RSS 2.0LPI Earth and Space Science Newsletter
February 1 - February 28, 2012 Year of the Solar System February: Far Ranging Robots
March 19, 2012 Sun-Earth Day
May 20, 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse
June 5, 2012 Transit of Venus
Astrobiology Summer Science Experience for High School Teachers
ASSET, a science and curriculum institute (July 23-28 in San Francisco) for high school science teachers, offers an interactive and content-rich program, with presentations by leading astrobiology researchers. All expenses are covered through grant funds. Application deadline: April 13.
Vision of Discovery Educator Workshops
This NASA workshop for K-12 educators presents new images of Mercury from MESSENGER, of asteroid Vesta from Dawn, and prepares for the first ever close-up images of Pluto and the Kuiper Belt from New Horizons. Participants will get the latest mission updates from dynamic scientists, then learn how to use art to engage students in the appreciation and interpretation of NASA imagery. The workshop will be held in four locations simultaneously on March 10: Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA; Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in Portland, Johnson Space Center in Houston, and JHU Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, MD.
Earthquake Engineering Educatin Project Workshop
The summer workshop at Texas A&M University (June 6 - 12, 2012) is open to high school science and mathematics teachers to integrate earthquake engineering into their classrooms. The deadline is to apply is April 1st, 2012.
Student Climate Research Campaign Workshop Series for Educators
NASA Langley Research Center is offering a series of GLOBE Teacher Training Workshops at the Virgina Air and Space Center in Hampton, Va. These free workshops will be on Jan. 14, Feb. 18, and March 17.
Exploring the Past: Archaeology in the Upper Mississippi River Valley
The Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center will offer a three-week NEH Summer Institute on July 9-27, 2012 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. This dynamic learning experience for K-12 teachers will explore how Native Americans and Euro-Americans have adapted to the Upper Mississippi River Valley over the past 13,500 years, and how archaeology leads to an understanding of how human cultures change and adapt through time. Some stipends are available. Application Deadline: March 1, 2012.
2012 Summer Workshops -- Climate Science Research for Educators and Students
This project will teachers and students develop authentic climate-related science research projects. During summer 2012, two climate science workshops will take place in New York City. The first workshop will focus on understanding sun/Earth/atmosphere interactions and Earth's radiative balance, a fundamental concept for climate science. A follow-up workshop will take place in August. During the summer, participants are expected to conduct their own research. Applications are due June 1, 2012.
Summer Workshops at McDonald Observatory
McDonald Observatory offers a unique setting for teacher workshops: the Observatory and Visitors Center in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. Tours of the telescopes, discussions with the research astrophysicists in residence, and nighttime observations are an integral part of every workshop experience. The deadline for all applications is February 10, 2012.
NASA's Expedition Earth and Beyond Webinars (Feb. 14, 16, and 22)
NASA's Expedition Earth and Beyond Program promotes student-led research investigations in the classroom using NASA data and resources. February's webinars include 2 classroom connections "Volcanoes on Earth and in the Solar System" for entire classes to participate in, and a teacher training on geologic processes on Earth and other planets in our solar system.
Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center
Polar Science Weekend at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, is taking place March 1-4, 2012. The event is four days of hands-on activities, live demonstrations and exhibits presented by scientists who work in some of the most remote and challenging places on Earth. Learn about ice sheets and sea ice, polar bears and penguins, scientific instruments and polar expeditions.
Texas Girls Collaborative Project K-12 STEM Outreach Forum - East Texas
All organizations, schools and individuals involved in STEM outreach are invited to attend this free event on Feb 15 at the University of Texas at Tyler. Network and learn about the resources available. Connect with local programs active in K-12 STEM outreach and education. Share what you and/or your organization are doing to excite kids about STEM fields!
GLOBE at Night
GLOBE at Night is a citizen-science campaign open to people all over the world to raise awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their night sky brightness and report their observations to a website from a computer or smart phone. Please participate in the 2012 campaign an hour after sunset til about 10pm January 14 - 23, February 12 - 21, March 13 - 22, and April 11 - 20.
FameLab Astrobiology Science Communication Competition
FameLab Astrobiology is a science communication competition focused on graduate students and post docs doing research in astrobiology. Via four preliminary and one final competition, early career astrobiologists will compete to convey their own research or related science concepts. Local visitors are welcome to come and watch the event! Jan. 13 at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Feb. 10 at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and Mar. 9 at NASA HQ/National Geographic Society in Washington D.C.
Transit of Venus
On June 5, 2012, many observers around the world will see the planet Venus as it moves across the face of the early morning Sun. A variety of organizations are arranging special obsrving events. The Transit of Venus is among the rarest astronomical phenomena and won't happen again until the year 2117.
Year of the Solar System
NASA spacecraft will be heading for key locations during the Year of the Solar System from October 2010 until August 2012 - a Martian year that encapsulates almost two Earth years of exciting mission events! These 23 months of exploration by robotic tourists will reveal the familiar objects of our solar system as new worlds through new discoveries. Discover these worlds for yourself through activities highlighting a new topic each month. You can also submit photographs, artwork, music, or words of your YSS experiences!
IceHunters Invites the World to Find New Horizons Future KBO Destinations
The world is invited to help discover a potential new, icy follow-on destination for NASA's New Horizons spacecraft through the IceHunters website. Through this citizen science project, the public can help scientists search through specially-obtained deep telescopic images for currently unknown objects in the Kuiper Belt.
NASA Earth Ambassador Program
An Earth Ambassador is someone who is committed to the support of a series of nation-wide NASA Climate Day Events hosted at their own institutions using NASA Climate Day Kits containing educational and public outreach resources. In preparation for their Climate Day events, the selected Ambassadors will be trained in the use of Climate Day Kit resources via two-week, virtual workshop, June 4-15, 2012. Application deadline: March 5, 2012.
2012 Thacher Environmental Research Contest
The 2012 Thacher Environmental Research Contest, sponsored by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, challenges high school students (grades 9-12) to conduct innovative research on our changing planet using the latest geospatial tools and data. The best projects will receive cash awards. Entries Due April 16.
Summer Research Experience for Teachers
The National Solar Observatory seeks middle and high school teachers of science and mathematics who would be interested in participating in the Summer 2012 NSO Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program.
the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race
Registration is open for the 19th Annual NASA Great Moonbuggy Race. High school and college students are challenged to design and build a vehicle that addresses a series of engineering problems similar to those faced by the original lunar-roving vehicle team. The race will take place April 13-14, 2012, in Huntsville, Ala., at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. International teams must register by Jan. 9, 2012. U.S. teams must register by Feb. 10, 2012.
Young Naturalist Awards
The American Museum of Natural History Young Naturalist Awards invites students in grades 7-12 to participate in a research-based essay contest. Students are asked to conduct their own scientific investigation in astronomy, Earth science, or biology, and submit an essay based on their work. Contest Deadline is March 9, 2012.
Student Teaching Scholarships
The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation is accepting applications for Student Teaching scholarships, for student teachers in their final year of teacher education programs at New Mexico State University; the University of California, Santa Cruz; the University of Texas at Austin; and West Virginia University. Application deadline: Apr 15.
Teacher Development Grants
The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation is accepting applications for Teacher Development grants to provide funding to individuals or small teams of teachers in the formation and implementation of groundbreaking collaborative K-12 classroom instruction. Application deadline: Apr 15.
Disney Friends for Change Grants
Disney Friends for Change Grants offer young change-makers an opportunity to receive a $1,000 grant to help make a lasting, positive change in the world. Applications due Feb. 29, 2012.
Siemans We Can Change the World Challenge
This is a premier national environmental sustainability competition for grades K-12. Through project-based learning, students learn about science and conservation while creating solutions that impact their planet. Challenges close March 15, 2012.
Cash Grants for Intel Schools of Distinction
Every year, Intel honors U.S. schools demonstrating excellence in math and science education through innovative teaching and learning environments. Up to three schools at each level--elementary, middle, and high school--will be named as finalists in the math and science categories. Applications are due Feb. 23, 2012.
Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
The Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching is the highest recognition that a mathematics or science teacher may receive for exemplary teaching in the United States. Nominations are now open for outstanding mathematics and science educators teaching in kindergarten through grade 6 with five years or more teaching experience. Applications must be completed by May 1, 2012.
Mysteries of the Sun
This NASA resource online, in print, and with companion videos contains graphic and detailed information about heliophysics: the study of the Sun's influence throughout the solar system and, in particular, its connection to the Earth and the Earth’s extended space environment.
Coma Clusters Activity Using Hubble Space Telescope Data
In this high school activity, students will first learn the basics of galaxy classification and grouping, then they will use actual HST images of a collection of galaxies called the Coma Cluster to discover the ‘morphology-density effect’ and make hypotheses about its causes.
"Go with the Flow" game at Space Place
Using heat and salt as tools, as well as horizontal currents and walls, you set up flow patterns that your little submarine can follow in order to reach the key that will open the treasure chest and get the gold. After playing the game, students are not likely to forget the roles that heat and salinity play on ocean currents. These are important principles to learn in order to understand the potential effects of climate change.
Window to Earth on Kid's Club
Move through the pages of Window to Earth and see images taken from space of these geographical features: peninsula, glacier, lake, desert, cape, island, upheaval dome, strait, waterfall, reef and volcano.
Comet Mystery Boxes
Introduce students to the physical characteristics of comets by using a tactile learning experience. Using only their hands, students reach into a series of boxes and feel the variety of materials and structures within. Each box contains an object that represents a quality of comets. For grades K-8.
Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) Educational Kit
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is a spacecraft orbiting the moon. The primary instrument on LRO for analyzing the Moon’s radiation environment is the Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation, or CRaTER. This educator guide includes lessons to introduce to students to cosmic rays and their effects on humans. For grades 6-8.
Science Off the Sphere Videos
Astronaut and chemist Dr. Don Pettit does physics demos that are out of this world. Currently on board the International Space Station, Dr. Pettit presents fantastic physics that can only be demonstrated in micro-gravity; the first episode is "Dancing Droplets."
Distant Invisible Galaxy Could be Made Up Entirely of Dark Matter
Astronomers can’t see it but they know it’s out there from the distortions caused by its gravity. This dark galaxy is the most distant and lowest-mass object ever detected, and astronomers say it could help them find similar objects and confirm or reject current cosmological theories about the structure of the Universe.
Dramatic Star Formation Cut Short by Black Holes
Astronomers have found the strongest link so far between the most powerful bursts of star formation in the early Universe, and the most massive galaxies found today. The galaxies dramatic starbirth was abruptly cut short, leaving them as massive -- but passive -- galaxies of aging stars. The astronomers also have a likely culprit for the sudden end to the starbursts: the emergence of supermassive black holes.
New Study Suggests Little Ice Age Triggered By Volcanism
Researchers may have possibly found evidence the "Little Ice Age" may have had ties to an unusual era of volcanic activity. Somewhere near the years between 1275 and 1300 A.D., four massive tropical volcanic eruptions caused some very cool summer weather in the northern hemisphere which triggered an expansion of sea ice that weakened Atlantic currents. The eruptions could have triggered a chain reaction, affecting sea ice and ocean currents in a way that lowered temperatures for centuries.
Potential ‘Goldilocks’ Planet Found
A new-found planet is in a "just-right" location around its star where liquid water could possibly exist on the planet’s surface. A team of international astronomers have discovered a potentially habitable super-Earth orbiting a nearby star in a habitable zone, where it isn’t too hot or too cold for liquid water to exist. The team said this discovery demonstrates that habitable planets could form in a greater variety of environments than previously believed.
New Study Shows How Trace Elements Affect Stars’ Habitable Zones
Habitable zones are the regions around stars where conditions are the most favourable for the development of life on any rocky planets that happen to orbit within them. Now, by examining trace elements in the host stars, researchers have found clues as to how the habitable zones evolve, and how those elements also influence them.
Smallest Planets Discovered So Far
Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler mission have discovered the three smallest planets yet detected orbiting a star beyond our Sun. All three are smaller than Earth; the smallest is about the size of Mars. The system is more similar to Jupiter and its moons in scale than any other planetary system. The discovery is further proof of the diversity of planetary systems in our galaxy.
What Happened to all the Snow?
Winter seems to have been on hold this year in some parts of the United States. Snowfall has been scarce in places that were overwhelmed at the same time last year, and there were 583 new heat records broken in the first five days of January in the US. NASA scientist identifies two culprits: La Niña and the Arctic Oscillation.
