NASA Earth and Space Science Education E-News
March 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) Project BudBurst 2009 Field Campaign Begins March 2
(2) NASA’s Explore! Ice Worlds Offers Free Webcast for Informal Educators (March 4)
(3) DAWN Mars Flyby Educator Workshop (March 7)
(4) Solar Week (March 9-13)
(5) The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard (March 15)
(6) GLOBE at Night Campaign (March 16-28)
(7) NASA at NSTA National Conference (March 19-22)
(8) Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard (March 19)
(9) Earth Science Webcast Series for Teachers, Grades 3-8 (March 19)
(10) NASA Langley/National Alliance of Black School Educators Lecture Series (March 19)
(11) Space Science Videoconferences for Educators (March 25)
(12) 2009 Sun-Earth Day: Our Sun Yours to Discover (March 20)
(13) 100 Hours of Astronomy, Public Education Event (April 2-5, Washington, DC)
(14) Sally Ride Science Festival for Girls, Grades 5-8 (April 18, Fairfax, Va.)
(15) Our Sun—It’s Influence on Life and Climate: Public Lecture at Library of Congress (April 22)
(16) NASA Quest—LCROSS: Exploration Through Navigation Challenge Part II (Projects Due April 30)
(17) No Boundaries National Competition for High Student Students (Deadline: May 15)
(18) Climate Discovery Online Courses for Educators (Early Registration Deadline: May 31)
(19) View Atmosphere from Space—Workshop for Middle/High School Teachers (Registration Deadline: May 1, Lincoln, Neb.)
(20) Summer Science Workshops for K-12 Educators (Penn State University)
(21) NASA Endeavor Fellows – Project Extended to Winter 2010
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
(22) Weather Puzzle Game on Space Place Web Site
(23) Window to the Universe Features “Poles in Space”
(24) New Do-it-Yourself Podcast Activity for Students
(25) Science on a Sphere: Return to the Moon
(26) New Hinode Vodcast
(27) New Space Math Problems
(28) NASA Earth Observatory Feature Articles
--Winter Camp: A Blog from the Greenland Summit
--An Ocean Breeze: Mapping Brazil’s Offshore Wind Power Potential
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SCIENCE NEWS
(29) Otherworldly Solar Eclipse
(30) Carbon-Seeking Satellite Launch Unsuccessful
(31) FERMI Telescope Sees Most Extreme Gamma-Ray Blast
(32) Kepler Mission to Seek Other Earths
(33) Spectacular Photo-op On Saturn
(34) NASA Receives Shorty Twitter Award
(35) NASA’s Great Observatories Celebrate International Year of Astronomy
(36) NASA Technology Helps Create Inauguration Mega-Picture
(37) NASA and Google Launch Virtual Exploration of Mars
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CALENDAR
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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(1) PROJECT BUDBURST 2009 FIELD CAMPAIGN BEGINS MARCH 2
Project BudBurst will officially launch the 2009 national field campaign for students, families and other volunteers on March 2. The project is designed to engage the public in the collection of important climate change data based on the timing of leafing and flowering of trees and flowers. In 2008, thousands of people of all ages participated by taking careful observations of the phenological events such as the first flower, first leaf, and seed or fruit dispersal of a diversity of tree and flower species, including weeds and ornamentals. New Web site features include field guides to phenophases, updated plant species Identification Guides, real-time mapping with Google Maps, new classroom resources, photo sharing of plant observations and more.
Project BudBurst is co-managed by the University Cooperation for Atmospheric Research, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and the University of Montana. For more information, please visit the Project BudBurst Web site at http://www.budburst.org/
(2) NASA’s Explore! Ice Worlds Offers Free WebCast for INFORMAL Educators (march 4)
“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.
A free four-hour webcast training in using these activities will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 1:00 EST. The 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.
(3) DAWN MARS FLYBY EDUCATOR WORKSHOP (MARCH 7)
On March 7, 2009, from 9:00–2:00 p.m., join Dawn scientists and engineers along with K-12 and informal educators from around the country in a set of unique, convergent workshops that will be held at four locations:
--Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, CA
--Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Portland, OR
--Career Education Center (CEC), Denver Public Schools (DPS), Denver, CO
--NASA IV and V Facility Educator Resource Center, Fairmont, WV- Jet
The Dawn spacecraft flew by Mars in February, 2009. The spacecraft executed special gravity assisted 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, and participants will explore interactive curricular materials and enjoy special, site-specific opportunities (facility tours) as part of this distinctive workshop.
For more information and registration, go to: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp.
(4) SOLAR WEEK (MARCH 9-13)
Solar Week provides a weeklong series of web-based classroom activities and games geared for elementary, middle and high school students, with a particular emphasis on engaging girls in science. The activities are a natural fit with 2009’s International Year of Astronomy, and introduce students to the Sun, solar telescopes, how the Sun is active, and solar energy. In addition to the online activities, there is an online message board where students can submit questions to solar scientists. Explore the online resources and register to participate in Solar Week at: http://www.solarweek.org.
(5) The Sunday Experiment at NASA Goddard
The Sunday Experiment is a two-hour open house – the 3rd Sunday of each month from 1 to 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:
--March 15: Sun Day – SDO and STEREO
--April 19: Astrophysics
--May 17: Hubble Servicing Mission 4 (SM4)
(6) GLOBE AT NIGHT CAMPAIGN (MARCH 16-28)
2008 marked a monumental shift in human history when the number of people living in cities exceeded half the people on Earth. Because of the ambient light of urban landscapes, many city dwellers have never seen a sky full of stars. The GLOBE at Night Campaign is an international star-hunting project for students, teachers, and the general public. This year it will take place March 16-28, the two weeks when the Orion constellation is most visible around the world with naked eyes. Students find their latitude and longitude, find Orion at night and match their observations to a magnitude chart. After, students report their observations online and can compare their observations with those from around the world. The 2008 campaign received measurements from 62 countries and the final data sets are now available on the Web site. For more information, visit http://www.globe.gov/GaN.
(7) NASA AT NSTA NATIONAL CONFERENCE
March 19-22, New Orleans, La.
The 2009 National Conference of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will include many NASA Earth and space science education sessions being presented. Pick up a schedule of all the NASA sessions offered throughout the week at the NASA booth. You can also browse all the sessions by going to: http://www.nsta.org/conferences/schedule.aspx?id=2009NEW.
The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) North American Partners also invite GLOBE community members (GLOBE teachers, partners, scientists, PIs) to a Community Reception on Thursday, March 19, 6:30-8:30pm at the Ile de France Ballroom I of the JW Marriott Hotel, 614 Canal Street, in New Orleans.
(8) Family Science Nights at NASA Goddard
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:
--March 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.
(9) EARTH SCIENCE Webcast Series for teachers (Grades 3-8)
NASA Langley Research Center - in co-operation with NOAA and the Virginia Department of Education Region 2 Math/Science Coalition - will offer a series of professional development programs for teachers of grades 3-8 . Each of the five monthly webcasts will address a different Earth system science topic. The webcasts may be accessed on the NASA Digital Learning Network at http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/.
Upcoming Webcasts:
--March 19: Solar Radiation and the Atmosphere (4:00-5:30pm EST)
--Apr. 16: Tides (4:00-5:30pm EST)
--June 18: The Story of Ocean Heat Storage (4:00-5:30pm EST)
(10) NASA Langley / National Alliance of Black School Educators Lecture Series for 2009
Join NASA's Langley Research Center and the National Alliance of Black School Educators for a series of free, interactive programs that allow you and your students to learn more about our home planet and the universe beyond. For more information about these webcasts and videoconferences, and to submit questions to be answered during the events, visit http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=1646.
Upcoming Webcasts:
--March 19: Earth and Mars: A Tale of Two Planets, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
--April 9: Global Warming: Causes and Consequences, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT
(11) SPACE SCIENCE videoconferences for Educators
To assist educators in staying current on NASA education resources and related products, NASA’s Digital Learning Network presents a series of videoconferences. During each event, product producers, authors and experts will demonstrate their materials designed to optimize awareness and understanding of science concepts. Instructional objectives, accessing the materials and primary contacts for the materials will also be discussed. During the videoconferences, participants will be able to submit questions to the presenter that will be addressed during the presentation.
Upcoming events:
--March 25: Kepler Mission, 4-5 p.m. EST
--April 29: Meteorology: An Educators Resource Guide for Inquiry-Based Learning, 4-5 p.m. EST
--May 27: NASA Explores Virtual Worlds, 4-5 p.m. EST
For more information about these videoconferences and to sign up online, visit http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html - 20090325.
(12) 2009 Sun-Earth Day: Our Sun, Yours to Discover (March 20)
NASA’s Sun-Earth Day Team is working to create yet another special event for “Sun Earth Day, Our Sun, Yours to Discover.” Sun-Earth Day is officially March 20, but plans are for a series of events leading up to that date and resources that can be used year-round. These include:
--New, monthly vodcasts for NASA’s Hinode mission,
--A new and improved Space Weather Action Center,
--A March 20 webcast (1:00 EST) with a panel of scientists and students monitoring the Sun and featuring exciting images and visualizations of the Sun.
Stay tuned to http://sunearthday.nasa.gov for the latest information on these and other upcoming events and resources for formal and informal science education.
(13) 100 HOURS OF ASTRONOMY, PUBLIC EDUCATION EVENT
April 2-5, Washington, DC
Bring NASA and astronomy in your schools and communities during the 2009 International Year of Astronomy. The "100 Hours of Astronomy" is a four-day event designed to bring astronomy down to Earth. The Astrophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is coordinating a series of events in the DC metropolitan area including webcasts, tours for informal educators, educator showcases, rocket launches, and more. Check out the full schedule of activities at http://universe.nasa.gov/100hours.
(14) SALLY RIDE SCIENCE FESTIVAL FOR GIRLS, GRADES 5-8 (APRIL 18)
George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
Early Registration Fee Deadline: March 23
George Mason University and Sally Ride Science Festivals will once again bring together hundreds of girls in grades 5-8 for a festive day of science and socializing on April 18, 2009. The festival will feature an inspiring talk by cosmochemist Laurie Leshin, who is Deputy Director for Science and Technology at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. There will also be Discovery Workshops for students given by local scientists and engineers, as well as workshops for parents and teachers on ways to support students’ interests in science and math. Advance registration is required and costs $15 (includes the featured talk, workshops, lunch, and the Street Fair). The registration fee will be increased to $20 after March 23. For a schedule, workshop information and to sign-up, visit: http://www.sallyridescience.com/festivals/09gmu0418.
(15) PUBLIC LECTURE SERIES AT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: OUR SUN–ITS INFLUENCE ON LIFE AND CLIMATE
April 22, Washington, DC
Edward F. Guinan, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Villanova University, will present Our Sun: Its Influence on Life and Climate at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 22, 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 Goddard Space Flight Center. The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.
Upcoming programs in the series include:
--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 (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) NASA Quest -- LCROSS: Exploration Through Navigation Challenge Part II
Student Projects Due: April 30
This challenge requires students to chart a course from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., to one of the lunar poles by using navigation skills appropriate for outer space. Other activities include weekly challenge questions (with prizes), an opening and closing webcast, and a chat with the author of "A Man on the Moon." Background materials and an educator's guide are available. Registration is open now, and student projects are due April 30, 2009. Participation in Part I of the challenge, which was held fall 2008, is not required for participation in Part II. The two parts of the challenge complement each other but ultimately stand alone.
For more information about the challenge and to register online, visit
http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lcross3/
(17) NO BOUNDARIES NATIONAL COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Entry Deadline: May 15, 2009
NASA has teamed with USA TODAY Education to create the "No Boundaries" project and national student competition. This project is designed to help students explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The No Boundaries Web site has a Teacher Toolkit and step-by-step instructions for teachers to implement the project in their classrooms. Students research and develop projects (podcast, Web site, newspaper, songs, artwork, etc.) marketing NASA STEM careers to teens and are encouraged to enter their projects in the No Boundaries National Competition. The contest deadline is May 15, 2009. For more information go to: http://www.noboundaries-stemcareers.com/.
(18) VIEW ATMOSPHERE FROM SPACE—WORKSHOP FOR MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS
June 23-24, Lincoln, Neb.
Free Registration Deadline: May 1
Hosted by the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, this workshop will provide an introduction to NASA’s satellite view of weather and climate to approximately 15 middle/high-school teachers. Participants will receive NASA educational resources, examine NASA satellite imagery, learn about NASA Earth observation systems and programs encouraging student/teacher participation in science, and interact with NASA scientists and other participants to find ways to integrate NASA satellite observation and research into their curriculum. Each participant will receive a $100/day stipend to cover travel costs, and free lunch and lodging. For more information and to register, contact Dr. Jun Wang at jwang7@unl.edu.
(19) CLIMATE DISCOVERY ONLINE COURSES FOR EDUCATORS
Early Registration deadline: May 31, 2009
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) offers a series of seven week online courses for middle and high school teachers that combine geoscience content, information about current climate research, easy to implement hands-on activities, and group discussion. There is a $225 fee per course (save $25 if you register by May 31). The courses run concurrently from June 18-August 9, 2009.
--CD 501 Introduction to Earth's Climate
--CD 502 Earth System Science: A Climate Change Perspective
--CD 503 Understanding Climate Change Today
For complete course schedule and registration information, visit
http://ecourses.ncar.ucar.edu
(20) SUMMER SCIENCE WORKSHOPS FOR K-12 EDUCATORS
June-July 2009, Penn State University
Penn State University is offering six science workshops for K-12 educators in the summer of 2009. Participants will keep pace with the latest science research, engage in standards-based classroom activities, and explore ways to make science fun as they work side by side with Penn State faculty. Network with peers and earn 2 graduate credits and PA ACT 48 hours. The courses are aligned with the National Science Education Standards and Pennsylvania Standards for Science and Technology. Grants are awarded to all participants to cover lodging, meals, and partial travel. Tuition subsidies are available for all workshops on a competitive basis. For more information on workshop contents, or to apply for one or more workshops, visit: http://teachscience.psu.edu
--Earth’s History: Interaction Between Life and the Environment, June 28-July 2, Educators Grades 6-12
--Exploring Renewable Energy Technologies and the Materials that Make it Happen June 28-July 2, Educators Grades 9-12
--Calculator-Controlled Robots: Hands-On Mathematics and Science Discovery (NEW), July 12-17, Educators Grades 6-
--Lunar Exploration (NEW), July 19-24, Educators Grades K-8
--Extreme Cosmic Messengers, July 26-31, Educators Grades 9-12
--Black Holes: Gravity’s Fatal Attraction, August 2-7, Educators Grades 6-12
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 National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA.
(21) NASA ENDEAVOR FELLOWS – PROJECT EXTENDED TO WINTER 2010
The NASA Endeavor Science Teaching Certificate Project funding has been extended one semester, delaying the Cohort 2 application process by a semester. Applications will be accepted beginning Spring 2009 into Fall 2009 and announcements will be made in Fall of 2009. Cohort 2 will not begin in Fall 2009 as initially announced. Rather, Cohort 2 will now begin in Winter 2010 (January 2010). For more information, visit the project Web site at: http://www.us-satellite.net/endeavor/index.cfm.
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EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
(22) WEATHER PUZZLE GAME ON SPACE PLACE WEB SITE
Weather can be puzzling. What's it going to do next? The new weather picture "Slyder" puzzles on The Space Place Web site are easier to solve. Users can pick easy, medium, or hard levels of difficulty to challenge logical- and spatial-reasoning muscles and to reveal dramatic ground-and space-based images of Earth and space weather phenomena. Each image is identified and credited. Whether you solve the chosen puzzle or not, you will be no doubt find abundant weather enlightenment.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/goes/slyder
(23) WINDOWS TO THE UNIVERSE FEATURES “POLES IN SPACE”
The NASA-funded Windows to the Universe Web site provides students, educators, and the public with more than 7,000 pages of content on a wide range of Earth and space science topics (in English and Spanish). A new "Poles in Space" section highlights information and stunning images from NASA missions of polar regions around the solar system, including: Saturn's northern polar hexagon and southern polar vortex, methane lakes around Titan's North Pole, auroral lights at the poles of Jupiter and Saturn, various sublime terrain features near the polar ice caps of Mars, the ice geysers at the South Pole of Enceladus, and more. Visit the Poles in Space section at: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/poles_in_space.html.
(24) NEW DO-IT-YOURSELF PODCAST ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS
The Do-It-Yourself Podcast activity sets the stage for students to host a science show. Students download NASA video or audio clips of astronauts training for missions, doing experiments or demonstrating equipment, and use them to build their own podcast or similar audio/video project. Learning modules on the Web site are categorized by topic, and each subject module includes video and audio clips, images, helpful information and links to related resources. Educators and their students are encouraged to distribute their NASA projects through podcasts, social networks, Web sites, CDs, DVDs or other channels that they may choose. To learn more and to start making podcasts, visit http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/diypodcast/index.html.
(25) Science on a Sphere: Return to the Moon
With the upcoming Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, NASA takes the first step toward returning humans to the moon. To commemorate the mission and champion the value of future planned lunar expeditions, NASA is set to release a new short film called "Return to the Moon." Designed expressly for the Science On a Sphere platform, a striking spherical projection system now playing in nearly thirty theaters around the world, "Return to the Moon" shows off Earth's silver sibling like a jewel of the night.
"Return to the Moon" opens around the U.S. and in several locations around the world on Feb. 27, 2009. For more information about the film and a partial list of Science On a Sphere theaters, visit www.nasa.gov/lunarsphere.
(26) NEW HINODE VODCAST
Hinode has completed video production of its third vodcast. The project will be aired on YouTube March 7th, and will be the featured Sun-Earth Day 2009 video program on March 20 at the Sun-Earth Day Web site. The vodcast discusses the 20th Anniversary of the Quebec Blackout with filming in Montreal and interviews with Hydro-Quebec Power. This is the third in a series of five programs highlighting solar research with Hinode and the general topic of space weather. To learn more about Hinode visit http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/solar-b/ or the Sun Earth Day Web site at: http://sunearthday.nasa.gov.
(27) NEW SPACE MATH PROBLEMS
Space Math @ NASA has posted 15 new problems. This quarter, the problems feature data and interesting issues from the STEREO, Hubble, Dawn, LRO and Hinode missions. Space Math @ NASA is also continuing to integrate math problems into the Sun-Earth Day Technology Through Time essays (http://sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov/2009/TTT/66_chemistry.php). Check out the new Space Math problems at: http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov
(28) NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY FEATURE ARTICLES
Winter Camp: A Blog from the Greenland Summit
Lora Koenig, a remote-sensing glaciologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, spent three dark, frigid months supporting research at the National Science Foundation’s Greenland Summit Camp. Near the end of her stay, Koenig emailed the Earth Observatory answers to a few questions about how she wound up in Greenland and what is was like to spend the winter there.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GreenlandBlogKoenig/
An Ocean Breeze: Mapping Brazil’s Offshore Wind Power Potential
Searching for alternative sources of energy for his country, one student turned to a NASA satellite to assess the feasibility of offshore wind power in Southeast Brazil.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WindEnergy/
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SCIENCE NEWS
(29) OTHERWORLDLY SOLAR ECLIPSE
Feb. 25 – For the first time, a spacecraft from Earth has captured high-resolution video of a solar eclipse while orbiting another world.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/25feb_kaguyaeclipse.htm?list1110881
(30) CARBON-SEEKING SATELLITE LAUNCH UNSUCCESFUL
Feb. 24 – NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) satellite failed to reach orbit after liftoff from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. Preliminary indications are that the fairing on the Taurus XL launch vehicle failed to separate. The fairing is a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite as it travels through the atmosphere. For more information, visit: http://oco.jpl.nasa.gov/.
(31) NASA'S FERMI TELESCOPE SEES MOST EXTREME GAMMA-RAY BLAST
Feb. 20 – The first gamma-ray burst to be seen in high-resolution from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is one for the record books. The blast had the greatest total energy, the fastest motions and the highest-energy initial emissions ever seen. To see the related images, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/swift/bursts/gammaray_fireworks.html
(32) NASA’S KEPLER MISSION TO SEEK OTHER EARTHS
Feb. 19 – NASA's Kepler spacecraft will soon begin a journey to search for worlds that could potentially host life. Kepler is scheduled launch on March 5 and is the first mission with the ability to find planets like Earth -- rocky planets that orbit sun-like stars in a warm zone where liquid water could be maintained on the surface. For more information about the Kepler mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kepler
(33) SPECTACULAR PHOTO-OP ON SATURN
Feb. 19 – Something is about to happen on Saturn that is so pretty, even Hubble will pause to take a look. Backyard astronomers can see it, too. Four of Saturn's moons will transit Saturn and cast their shadows on the planet's cloudtops at the same time. Learn more at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/19feb_quadrupletransit.htm?list1110881
(34) NASA RECEIVES SHORTY TWITTER AWARD
Feb. 10 - NASA's activities in social networking media were recognized when the agency received an award for its presence on the popular Web site Twitter. Known as the Shorty Award, it was created to honor the best producers of short content on Twitter during 2008. Twitter is a social-networking site that allows users to provide their “followers” with updates on what they are doing. Updates on NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander mission received the most votes in the science category from users of the site. To view NASA's Mars Phoenix Twitter site, visit: http://twitter.com/marsphoenix. For a list of all NASA missions providing updates on Twitter, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/collaborate.
(35) NASA’S GREAT OBSERVATORIES CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY
Feb. 10 – Galileo first turned his telescope to the heavens in 1609, marking the dawn of modern astronomy. To commemorate 400 years of exploring the universe, 2009 has been designated the International Year of Astronomy. NASA released images from its Great Observatories -- the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and Chandra X-ray Observatory -- to more than 100 planetariums, museums, nature centers and schools across the country. The selected sites will unveil a large 9-square-foot print of the spiral galaxy Messier 101 that combines the optical view of Hubble, the infrared view of Spitzer, and the X-ray view of Chandra into one multi-wavelength picture. A list of places exhibiting these images can be found at: http://hubblesource.stsci.edu/events/iya/participants.php
(36) NASA TECHNOLOGY HELPS CREATE INAUGURATION MEGA-PICTURE
Feb. 2 - Using the same NASA technology that Mars rovers routinely use to image the Red Planet, photographer David Bergman created an unprecedented 1,474 megapixel panoramic photo of President Obama's inauguration. View the image at: http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=15374&window_height=782&window_width=1211.
(37) NASA AND GOOGLE LAUNCH VIRTUAL EXPLORATION OF MARS
Feb. 2 – NASA and Google announced a new Mars mode in Google Earth that brings a high-resolution, three-dimensonal view of the Red Planet to your desktop. Users can fly virtually through canyons and mountains, explore the planet through eyes of the Mars rovers and see the latest satellite imagery from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Visit the Google Earth Web site at: http://earth.google.com/.
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CALENDAR
March 2
Project Budburst 2009 Field Campaign Begins, www.budburst.org.
March 3
NASA Public Lecture: Farming, Food Security and Climate, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
March 4
Explore! Ice Worlds Training Webcast, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/explore/ice/activities
March 7
DAWN Mars Flyby Educator Workshop, http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp.
March 9-13
Solar Week, http://www.solarweek.org
March 15
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, Astrophysics, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.
March 16-18
GLOBE at Night Campaign, http://www.globe.gov/GaN.
March 19-22
NASA at NSTA, http://www.nsta.org/conferences/schedule.aspx?id=2009NEW.
March 19
Family Science Night at GSFC, Batteries Not Included, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/fsn.php.
March 19
Professional Development Webcast (teachers grades 3-8): Solar Radiation and the Atmosphere, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/
March 19
Educator Lecture: Earth and Mars, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=1646
March 20
Sun-Earth Day, http://sunearthday.nasa.gov
March 25:
Kepler Mission Videoconference, http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html - 20090325.
April 2-5
100 Hours of Astronomy, http://universe.nasa.gov/100hours.
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 9
Educator Lecture: Global Warming, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/catalog/details/?cid=1646
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 18
Sally Ride Science Festival at George Mason University, http://www.sallyridescience.com/festivals/09gmu0418.
April 19
Professional Development Webcast (teachers grades 3-8): Tides, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/
April 19
The Sunday Experiment at GSFC, http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/families/sunday.php.
April 22
NASA Public Lecture: Our Sun—It’s Influence on Life and Climate, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
April 29
Videoconference – Meteorology: An Educator’s Resource Guide for Inquiry-Based Learning, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/webcast/
April 30
NASA Quest—LCROSS Student Projects Due, http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/lcross3/
May 1
Registration Deadline for “View Atmosphere from Space” – Teacher Workshop at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, jwang7@unl.edu.
May 15
No Boundaries Competition Entries Due, http://www.noboundaries-stemcareers.com/.
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.
May 27
Videoconference – NASA Explores Virtual Worlds, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/content/webcast/
May 31
Registration Deadline for Climate Discovery Online Courses, http://ecourses.ncar.ucar.edu
June 1-12
2009 Summer Institute on Climate Information for Public Health, http://iri.columbia.edu/education/summerinstitute09.
June 2
NASA Public Lecture: Astrobiology: Life in Space, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
June 18
Professional Development Webcast (teachers grades 3-8): The Story of Ocean Heat Storage, http://dln.nasa.gov/dln/
Sept. 16
NASA Public Lecture: Tracking Severe Storms, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
Oct. 13
NASA Public Lecture: Dark Matter, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
Nov. 17
NASA Public Lecture: Update on Polar Ice, http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/events/events.html
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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: Sheryl Beach, George Mason University; Emilie Drobnes, NASA GSFC; Karin Hauck, Sun-Earth Connection; Katie Hecker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Jan Heiderer, GLOBE; Sandra Henderson, UCAR; Anita Krishnamurthi, NASA GSFC; Nancy Leon, NASA JPL; Susan Moore, SSAI; Heather Nelson, Pennsylvania State University; Randy Russell, UCAR; Glen Shuster, US-Satellite Laboratory; Sten Odenwald, NASA GSFC.
