THE SUN-EARTH CONNECTION
An Education
and Public
for the Sun-Earth Connection Science Community - and beyond!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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=> 1. The Greatest Space Adventurer: After a 27-Year Journey,
Voyager 1 Reaching Interstellar Space
=> 2. “Space Science Problem of the Week” No Problem
For Teachers and Home-Schoolers
=>
3. Spring AGU (American Geophysical
Special Education Session on Solar Science
Abstract deadlines: Feb 3 (postal mail), Feb 10 (web)
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1. VOYAGER 1 REACHING THE SUN’S OUTER SPHERE
OF INFLUENCE, AFTER QUARTER-CENTURY TRIP
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The Voyager mission, now in its 27th year, continues its quest to
push the bounds of space exploration. The twin Voyager 1 and 2
spacecraft opened new vistas in space by greatly expanding our
knowledge of Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 then extended the
planetary adventure when it flew by Uranus and Neptune, becoming
the only spacecraft ever to visit these worlds. Voyager 1, now
the most distant human-made object in the universe, and Voyager 2,
close on its heels, continue their ground-breaking journey with
their current mission to study the region in space where the Sun's
influence ends and the dark recesses of interstellar space begin.
Since the beginning of the Interstellar Mission in 1990, the two
spacecraft have returned well more than 65 billion bits of data.
The data continue to reveal new characteristics of the effects of
the Sun in the distant solar wind.
For the past two years or so, Voyager 1 has detected phenomena
unlike any encountered before in all its years of exploration.
These observations and what they may infer about the approach to
the termination shock have been the subject of on-going scientific
debates. While some of the scientist believed that the passage past
the termination shock had already begun, some of the phenomena
observed were not what would have been expected. So the debate
continues while even more data are being returned and analyzed.
However, it is certain that the spacecraft are in a new regime of
space. The observed plasma wave oscillations and increased
energetic particle activity may only be the long-awaited precursor
to the termination shock.
If we have indeed encountered the termination shock, Voyager 1
would be the first spacecraft to enter the solar system's final
frontier, a vast expanse where wind from the Sun blows hot against
thin gas between the stars: interstellar space.
More about the interstellar mission at
http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/interstellar.html
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2. “SPACE SCIENCE PROBLEM OF THE WEEK” NO PROBLEM
FOR TEACHERS AND HOME-SCHOOLERS
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When we discuss space science with teachers and students, we
often portray the qualitative, conceptual aspects of doing the
scientific research, but not so often the mathematical aspects of
exploring space science topics. Since 1997, the IMAGE mission has
specialized in designing math-science-reading activities for
students in grades 8-10. Working with math and science teachers, we
have created a number of
reading activities that explore many aspects of space weather,
from simple magnetism to the radiation hazard of interplanetary
space flight. These activities can be found at
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/activities.html
In 2004, we created a new resource called the “Space Science
Problem of the Week,” which is now distributed to over 500
teachers through various listserves. We are also in the process
of expanding into the homeschooling net
members of www.homeschooling.com's listserve.
Each problem is crafted to examine a particular topic in Sun-
Earth Connection science and use a variety of means to engage
the student. There are reading activities, art 'challenges,’ and
a variety of math activities and puzzles that generally aim at
the pre-algebra and Algebra I level. The problems are distributed
via email, and simultaneously added to our archive at
http://image.gsfc.nasa.gov/poetry/weekly/weekly.html. Teachers
enjoy these problems because they are advertised as strictly
'Extra Credit' problems, and not meant to be intrusive to their
existing lessons. We don't want to derail a teacher's existing
lesson plans. All we want to do is to give that Little Einstein in
the back of the room something to do! After school science and
astronomy clubs also find them fun 'warm ups,' too. In the near
future, we will be 'packaging' these problems into an annual
roblem book in which the problems are more coherently organized,
although many teachers are already creating their own books from
these problems.
We plan to continue creating these problems on a weekly basis
through the school year, and until we run out of new ideas. If
you want to be added to the distribution list, or know of teachers
who might be interested, just email your name and address to
Dr.
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3. SPRING AGU 2005 SPECIAL EDUCATION SESSION
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Abstract deadlines: Feb. 3 (postal mail), Feb. 10 (web)
SH02 Bringing the Sun to Earth: Solar and Sun-Earth Science
Education and Public
We have made substantial advances in the last decade in our
understanding of solar physics and of how the Sun affects the
Earth and humanity. Solar science, with its associated data and
images, has great potential to capture the interest of students,
teachers, and the public.
New discoveries have inspired innovative educational efforts
concerning the Sun and Sun-Earth Science. These programs can
be used to further broaden educational goals, to enhance
curriculum, improve teacher development and support educational
standards in the content areas of science, mathematics, and
technology education.
The goal of this session is to showcase and share Education and
Public
Heliosphere, and Sun-Earth system. This session will provide an
opportunity for educators and outreach specialists to share how
they are using Sun-Earth science to engage students and the public
at large. We invite the education specialists, scientists, K-14
educators, and science center and planetaria educators involved
in Sun-Earth Science Education to
net
this session.
Conveners: Terry
-- ncraig@ssl.berkeley.edu
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Newsletter Sponsor
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©UC Regents 2004
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How to Contact Us
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The Sun-Earth CONNECTION Education and Public
newsletter is issued approximately every 6-8 weeks. Back issues
can be found at
http://sunearth.ssl.berkeley.edu/SECNews/
The Newsletter is sponsored by the Sun-Earth Connection
Education Forum (
Connection Education Forum Web Site:
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov and
http://sunearth.ssl.berkeley.edu
Please direct all submissions to the newsletter to:
Phone: (510) 642-2343 Fax: (510) 643-5660
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