission regulations put in place for the 2008 Beijing Olympics gave NASA the opportunity to measure the impact of air pollution controls. After analyzing the data gathered from the Aura and Terra satellites, researchers found that during the two months when restrictions were in place, the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) -- a noxious gas resulting from fossil fuel combustion (primarily in cars, trucks, and power plants) -- plunged nearly 50 percent. Likewise, levels of carbon monoxide (CO) fell about 20 percent.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/olympic_pollution.html

(35) SATURN’S DYNAMIC MOON ENCELADUS SHOWS MORE SIGNS OF ACTIVITY
Dec. 15 – The closer scientists look at Saturn's small moon Enceladus, the more they find evidence of an active world. The most recent flybys of Enceladus made by NASA's Cassini spacecraft have provided new signs of ongoing changes on and around the moon. The latest high-resolution images of Enceladus show signs that the south polar surface changes over time.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-325_Enceladus.html

(36) UPPER ATMOSPHERE “BREATHING” PATTERN IN RHYTHM WITH THE SUN
Dec. 15 - A NASA satellite has observed for the first time a “breathing,” an expansion and contraction, of the Earth’s upper atmosphere in response to periodic, high-speed solar winds. The instrument, SABER (Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry), was developed at NASA Langley and has revealed solar flare-ups – and a rapid Earth cooling response – on a nearly regular nine-day schedule.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/AGU-SABER.html

(37) THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN the EARTH’S IONOSPHERE AND SPACE CONTRACTING
Dec. 15 - Observations made by NASA instruments onboard an Air Force satellite have shown that the boundary between the Earth’s upper atmosphere and space has moved to extraordinarily low altitudes. These observations were made by the Coupled Ion Neutral Dynamics Investigation (CINDI) instrument suite, which includes both ion and neutral sensors and makes measurements of the variations in neutral and ion densities and drifts.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/outer_atmosphere.html

(38) SOLAR FLARE SURPRISE
Dec. 15 – Solar flares are the most powerful explosions in the solar system. Packing a punch equal to a hundred million hydrogen bombs, they obliterate everything in their immediate vicinity. Not a single atom should remain intact. At least that’s how it’s supposed to work. Scientists have detected a stream of perfectly intact hydrogen atoms shooting out of an X-class solar flare.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/flare_surprise.html

(39) MARS ORBITER COMPLETES PRIME MISSION
Dec. 11 - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has completed its primary, two-year science phase. The spacecraft has found signs of a complex Martian history of climate change that produced a diversity of past watery environments. For more information about the mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mro

(40) Pacific Remains Locked in Cool Pattern
Dec. 9 - The latest image of sea-surface height measurements from the U.S./French Jason-1 oceanography satellite shows the Pacific Ocean remains locked in a strong, cool phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, a large, long-lived pattern of climate variability in the Pacific associated with a general cooling of Pacific waters. The image also confirms that El Niño and La Niña remain absent from the tropical Pacific. http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/20081209.html.

(41) HUBBLE FINDS CARBON DIOXIDE ON EXTRASOLAR PLANET
Dec. 9 - NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting another star. This breakthrough is an important step toward finding chemical biotracers of extraterrestrial life.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/news/CO2.html

(42) NASA SETS TARGET SHUTTLE LAUNCH DATE FOR HUBBLE SERVICING MISSION
Dec. 4 – NASA announced the Hubble Space Telescope is now targeted to launch May 12, 2009. The final servicing mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed. Since then, engineers have been working to prepare a spare unit, known as the Science Instrument Command and Data Handling system, for flight. They expect to be able to ship the spare to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the spring.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/dec/HQ_08-320_Hubble_May2009.html

(43) Return of the Leonids
Dec. 4 - Astronomers from Caltech and NASA are predicting a near-storm of Leonids in 2009 based on a surprising outburst of meteors just two weeks ago.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/04dec_leonids2009.htm?list1110881.

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CALENDAR

Jan. 3
Astrozone (AAS Meeting), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/astrozone.php

Jan. 4-8
American Astronomical Society (AAS) Meeting, Long Beach

Jan. 4
Educator Reception (AAS Meeting), http://www.astroed.org/

Jan. 8
Explore! Ice Worlds Free Webcasts for Information Educators Begin, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities

Jan. 12-13
POLAR PALOOZA, http://passporttoknowledge.com/polar-palooza/pp0408k.php

Jan. 13
Global Cloud Observation Day, http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/Rover/

Jan. 13
Deadline to apply for 2009-2010 Einstein Fellowship, https://applicationlink.labworks.org/applicationlink/default.htm.

Jan. 15
Registration Deadline for 2009 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health, http://iri.columbia.edu/education/summerinstitute09.

Jan. 16
Registration Deadline for Life in Extreme Environments Educator Conference, http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/events/conference20090124.html.

Jan. 18
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Planets, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Jan. 20
NASA/NSTA Web Seminar: Discover the Universe, http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall08/NASA/webseminar.aspx.

Jan. 22
Family Science Night at GSFC, Be a Star, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Jan. 23
Applications due for NOAA-N Educator Launch Conference, http://endeavours.org/sec/

Jan. 24-25
Life in Extreme Environments Educator Conference, http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/events/conference20090124.html.

Jan. 24
Kepler Mission ‘A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop, http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html.

Jan. 25
Entries due to Name Mars Rover Contest, http://marsrovername.jpl.nasa.gov

Jan. 25-28
Global Climate Change Student Research and Education Workshop, e-mail ClimateChangeCampaign@globe.gov

Jan. 31
Kepler Mission ‘A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop, http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html.

Feb. 3-4
Educator Launch Conference: NOAA-N, http://endeavours.org/sec/

Feb. 4
NASA launches NOAA-N, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/noaa-n/main/index.html.

Feb. 5-7
Space Exploration K-12 Educators Conference, http://spacecenter.org/TeachersSEEC.html.

Feb. 11
Notices of Intent due for SMD Science Education and Public Outreach Forum Proposals, http://nspires.nasaprs.com/

Feb. 13
Applications due for OCO Educator Launch Conference, http://endeavours.org/sec/.

Feb. 15
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Hubble Servicing Mission (SM4), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Feb. 16
NASA launches Kepler, http://kepler.nasa.gov.

Feb. 19
Family Science Night at GSFC, TBD (LRO theme), http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Feb. 21-23
OCO Educator Launch Conference, http://endeavours.org/sec/.

Mar. 3
NASA Public Lecture: Farming, Food Security and Climate,  http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html

Mar. 6
Deadline to Apply to be NASA Endeavor Fellow – Cohort 2
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Endeavor_Science_Teaching_Certificate_Project.html

Mar. 7
DAWN Mars Flyby Educator Workshop, http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp.

Mar. 15
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Astrophysics, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

Mar. 19
Family Science Night at GSFC, Batteries Not Included, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

Mar. 25
NASA Kepler Mission Videoconference, http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html.

April 6
Thacher Scholar Entries Due – contest for grades 9-12, for student projects using geospatial technologies to study Earth. http://www.strategies.org/education/index.aspx?sub=education&sub2=scholars&sub3=scholars2009.

April 9
Proposals due for SMD Science Education and Public Outreach Forum Proposals, http://nspires.nasaprs.com/

April 16
Family Science Night at GSFC, Now You See it…Now You Don’t, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

April 19
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

May 17
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.  

May 21
Family Science Night at GSFC, Searching for Other Worlds, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.

June 1-12
2009 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health, http://iri.columbia.edu/education/summerinstitute09.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

NASA Science Mission Directorate: Larry Cooper, Stephanie Stockman and Ming-Ying Wei.

Editor: Theresa Schwerin, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), theresa_schwerin@strategies.org.
Writer: Catherine Fahey, IGES, catherine_fahey@strategies.org.

Contributions from: Jeannie Allen, NASA GSFC; Edmund Burke, Space Information Labs; Steve Graham, NASA GSFC; Jan Heiderer, GLOBE; Cindy Larson-Miller, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; John Ristvey, Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL); Laura Rocchio, NASA GSFC; Stephanie Shipp, Lunar and Planetary Institute; Timothy Slater, University of Wyoming; Dan Stillman, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies; Madeline Thompson, International Research Institute for Climate and Society; and Kenji Yoshikawa, Institute of Northern Engineering.

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