On May 7, the Museum of Flight will celebrate Space Day with free evening admission and special space-related activities to nurture young peoples’ enthusiasm for the wonders of the Universe through special space-related activities.
The festivities will take place from 5-9 p.m. Local astronomy clubs will also be present and eager to answer questions . The program is part of the museum’s First Free Thursday, supported by Wells Fargo.
For more information, go to http://www.museumofflight.org/event/space-day-2009
Filed under: Aeronautics, Engineering, NASA, STEM, Science, Student Opportunities
Visit Space Center Houston on May 8, 2009, for the second annual Career Day.
Representatives from NASA and NASA contractors will be on hand to give students information on careers at NASA — everything from robotic engineers to flight surgeons to materials scientists to astronauts and much more. Help get your students ready and excited about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics!
Eileen Collins, the first female space shuttle commander, is now a program manager for GB Tech. She will be at their booth promoting careers at NASA through GB Tech. Other companies and groups participating in the event include: NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Aerospace Academy, Wyle, Hamilton Sundstrand, Barrios Technology, Jacobs Engineering, USA Spaceops and Oceaneering.
Career Day booths will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Space Center Houston is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For information, visit http://www.spacecenter.org/SchoolVisitsSpecialDays.html
Filed under: Aeronautics, Astronomy, Cool Science, Educator Kit, NASA, STEM, Science
Space Day, an annual event on the first Friday in May, celebrates space exploration and the advances made because of our study of space. Visit the official Space Day website for space exploration facts, games, posters, and events. A Space Day Tool Kit is available for download. The kit includes lesson plans and event ideas to help you host your own Space Day celebration.
Visit the Space day website at http://www.spaceday.org/
OMSI CELEBRATES ASTRONOMY DAY
May 2, 2009
Visitors at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry will be star struck on May 2 as they learn about latest from meteorites, constellations, universe and telescopes during Astronomy Day Celebration 2009. Astronomy Day is a worldwide event designed to promote public awareness and interest in International Year of Astronomy 2009.
Astronomy representatives from around the state will be at OMSI during the celebration, including the Rose City Astronomers Club, Vancouver Sidewalk Astronomers, Oregon Parks and Recreation, Sunriver Observatory, Portland State University’s Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory. Safely view the surface of the sun through special filtered telescopes with help from experts. Get a free star chart and be ready to view the stars, planets and more from your own backyard. OMSI’s Astronomy Day 2009 is included with general museum admission.
For more information, visit the OMSI website at http://www.omsi.edu/
Filed under: Aeronautics, Astronomy, Cool Science, NASA, STEM, Science, Student Opportunities
Celebrate Space Day at the National Air and Space Museum, May 2, 2009. This event is sponsored by Lockheed Martin with additional support by NASA. Space Day is a perennial favorite at the National Air and Space Museum where visitors enjoy hands-on activities, meet astronauts and authors, learn about space from museum experts, and even talk live to an astronaut on the International Space Station. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Human Space Flight: Past, Present and Future.” All of the activities take place amid the awe-inspiring collection of historic aviation and space artifacts in the Museum’s National Mall building.
Activities include:
10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.
Meet former astronauts Dr. Dan Barry, Dr. Roger Crouch and Capt. Kenneth Reightler Jr. in a panel discussion followed by questions and answers.
11:45 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.
View a multimedia presentation and meet the astronauts of STS-119, the March 2009 space shuttle Discovery crew, who will talk about their experiences on the International Space Station. A question and answer session follows the presentation.
12:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.
Learn how astronauts play music in space. Watch a multimedia presentation by Richard Paul with interviews and videos of astronauts playing music in space.
11:23 or 11:48 a.m. (barring technical issues)
Talk live to an astronaut on the International Space Station, courtesy of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.
AMSAT — The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
Find out about radio equipment and more about amateur radio.
11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Listen to a storytime for younger children (ages 3-8)
“The Astronaut’s Handbook” by Meghan McCarthy
11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Dream about being an astronaut? Watch “Apollo to the Moon ,” an exciting multimedia performance by Kevin Reese in which he shares one young man’s dream to become an astronaut and the dream to reach for the impossible — the moon.
FIRST Robotics
Check out local robotics teams’ latest creations and demonstrations of their expertise in building and controlling robots for competition
The New Lunar Rover
Hear Dr. W. Brent Garry, Museum geologist, talk about his experiences as a test driver of the next generation of lunar rovers.
Lockheed Martin presents the Orion Crew Vehicle
Get a sneak peek at the much-anticipated successor to the space shuttle, the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.
Washington Metro Area LEGO Users Group
Marvel at displays of LEGO creations and enter the “pit” full of bricks where you can make your own spacecraft.
Northern Virginia Association of Rocketry
See home-built rockets and learn how to build your own flyable model rocket.
Signatures in Space
Sign a giant poster to be sent into space on a future mission.
Lunar Surface and Rock
Learn about the moon’s surface from Priscilla Strain, National Air and Space Museum scientist, and see a real moon rock.
Duct Tape Activity
Construct a duct tape wallet to take home and learn how duct tape is used in space.
Make a Mission Patch
Design a space mission patch like astronauts wear and take it home.
Meet the Author
“Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 ,” a story of adventure and discovery for ages 4-7, was written by Brian Floca. The book will be on sale and can be signed by the author.
This schedule is subject to change. Please ask a visitor services representative at the Visitors Services Desk for an updated schedule upon arrival.
For more information about these events, visit
http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=1031
Student Signatures in Space Opportunity
A centerpiece to the Space Day program is the Student Signatures in Space project, which gives elementary and middle school students the opportunity to send their personal signatures into space. Although the maximum number of participants (500 schools per year) has been reached for this year’s opportunity, it’s not too early to sign up for next year’s Signatures event.
For more information, visit http://www.spaceday.org/index.php/About-Sub-2.html
Filed under: Aeronautics, Cool Science, Professional Development, STEM, Science, Teacher Development
The Northrop Grumman Corporation Foundation is accepting teacher applications for the 2009 Weightless Flights of Discovery program, an initiative that places teachers on micro- and zero-gravity flights to test Newton’s Laws of Motion and energize students in the formative middle-school years.
The Foundation has selected four locations for this year’s flights:
• Albuquerque, NM (Sept. 22)
• Detroit, MI (Sept. 24)
• Norwalk, CT (Sept. 29)
• Washington, DC (Oct. 2)
A maximum of 30 teachers in each of the cities will participate. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2009. Middle-school math and science teachers in public schools are welcome to apply for the program at http://www.northropgrumman.com/teachers
Filed under: Astronomy, Interactive Materials, K-12, NASA, STEM, Science | Tags: Hubble
During NASA’s STS-125 mission, astronauts will make their final trip to the Hubble telescope. New instrucments will be installed and repairs will be performed on the Hubble to keep it functioning until 2014!
Learn more about the mission at NASA’s interactive Hubble website through the following link: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/hubble_servicing/
The website includes a mission timeline, videos, crew profiles, and many high resolution Hubble images.
Filed under: Educational Materials, K-12, Lesson Plans, Mathematics, NASA, Professional Development, STEM, Science, Teacher Development, Teacher Opportunities
John Ensworth at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies and the NASA Science Mission Directorate invite you to attend an upcoming online professional development workshop.
Topic: Enrichment Problems in Space Science XIII
In the thirteenth bi-monthly installment of these mission- and inquiry-oriented mathematics problems, Dr. Sten Odenwald will supply background for and lead participants through problems from his “Problems in Space Science” series. The goal of these problems is to teach students about space weather by using mathematics. Each problem begins with real world questions, missions and situations, and applies the necessary mathematics for a solution. Participants may ask questions and work along in this fully interactive Webinar environment. http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov
Date: Friday, April 24, 2009
Time: 3:00 p.m., EST (Greenwich Mean Time -05:00, New York)
Participants must first register for this meeting. There is no cost for this event.
Note: Only the first 120 registrants will be accepted. Register ASAP!
If this meeting is full, you will receive an e-mail that reads:”Your registration for this meeting is denied.”
In that case, we ask you to please join us in the next workshop! If you do miss this event, we will send you the link to a video archive of the workshop so you will still be able to benefit from the exercises.
Please join the meeting 10-15 minutes before start to make sure your computer is prepared to run the Webex software. You may also pre-install the Webex plug-in following the instructions at the bottom of this e-mail.
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Where to register for this meeting
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1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?ED=116868387&RG=1&UID=1106903267
2. Register for the meeting.
Once the host approves your request, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions for joining the meeting.
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Closed Captioning is available during the Webinar at:
At the start time of the event, please login to your event by clicking on the link below: http://www.fedrcc.us//Enter.aspx?EventID=1333501&CustomerID=321
Alternately, you can visit http://www.fedrcc.us/ and input your event confirmation number, 1333501.
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For assistance
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1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/mc
2. Click “Assistance”.
3. Click “Support”.
Watch live interviews with astronaut Greg Johnson at NASA TV! Today, April 21, 2009
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
(from our friends at OMSI)
On Wednesday morning, April 22 before sunrise (6:25 am PDT), for the Pacific NW viewers, the Moon will completely eclipse brilliant Venus. The event begins just after 5:21 a.m. PDT and lasts until 6:21 am PDT. Both the Moon and Venus will be less than 5 degrees above the eastern horizon for the event. For best viewing (weather permitting), find a good low eastern horizon which is towards Mt Hood for many Portlanders!
In addition, the annual Lyrid meteor shower is underway! Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet Thatcher, the source of the annual Lyrid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Wednesday, April 22nd, with a display of 10 to 20 meteors per hour over the northern hemisphere. Occasionally, Earth passes through a dense region of the comet’s tail and rates surge five- to ten-fold. In 1982, for instance, observers were surprised by an outburst of 90 Lyrids per hour. Because Thatcher’s tail has never been mapped in detail, the outbursts are unpredictable and could happen again at any time. The best time to look, no matter where you live, is during the dark hours before dawn on Wednesday morning April 22nd.
As an added bonus, the ISS will be visible at 5:39 am PDT SE moving from SW to ENE and will be just above the Moon and Venus on Wednesday morning. The station will be visible at magnitude of -1.6.
Enjoy!
