February 2008 Education Update
NASA Earth and Space Science Education E-News
February 2008
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(2) Get Ready for the 2008 Sun-Earth Day! (March 20)
(3) Antarctic Quest Challenge for Grades 5-14 (Registration starts in March)
(4) 2008 Penn State Science Workshops for Educators (Stipend Notification: March 21;
Application Deadline: May 31)
(5) Floods and Flows: Exploring Mars Geology on Earth – July 13-19 (Applications Due April 7)
(6) Workshop on Exploring and Using NASA MISR Data (April 14)
(7) 2008 Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (May 31-June 4)
(8) GLOBE at Night Campaign (Feb. 25-March 8)
(9) MY NASA DATA Summer Workshop (Applications Postmarked April 9)
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(10) NASA Unveils Cosmic Images Book in Braille for Blind Readers
(11) NASA Earth Explorers: Snow Day
(12) Technology Through Time Podcast: Where did the Sun's magnetic field come from?
(13) Diverse Galaxies Lithograph
(14) Space Math Problems of the Week
(15) Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica Now Part of Google Earth
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FELLOWSHIPS/INTERNSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS
(16) Space Telescope Science Institute Summer Student Program (Applications Due: Feb. 20)
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(17) Surprises from Mercury
(18) NASA Scientists Get First Images of Earth Flyby Asteroid
(19) Opportunity Marks Four Years on Mars
(20) Giant Storm Eruption at Jupiter Unearths a Buried Past
(21) A Violent History of Time
(22) Antarctic Ice Loss Speeds Up, Nearly Matches Greenland Loss
(23) Mercury Flyby Sets Stage for New Discoveries
(24) NASA Tsunami Research Makes Waves in Science Community
(25) 2007 Tied as Earth's Second Warmest Year
(26) The Return of the Blob … As a Robot
(27) Ulysses Flyby of the Sun's North Pole
(28) Solar Cycle 24 Begins
(29) La Niña: 'Little Girl' Makes Big Impression
(30) Chandra Data Reveal Rapidly Whirling Black Holes
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS/EVENTS [Top]
(1) SPHERE: STUDENTS AS PROFESSIONALS HELPING EDUCATORS RESEARCH THE EARTH
Applications due: Feb. 29
SPHERE is an eight-week education and research program at Christopher Newport University and NASA Langley Research Center. Students at accredited US colleges and universities who are at least rising sophomores with majors in sciences, engineering, mathematics can apply. Chosen students will work in small teams with university mentors and NASA scientists on cutting edge research projects linked to ongoing missions. Detailed descriptions of projects and necessarily skills are provided on the website. Students also participate in an education program of lectures, guest presenters as well give weekly presentations themselves.
A competitive stipend will be paid along with a meals stipend. For students from outside the area, housing will be provided in CNU dorms at no extra cost along with travel assistance. Students from minority-serving institutions and from historically under-represented groups are especially encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit: http://sphere.pcs.cnu.edu.
(2) GET READY FOR 2008 SUN-EARTH DAY! (MARCH 20)
Sun-Earth Day is comprised of a series of programs and events that occur throughout the year culminating with a celebration on or near the spring equinox. The 2008 Sun-Earth Day will be March 20. Register now to receive a monthly update about Sun-Earth Day events and resources at http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/registration/login.php. For more information and multimedia resources designed for formal and informal education, visit http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2008/index.php.
(3) ANTARCTIC QUEST CHALLENGE FOR GRADES 5-14
March - May 2008
NASA Quest Challenges are free Web-based, interactive explorations designed to engage students in authentic scientific and engineering processes related to issues encountered daily by NASA personnel.
In this challenge, students become scientists and propose Antarctic research using a new tool called LIMA – Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica. Students will develop a research question and debate the value of studying the chosen Antarctic feature. Registration is expected to begin in March 2008.
LIMA is the first true-color high-resolution satellite view of the Antarctic continent enabling everyone to see Antarctica as it appears in real life. This new view of Antarctica is revolutionizing Antarctica research by providing landscape-scale views and data on the entire continent that were not previously available. The LIMA web site is designed as part of the International Polar Year to familiarize people with Antarctica, to explore the richness of its features, to learn about why Antarctica matters to us all, and to explain and demonstrate how scientists use satellite imagery to study the continent. For more information, visit: http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lima/about.html. LIMA was developed by NASA, US Geological Survey and the British Antarctic Survey, with support from NSF.
(4) 2008 PENN STATE SCIENCE WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS
Stipend Notification: March 21, 2008
Application Deadline: May 31, 2008
Choose from six different content area workshops, designed to meet classroom curriculum requirements. Grants provide all participants with a private room in the newly-built Brill Hall, reimbursements for travel costs up to $100, breakfast in the dining commons, and an allotment for lunches and dinners. In addition, tuition subsidies are available for all of the workshops on a competitive basis. Depending upon funding availability, additional tuition subsidies may be provided after March 21.
2008 Workshops:
--Exploring Renewable Energy Technologies and the Materials that Make it Happen (NEW)
--Earth’s History: Interaction between life and the environment (NEW)
--Extreme Particle Astrophysics
--Evolution - How important is it to a good science education?
--Telescopes: The Tools of Astronomical Inquiry (NEW)
--Black Holes: Gravity's Fatal Attraction (NEW)
The workshops are an outreach program of NASA's Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium, the Eberly College of Science, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the Penn State Astrobiology Research Center, NASA Astrobiology Institute, the NSF-funded Penn State Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, and NASA. For more information and the on-line application, visit http://teachscience.psu.edu.
(5) FLOODS AND FLOWS: EXPLORING MARS GEOLOGY ON EARTH – JULY 13-19
Applications due April 7
This NASA-sponsored field-based workshop is designed by the Lunar Planetary Institute primarily for middle school science teachers. Applications are also welcome from other educators, including pre-service teachers, informal educators, education specialists, early college instructors, and junior college instructors.
Participants will spend the week with planetary scientists visiting the site of Ancient Glacial Lake Missoula and tracing its flood waters through Montana, Idaho, and into Washington. From these field experiences and accompanying classroom activities, participants will build an understanding of surface processes on Earth, including water flow, volcanism, glaciation, and sedimentation. Attendees will extend their understanding to interpret what the features on the surface of Mars suggest about the past environments and history of the red planet.
A limited number of grants are available to cover the registration fee. Participants will be notified of their acceptance by April 15, 2008. For more information visit:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/fieldtrips/2008/.
(6) WORKSHOP ON EXPLORING AND USING NASA MISR DATA (APRIL 14)
The NASA Langley Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC) is sponsoring a Workshop on Exploring and Using Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) data in conjunction with the Annual Association of American Geographers Meeting in Boston.
The MISR instrument on NASA's Terra satellite collects information that is used to map aerosols, clouds, and land surface covers. The workshop is intended for new and experienced MISR data users. Participants will learn about the scientific applications, calibration, geometry and analyses of the MISR measurements. This Workshop will also focus on the available data products and tools to view and analyze the data, as well as how to obtain the products. Computers will be available for a hands-on experience.
For more information: http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/PRODOCS/misr/workshop/.
(7) 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC
May 31-June 4, St. Louis
Education and outreach professionals will gather at the 2008 ASP meeting to discuss international, regional and local programs for the International Year of Astronomy in 2009. This special event celebrates the 400th anniversary of the astronomical telescope. If you are interested in planning activities in 2009, this meeting provides an opportunity to learn what organizations are proposing and to coordinate ideas with colleagues around the world. Workshops will demonstrate and develop techniques for reaching a wide range of audiences. For more information, visit http://www.astrosociety.org/events/meeting.html.
(8) GLOBE AT NIGHT CAMPAIGN
Feb. 25 – March 8, 2008
2008 marks a monumental shift in human history when more than half the people on Earth are expected to be living in cities. Because of the ambient light of urban landscapes, many city dwellers have never seen a sky full of stars. GLOBE at Night is designed to aid teaching about the impact of artificial lighting on local environments and the loss of a dark night sky as a natural resource for much of the world’s population.
Participation is free and does not require any special training or instruction. The GLOBE at Night Web site will provide all the information and materials needed to participate, including instruction guides for teachers, students and parents. For more information, go to:
http://www.globe.gov/fsl/html/templ.cgi?glbatnt08&lang=en.
(9) MY NASA DATA SUMMER WORKSHOP 2008
June 22-27, 2008, Hampton, Va.
Application Deadline April 9, 2008
NASA Langley Research Center will host a hands-on workshop designed for educators of grades 6-12. The workshop will focus on using NASA Earth system science data sets developed for the pre-college education community as part of the MY NASA DATA program. Participating teachers will explore topics in Earth system science (especially atmospheric science), educational application of data sets and hands-on classroom activities. They will attend lectures and tours led by scientists. Participants will also explore how the data sets can be used to enhance their curriculum and how students can utilize these data for inquiry-based learning and research. A major component of the workshop will be to develop lessons incorporating one or more data sets.
For more information, go to: http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/workshop.html.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES [Top]
(10) NASA UNVEILS COSMIC IMAGES BOOK IN BRAILLE FOR BLIND READERS
"Touch the Invisible Sky" is a 60-page book with color images of nebulae, stars, galaxies and some of the telescopes that captured the original pictures. Each image is embossed with lines, bumps and other textures. These raised patterns translate colors, shapes and other intricate details of the cosmic objects, allowing visually impaired people to experience them. Braille and large-print descriptions accompany each of the book's 28 photographs, making the book's design accessible to readers of all visual abilities.
The book contains spectacular images from the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope and powerful ground-based telescopes. The celestial objects are presented as they appear through visible-light telescopes and different spectral regions invisible to the naked eye, from radio to infrared, visible, ultraviolet and X-ray light.
"Touch the Invisible Sky" was written by Noreen Grice of You Can Do Astronomy LLC and the Boston Museum of Science, with Simon Steel, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and Doris Daou, NASA Headquarters. It will be available to the public through a wide variety of sources, including NASA libraries, the National Federation of the Blind, Library of Congress repositories, schools for the blind, libraries, museums, science centers and Ozone Publishing. For more information: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/05/full.
(11) NASA EARTH EXPLORERS: SNOW DAY
Even on the coldest of winter days, the words "snow day" are sure to warm the hearts of school children everywhere. But the number of snow days can vary greatly for kids separated by a relatively short distance. Four students at Roswell Kent Middle School in Akron, Ohio, set out to investigate why. The project has earned them and their teacher a June trip to South Africa. Read more in the latest article appearing in the Earth Explorers series at: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/k-4/features/F_Meet_the_Next_Earth_Explorers.html
Anyone can be a scientist, no matter the challenges that may stand in the way. That's the message NASA communicates through its Earth Explorers and Space Science Explorers series, both of which appear on the NASA Web site. In an effort to show that a science career is a worthy and attainable goal, both series profile real-life scientists, young and old, with a variety of backgrounds and interests. Most articles are presented in three different versions according to reading level -- one for grades 9–12 and up, one for grades 5–8, and one for grades K–4.
(12) TECHNOLOGY THROUGH TIME PODCAST: WHERE DID THE SUN'S MAGNETIC FIELD COME FROM?
http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2008/multimedia/podcasts.php
The sun contains the most powerful magnetic field of any body in our solar system. In this 12 minute podcast, NASA scientist, Sten Odenwald, discusses a major question in solar physics: "Where does the Sun's magnetic field come from?" Earlier shows in the Technology through Time series include: “Why is the Sun's Corona So Hot?”
(13) DIVERSE GALAXIES LITHOGRAPH
This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the diversity of galaxies in the universe. In addition to many elliptical and spiral galaxies, the image contains a few small irregular galaxies, and red, yellow, and blue foreground stars. An inquiry-based classroom activity accompanies the lithograph – both can be downloaded as PDF files from the Website.
(14) SPACE MATH PROBLEMS OF THE WEEK
http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Problem 116: The Comet Encke Tail Disruption Event (Grades:
8-10)
On April 20, 2007 NASA's STEREO satellite captured a rare impact between a
comet and the fast-moving gas in a solar coronal mass ejection. In this
problem, students analyze a STEREO satellite image to determine the speed of
the tail disruption event. [Skills: time calculation; finding image scale;
calculating speed from distance and time]
Problem 117: CME Kinetic Energy and Mass (Grades: 8-10)
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are giant clouds of plasma released by the sun at
millions of kilometers per hour. In this activity, students calculate the
kinetic energy and mass of several CMEs to determine typical mass ranges and
speeds. Students will use the formula for kinetic energy to fill-in the missing
entries in a table. They will then use the completed table to answer some basic
questions about CMEs. [Skills: time calculation; Evaluating a simple equation;
solving for variables]
Problem 118: STEREO-An Application of the Parallax Effect (Grades: 8-10)
The STEREO mission views the sun from two different locations in space. By combining this data, the parallax effect (the apparent motion of an object against a distant background, as a result of a shift in perspective) can be used to determine how far above the solar surface various active regions of solar storms and coronal mass ejections are located. Students use the Pythagorean Theorem, a bit of geometry, and some actual STEREO data to estimate the height of Active Region AR-978. [Skills: Pythagorean Theorem; square-root; solving for variables]
(15) LANDSAT IMAGE MOSAIC OF ANTARCTICA NOW PART OF GOOGLE EARTH
http://landsat.gsfc.nasa.gov/news/news-archive/news_0119.html
Google now features data from LIMA as part of Google Earth.
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FELLOWSHIPS/INTERNSHIPS/SCHOLARSHIPS [Top]
(16) SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE SUMMER STUDENT PROGRAM
Applications due Feb. 20, 2008
The Space Telescope Science Institute has announced its Summer Student Program for college undergraduates. The program will run 10 weeks from June through August 2008. STScI is located in Baltimore, Md., on the Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University.
The program is centered upon one-on-one student interaction with a scientist working at the Institute. The diverse range of scientific interests includes the study of Earth’s solar system, interacting binary stars, quasars at the edge of the universe and the quest for intelligent life elsewhere. The goal is to place students in a true research environment where students will participate directly in research, including data acquisition, reduction and interpretation. At the end of the program, students will present their summer's work at an informal symposium of their peers and mentors.
The Summer Student Program is oriented toward upper-division college undergraduates, typically students between their junior and senior years. Most participants are physics or astronomy students, but applications are welcome from anyone with enough interest and experience in science who wants to take part in a research experience. Foreign students are welcome to apply.
For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit http://www.stsci.edu/institute/sd/students. Please e-mail any questions about this opportunity to summerintern@stsci.edu.
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SCIENCE NEWS [Top]
For the latest NASA Earth and space science news, visit the Science Mission Directorate website, the NASA Earth Observatory or Science@NASA. Science@NASA stories are also available as podcasts, as well as translated into Spanish at their sister site, Ciencia@NASA. NASA science is also regularly featured on Earth & Sky radio shows.
(17) SURPRISES FROM MERCURY
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/30jan_mercurysurprise.htm?list1022025
Jan.
30 - NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has beamed back some surprising new data from
the planet Mercury. Highlights include a weird crater nicknamed "the
Spider," a planetary tail of hydrogen atoms, and measurements that show
giant Caloris basin is even bigger than researchers imagined.
(18) NASA SCIENTISTS GET FIRST IMAGES OF EARTH FLYBY ASTEROID
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=25395
Jan. 25 -Scientists at JPL have obtained the first images of asteroid 2007 TU24 using high-resolution radar data.
(19) OPPORTUNITY MARKS FOUR YEARS ON MARS
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/mer/images.cfm?id=2175
Jan. 25 - During four months prior to the fourth anniversary of its landing on Mars, NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity examined rocks inside an alcove called "Duck Bay" in the western portion of Victoria Crater.
(20) GIANT STORM ERUPTION AT JUPITER UNEARTHS A BURIED PAST
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/display.cfm?News_ID=25355
Jan. 24 - Scientists around the globe have observed an astonishing and rare change in Jupiter's atmosphere -- a huge disturbance churning in the middle northern latitudes of the planet as two giant storms erupted.
(21) A VIOLENT HISTORY OF TIME
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/24jan_glast.htm?list1022025
Jan. 24 - NASA is preparing to launch a new space telescope named GLAST to study gamma-ray bursts - the most violent explosions in the history of our universe.
(22) ANTARCTIC ICE LOSS SPEEDS UP, NEARLY MATCHES GREENLAND LOSS
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2008/2008012326052.html
January 23 — Ice loss in Antarctica increased by 75 percent in the last 10 years due to a speed-up in the flow of its glaciers. It is now nearly as great as that observed in Greenland.
(23) MERCURY FLYBY SETS STAGE FOR NEW DISCOVERIES
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/21jan_mercuryflyby.htm?list1022025
Jan 21 - Last week's historic flyby of Mercury by NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft gathered 500 megabytes of data and more than a thousand high-resolution photos covering nearly six million square miles of previously unseen terrain.
(24) NASA TSUNAMI RESEARCH MAKES WAVES IN SCIENCE COMMUNITY
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/tsunami-20080117.html
Jan. 17 — A wave of new NASA research on tsunamis has yielded an innovative method to improve existing tsunami warning systems, and a potentially groundbreaking new theory on the source of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
(25) 2007 TIED AS EARTH'S SECOND WARMEST YEAR
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2008/2008011626028.html
Jan. 16 — NASA climatologists have found that 2007 tied with 1998 for Earth's second warmest year in a century.
(26) THE RETURN OF THE BLOB … AS A ROBOT
Jan 14 - Most robots have legs, wheels, or tank-like treads. But Virgina Tech roboticist Dennis Hong is building one that uses “whole-skin locomotion” to move like an amoeba. This will enable it to squeeze more easily into the some of the tight spaces where extraterrestrial life might be hiding.
(27) ULYSSES FLYBY OF THE SUN'S NORTH POLE
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/14jan_northpole.htm?list1022025
Jan. 14 - At a pivotal moment in the solar cycle, the ESA/NASA Ulysses spacecraft flew over the sun's mysterious North Pole.
(28) SOLAR CYCLE 24 BEGINS
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/10jan_solarcycle24.htm?list1022025
Jan. 10 - Hang on to your cell phones, a new solar cycle is underway. Solar Cycle 24 began Jan. 4 with the appearance of a reversed-polarity, high-latitude sunspot.
(29) LA NIÑA: 'LITTLE GIRL' MAKES BIG IMPRESSION
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/lanina.html
Jan. 10 — Cool, wet conditions in the Northwest, frigid weather on the Plains, and record dry conditions in the Southeast are all signs that La Niña is in full swing.
(30) CHANDRA DATA REVEAL RAPIDLY WHIRLING BLACK HOLES
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/news/08-003.html
Jan. 10 - A new study using results from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory provides one of the best pieces of evidence yet that many supermassive black holes are spinning extremely rapidly. The whirling of these giant black holes drives powerful jets that pump huge amounts of energy into their environment and affects galaxy growth.
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CALENDAR [Top]
20 Feb. 2008
Applications Due for 2008 Space Telescope Science Institute Summer Student Program, http://www.stsci.edu/institute/sd/students.
20-22 Feb. 2008
2008 International Space University (ISU) International Symposium, Strasbourg,
France, http://www.isunet.edu.
25 Feb. - 8 March 2008
GLOBE at Night Campaign, http://www.globe.gov/fsl/html/templ.cgi?glbatnt08&lang=en.
29
Feb. 2008
Deadline to apply for SPHERE: Students as
Professionals Helping Educators Research the Earth (undergraduates), http://sphere.pcs.cnu.edu.
29 Feb. 2008
Undergraduate Research Internship Opportunity deadline for Fall 2008, http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/learning/Undergraduate_Student_Research_Project.html.
March 2008
Registration opens for LIMA Quest Challenge For Grades 5-14, http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lima/about.html.
20 March 2008
2008 Sun-Earth Day, http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2008/index.php.
27-30 March 2008
Visit NASA sessions and Exhibits at the National Science Teachers Association annual conference, Boston, http://www.nsta.org/conferences/2008bos/.
7 April 2008
Deadline to apply for Floods and Flows: Exploring Mars Geology on Earth, field experience for science teachers, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/fieldtrips/2008/.
9 April 2008
Deadline to apply for MY NASA DATA summer workshop for teachers, http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/workshop.html.
9-12 April 2008
Visit NASA sessions and exhibit at National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference, Salt Lake City, http://nctm.org/.
14 April 2008
Workshop on Exploring and Using NASA MISR Data, http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/PRODOCS/misr/workshop/.
May 2008
NASA’s Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is launched, http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GLAST/main/index.html.
25 May 2008
Phoenix Mars Mission lands, http://phoenix.lpl.arizona.edu/.
31 May 2008
Deadline to apply for 2008 Penn State Science Workshops for Educators http://teachscience.psu.edu.
31 May – 4 June 2008
2008 Annual Meeting of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, http://www.astrosociety.org/events/meeting.html.
13-19 July 2008
Floods and Flows: Exploring Mars Geology on Earth, field experience for middle school science teachers, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/fieldtrips/2008/.
22-27 June 2008
MY NASA DATA 2008 summer workshop for teachers, Hampton, Va, http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/workshop.html.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [Top]
NASA
Science Mission Directorate:
Larry Cooper, Ann Coren, Doris Daou and Ming-Ying Wei.
Editor:
Theresa Schwerin, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES),
theresa_schwerin@strategies.org.
Contributions from: Leah Bug, Pennsylvania State University; Susan Moore, NASA Langley Research Center; Sten Odenwald, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; and Dan Stillman, IGES.