July 2011

A monthly broadcast including upcoming educational programs, events, opportunities, and the latest resources from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

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Year of the Solar System – Resources for Asteroids: Leftovers from Planet Building

The July topic for YSS is Asteroids: Leftovers from Planet Building. Asteroids are bits of building material remaining from the formation of our solary system. During the solar system’s formation, bits of dust and rock bumped into each other, sometimes sticking together (accreting) and sometimes scattering. But even after the planets formed, there remained residual materials – asteroids. For resources relating to this month’s topic, visit: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss/display.cfm?Year=2011&Month=7&Tab=Educational%20Resources.

COSEE-OS North Atlantic Bloom Webinar Series (July 7-Aug. 4)

(Every Thursday, July 7-Aug. 4; 7 p.m. ET)

Beginning on July 7th, your are invited to participate in weekly webinars featuring the research of scientists from the North Atlantic Bloom (NAB) Experiment and focusing on key concepts in physical, biological and ocean sciences. The five part weekly series will consist of linked presentations from NAB scientists, and will tell the story of the North Atlantic spring phytoplankton bloom and its role in the ocean ecosystem. It will describe the multi-faceted nature of this complex experiment and will provide participants with a rich body of educational resources, including linked concept maps aligned to National Science Education Standards, and access to datasets that can be translated into classroom activities. Registration is required, and registering will provide access to all five webinars in the series: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/nabwebinars. For more information on each webinar in the series, visit http://cosee.umaine.edu/programs/webinars/nab/.

Astronomy Night on the National Mall (July 8)

(July 8, 6-11 p.m. ET; National Mall, Washington, D.C.)

Join us for a guided tour of the Sun, Moon and stars at the second annual Astronomy Night on the National Mall. This astronomical extravaganza will feature exhibits, hands-on activities, telescopic viewing, multimedia presentations, and a chance to mingle with real astronomers. This free public stargazing is being organized by Dr. Donald Lubowich of Hofstra University. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will participate by having the Observatory (with a 16″ telescope) and the terrace surrounding the Observatory open during the program for volunteers to set up telescopes for public viewing. Local volunteers from various astronomy clubs will set up telescopes on the Mall between 4th and 7th streets.  Representatives from some of the nation’s foremost astronomical institutions will be on hand to present exciting demonstrations and activities, to answer questions about careers in science, celestial objects and events, and to share the latest astronomical discoveries. For more information, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Colleges/HCLAS/PHYSIC/physic_underthestars.html.

Desert Research and Technology Studies Education Webinar (July 13)

(July 13; 2 p.m. ET)

Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) education engages classrooms in real-time exploration science and engineering during field tests through activities where students create geologic maps from satellite images, select sites for scientific exploration to meet mission objectives, and plan traverses using images, topographic maps, and rover capabilities. Join the webinar workshop for background and instruction on activities. This webinar will prepare teachers to use resource materials during the Desert RATS 2011 mission in September. Registration is required. For more information and to register, visit http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/drats/index.cfm.

Meteor Crater Field Camp Opportunity for Graduate Students (Apply by July 15)

(Applications Due July 15; Sept. 25-Oct. 1; Barringer Meteorite Crater, Ariz.)

Organized under the NASA Lunar Science Institute, The Field Training and Research Program at Meteor Crater is a week-long geology field class and research project based at Barringer Meteorite Crater, Ariz. The field camp will be led by Dr. David A. Kring, Senior Staff Scientist for the Lunar Exploration Initiative. The goal will be to introduce students to impact cratering processes and provide an opportunity to assist with a research project at the crater. Skills developed during the field camp should better prepare the students for their own thesis studies in impact cratered terrains, whether they be on Earth, the Moon, Mars, or some other solar system planetary surface.

The field camp is designed for graduate students in geology and planetary science programs, although advanced undergraduate students will be considered if they have successfully completed a summer field geology program and have a demonstrated interest in impact cratering processes. Interested candidates should apply by July 15. For more information, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/nlsi/mcFieldCamp/?view=program.

Astronomical Society of the Pacific Annual Conference (July 30-Aug. 3)

(July 30-Aug. 3; Baltimore, Md.)

The theme for the upcoming ASP Annual Conference is “Connecting People to Science.” NASA’s Chief Scientist, Waleed Abdalati, has recently been added to the schedule. He will discuss how space-based perspectives can give us a new understanding of planet Earth. Other featured sessions will include best selling author Chris Mooney giving the keynote address on “Unscientific America: What’s the Problem? What’s the Solution?” and America’s favorite public astronomer, Neil DeGrasse Tyson, discussing his experiences with social media and the “Twitterverse” as an avenue to public access. Randi Korn, one of the most creative of science education program evaluators, will discuss how best to plan and evaluate your projects. For more information and to register, visit http://www.astrosociety.org/events/meeting.html.

Hands-On Programs for Classroom Teachers as Part of ASP Meeting (July 30-Aug. 3)

As part of the national ASP Meeting, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, in partnership with the American Geophysical Union and the Space Telescope Science Institute, is pleased to present a weekend workshop and six fascinating three-hour short courses for teachers in grades K-12 in Baltimore, Md. Presenters will include NASA mission education specialists and scientists, and most of the sessions include kits of materials and classroom-ready activity handouts. The sessions available for teachers are:

• In the Footsteps of Galileo: A Hands-On Workshop on Astronomy for Teachers in Grades 3-12 (July 30-31)
• Active Astronomy: Classroom Activities for Learning About the Electromagnetic Spectrum – Grades 6-12 (Aug. 1)
• Eye on the Sky: Exploring the Sun with Activities for the Elementary Classroom – Grades K-5 (Aug. 2)
• Light and Color in the Night Sky, in the City and in the Classroom – Grades K-8 (Aug. 2)
• Evidence-based Science: Climate in the Classroom – Grades 6-12 (Aug. 3)
• Global AND Local: Activity-based Explorations Connecting Global Climate Change to Change in Students Own Communities – Grades 6-12 (Aug. 3)

These sessions are open to all teachers; participants do no have to register for the full conference. Some scholarship support is available to help with registration fees and travel expenses. For more information, visit http://www.astrosociety.org/events/meeting.html.

Weather and Climate Education Workshop at AAAS Project 2061 (Aug. 9-11)

(Aug. 9-11, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; AAAS Headquarters, Washington, D.C.)

You are invited to submit an application to attend a free, three-day professional development workshop supported by a grant from NASA’s Global Climate Change Education program and organized by AAAS Project 2061. Workshop participants will explore new resources being developed by Project 2061 to support teaching and learning about weather and climate through the use of NASA data and visualizations. The workshop will also give participants a behind-the-scenes look at Project 2061′s resource development process, plus guidance and practice in applying that process to their own work. Although the workshop is free, participants are responsible for their own travel expenses. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided each day. To apply, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/98GZKG2. Space for this workshop is limited, and participants selected to attend will be notified by July 15.

MS PHD’s Professional Development Program for Graduate Students (Apply by Aug. 31)

(Applications due Aug. 31)

The application process is beginning for the Cohort VIII (2011-2013) of the Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD) Professional Development Program. This program provides professional development experiences that facilitate the advancement of minorities committed to achieving outstanding Earth system science related careers. Activities include oral and written presentation skill development; mentee/mentor partnerships with scientists; and networking experiences with professionals within academia, industry, federal government and professional organizations. Those selected to participate in the program will also engage in two professional society meetings and a capstone event touring federal agencies in Washington, D.C. To learn more and apply, visit http://www.msphds.org.

2012 NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (Apply by Sept. 23)

(Applications due by September 23)

NITARP, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program, gets teachers involved in authentic astronomical research. The program partners small groups of educators with a mentor professional astronomer for an original research project using real astronomical data. Each team then writes up the results of their research, and presents both the research and the educational results of their experiences in the program at an American Astronomical Society meeting.

The program runs from January to January. Most (but not all) of the participating educators teach grades 8-13, and informal educators have participated as well. Participants should have a basic understanding of astronomy, and should be interested in learning how astronomy research is conducted. To apply for the program, visit http://nitarp.ipac.caltech.edu/.

Summer Solar Science Middle School Teachers Institute – 2012 Participants

(2012; New Haven, Conn.)

This institute is about the sun, the moon and light, and how we perceive them. Open to all middle school teachers, it is particularly targeted to the 5th grade curriculum standards and is focused on light, the positions of the Earth and moon relative to the Sun, and how advances in technology allow us to acquire new information about the world. Teachers will learn how to use NASA data in their classrooms, gain practical experience with telescopes, and preview cool planetarium shows about the Sun and sunlight. The Institute is jointly organized by the Yale Peabody Museum and Yale Leitner Family Observatory and Planetarium. Teachers will be eligible for free field trips to both venues with their classes as well as ongoing academic support from Museum and Planetarium staff. Requests to participate in the 2012 program are now being accepted; please email heid.herrick@yale.com to be put on the list. For more information, visit http://archive.peabody.yale.edu/education/fellows_nasa.html.

ScienceCasts – New Online Video Series from NASA

(Thursdays at 4 p.m. ET)

NASA’s new video series offers the public a fast and fun way to learn about scientific discoveries and facts about Earth, the solar system and beyond. Called ScienceCasts, the videos are created by astrophysicists and a team of agency narrators and videographers. The videos are posted online every Thursday afternoon at approximately 4 p.m. ET. Future episodes will focus on citizen science research; the search for new galaxies; how to watch this summer’s Perseid meteor shower; and the causes of recent wild weather events in the United States.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/sciencecasts/

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. New Horizons is currently en route to make the first flyby of the Pluto system, and is then capable of making additional explorations of bodies still farther out in the Sun’s Kuiper Belt. 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. Along the way, they will also discover variable stars and asteroids. For more information, visit http://www.icehunters.org/ or visit the project blog at http://blogs.zooniverse.org/icehunters/2011/06/15/hello-world/.

Music and Astronomy Under the Stars (July 8-Oct. 28)

Join us at this event which brings astronomy to the public, with free star-gazing at music concerts and festivals. Dr. Donald Lubowich, Coordinator of the Astronomy Outreach Program at Hofstra University, will give concert goers a glimpse of the heavens. This NASA-sponsored program will include optical and radio telescope observations of the Sun prior to the concerts, and the Moon, planets, multi-colored double stars, star clusters, and nebulae at intermission and after the concerts – combined with videos, posters, hands-on activities, and the sounds of the Sun. The next events will take place on July 8, 12, 16, & 23. For a full schedule, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/Colleges/HCLAS/PHYSIC/physic_underthestars.html.

Mountains of Sun, Making the Sun-Earth Connection for K-8 Educators – Workshop (July 8-9)

(July 8-9; Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Thousand Oaks, Calif.)

Join a unique professional development opportunity for teachers – a two-day workshop that will take a look at the latest NASA solar science and explore how local plants and animals have adapted to living in proximity to our closest star. A talk on archaeoastronomy – learning how Native cultures view the Sun – is also part of the workshop. Participants will engage in hands-on science activities, visit the Park to see adaptations first-hand, visit schoolyard garden habitats as well as have a chance to visit a wildlife care center to see sun-loving reptiles and other animals. There will be takeaway materials that are ready for use in the classroom. CPE (1 credit) optional. To learn more and register, visit http://www.nps.gov/samo/forteachers/workshops.htm.

Sky Rangers Outdoor Astronomy Interpretation Workshop (Apply by July 10)

(Apply by July 10; Sept. 25-29; Acadia National Park, Maine)

This four-day workshop at Acadia National Park will cover hands-on astronomy activities for outdoor settings, sky navigation, and telescope operation. Participants will receive ten hours of hands-on telescope experience (weather permitting), learn about the science behind the various astronomical objects viewed through the telescopes, hear from experienced rangers on hot to organize astronomy events and interpret the sky for park visitors, and develop their own observing lists and constellation tours. The workshop is for beginners in astronomy, but will also appeal to those with more experience. There is no fee, participants will receive a toolkit of materials for outdoor astronomy activities, and some meals will be provided. Participants are responsible for their own travel to the workshop. For more information, visit http://www.afguonline.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=1857.

NASA’s Multi-Wavelength Universe Online Professional Development Course for Middle and High School Teachers (July 11-22)

Middle and High-School teachers (both pre- and in-service) are invited to register for an online professional development course sponsored by several different NASA missions exploring our Universe across the Electromagnetic Spectrum. The course is offered for academic or continuing education credit through Sonoma State University. At the conclusion of the course, participants will be able to use astronomical examples (images, phenomena, telescopes) to describe the nature of light and color in terms of the regions of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. They will also be able to explain why NASA uses a variety of telescopes and space-based instruments to make observations of the Universe, to identify NASA resources for the classroom, and to understand how NASA resources can be used to address common student misconceptions about the nature of light and color. For more information and to register, visit http://epo.sonoma.edu/multiu.php.

ESIP Workshop for Earth Science Teachers – Grades 6-12 (July 12-13)

(July 12-13; Santa Fe, N.M.)

The Federation of Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) teacher workshop is a 1.5 day event with an overall theme of Earth Science Education with an integral strand dedicated to Climate Change Education. Participating educators will learn about climate change science, climate resources, and ways to effectively communicate climate change topics. Educators will also be able to choose from several breakout sessions demonstrating ways that Earth science tools and data can be used in science classrooms. Workshop sessions will be led by ESIP members from NOAA, NASA, NOAA Cooperative Institutes, EPA, DOE, and several Universities from around the country. Educators are eligible to receive a $200 time and travel stipend. For more information visit http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/teacherworkshop/esip/.

Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshop – Middle and High School Educators (July 16-17)

(July 16-17; Hilo, Hawaii)

This workshop seeks to help participants become familiar with research-validated instructional strategies and assessment materials appropriate for their introductory Earth and space science courses. Really good implementation of teaching strategies is a skill unto itself and requires practice. In this participation-based workshop, presenters will first model the use of instructional strategies and illustrate how they can be used to create an active and intellectually engaging learning environment. Then it is the participants’ turn to take on the role of instructor, practicing their implementation of these instructional strategies. Workshop participants will also play the role of “critical colleague,” pointing out to their “instructors” in real time when they have strayed from best practices. Optional field trips to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and Mauna Kea Observatories will be offered. College credit through the University of Hawaii is available. For more information, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshopdetails/index.cfm?workshopID=80.

GLOBE 15th Annual Partner Meeting (July 17-22)

(July 17-22; Double Tree Hotel, Bethesda, Md.)

The GLOBE Program Office at UCAR/UCP invites scientists and educators to participate in the 15th GLOBE Annual Partner Meeting. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Expanding International Perspectives About Climate.” Participants will learn about the latest scientific research activities and other developments in the GLOBE Program, interact with GLOBE’s worldwide network of community members and scientists using GLOBE data in their research, and talk to top educators on effective methods of enhancing the GLOBE educational experience. For more details or to register, visit http://globe.gov/events/2011-annual-meeting.

Dawn Mission’s Vesta Fiesta (Aug. 5-7)

After nearly four years and 1.6 billion miles, Dawn is catching up to the object of it’s first destination in the main asteroid belt: Vesta. Soon we will explore this exciting new world up close. It’s Vesta Fiesta time! Taking advantage of three nights where Vesta is near full and visible for night sky viewing with a telescope, Dawn is inspiring fiestas across the nation. Learn about the Vesta flagship fiesta in Pasadena, Calif., Aug. 6th, featuring fun activities, engaging scientists and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Find out where other Vesta Fiesta are being held on our interactive map and join a party near you, or host your own Vesta Fiesta. For more information, visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/vesta_fiesta.asp.

NESTA Survey on Earth and Space Science Education Needs for K-12

In order to better serve Earth and space science teachers, the National Earth Science Teachers Association has prepared an anonymous survey to gather information about your Earth and space science education needs and concerns, your satisfaction with NESTA services (if you are a member), and your ideas about how NESTA can serve you better. Please take a moment to complete this survey at your earliest convenience. You may receive notice about the survey from a variety of sources, but please be sure to complete the survey only once: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NK7ZDGX.

Lifelines for High School Climate Change Education

Lifelines for High School Climate Change Education is a project to establish professional learning communities (PLCs) of high school teachers aimed at implementing effective teaching of climate change in existing courses. PLCs are identifying the best resources to use, comparing course outlines, and are hearing/seeing webinars by climate scientists, both live and as archived presentations. PLCs are having real-time telemeetings, as well as asynchronous communication through shared websites, wikis, and other techniques to achieve the most effective ways to communicate without petroleum-fueled travel. If you are interested in joining a Lifeline PLC, or forming a PLC (becoming a PLC Leader) please visit: http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/gss/lifelines/.

Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Ambassador in the Classroom

Let NASA take over your classroom for the day! Teachers in the DC Metro area and southern Pennsylvania are eligible for a visit from an SDO educator or scientist. Your students will learn about solar clocks, Earth’s place in the solar system, electricity and magnetism, the electromagnetic spectrum, and the Doppler effect. Visits are free, include all supplies for the activity, and can be customized for each teacher. Register at http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/educators/ambassador.php.

A Day At Goddard: Opportunity for DC Metro Teachers – Grades 8-12

Teachers in the DC Metro area are invited to bring their students to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for a day spent learning what it is like to work for NASA. Field trips include a meet-and-greet at the visitor’s center featuring a scientist and engineer, a demonstration of the Science on a Sphere program, a tour of the satellite testing facility and an inquiry based science lab activity. Programs are highly customizable, teacher-friendly and designed for grades 8-12. Contact Aleya Van Doren (aleya.vandoren@nasa.gov) with your desired date and class information to reserve your spot. Slots fill up quickly so register today!

Positions with North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is now hiring for their new 80,000 sq ft wing, the Nature Research Center. In addition to the five positions listed below, they will be posting an additional 42 positions throughout the coming year. The Space Observation and Earth Observation Lab Directors will have direct tie-ins to NASA.

The following new positions for the Nature Research Center have been posted on the OSP’s job vacancy website. You can review the postings at this link: http://bit.ly/lPelHp

• Space Observation Laboratory Director (Position 65012979) – closes 7/07/11
• Paleontology/Geosciences Laboratory Director (Position 65012980) – closes 7/28/11
• Earth Observation and Biodiversity Laboratory Director (Position 65012982) – closes 7/07/11
• Director of Science and Communications (Position 65013244) – closes 7/28/11

STOP for Science! – A School-Wide Science Enrichment Program

“STOP for Science” is a simple and extensible building-wide science enrichment program aimed at raising questions about science topics chosen to capture student interest. Created through the combined efforts of an astropysicist and an elementary school principal, “STOP for Science” combines displays of science topics accompanies by level-selected questions and extensive teacher resources to provide broad exposure to familiar yet intriguing science themes.  This new product series is now available for educators at http://chandra.harvard.edu/edu/stop/.

Workshops on “STOP for Science” will also be held at the ASP meeting in Baltimore, Md. (July 30-Aug. 3) and all three regional NSTA meetings this fall.

NASA Mission Suggests Sun and Planets Constructed Differently (June 23)

(June 23) Analysis of samples returned by NASA’s Genesis mission indicates our sun and its inner planets may have formed differently than scientists previously thought.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-199_Genesis.html

NASA Probe Nears Position for Year-Long Stay at Giant Asteroid (June 23)

(June 23) NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is on track to begin the first extended visit to a large asteroid. The mission expects to go into orbit around Vesta on July 16 and begin gathering science data in early August. Vesta resides in the main asteroid belt and is thought to be the source of a large number of meteorites that fall to earth.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-197_Dawn_Nears_Vesta.html

NASA Flights Seek to Improve View of Air Pollution From Space (June 23)

(June 23) Two NASA research airplanes will fly over the Baltimore-Washington region and northeast Maryland this summer as part of a mission to enhance the capability of satellites to measure ground-level air quality from space.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-200_Discovery-AQ.html

NASA Cassini Spacecraft Captures Ocean-Like Spray at Saturn Moon (June 22)

(June 22) NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has discovered the best evidence yet for a large-scale saltwater reservoir beneath the icy crust of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The data came from the spacecraft’s direct analysis of salt-rich ice grains close to the jets ejected from the moon.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/whycassini/cassini20110622.html

Getting Ready for the Next Big Solar Storm (June 21)

(June 21) In Sept. 1859, on the eve of a below-average solar cycle, the sun unleashed one of the most powerful storms in centuries. The blast peppered Earth with the most energetic protons in half-a-millennium, induced electrical currents that set telegraph offices on fire, and sparked Northern Lights over Cuba and Hawaii. Officials have gathered to ask a simple question: What if it happens again?
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/22jun_swef2011/

NASA Details Achievements of Lunar Spacecraft (June 21)

(June 21) NASA has declared full mission success for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). LRO changed our view of the entire moon and brought it into sharper focus with unprecedented detail.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-192_LRO_Success.html

NASA Sets Sail on Second Leg of Arctic Ocean Research Voyage (June 21)

(June 21) Scientists embark this week from Alaska on the second and final campaign of a NASA field campaign to study how changing conditions in the Arctic affect the ocean’s chemistry and ecosystems.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-195_Arctic_Voyage.html

NASA Spacecraft Confirms Theories, Sees Surprises at Mercury (June 16)

(June 16) NASA scientists are making new discoveries about the planet Mercury. Data from MESSENGER, the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury, is giving scientists important clues to the origin of the planet and its geological history, and helping them better understand its dynamic interior and exterior processes.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-186_MESSENGER_Update.html

NASA’s Chandra Finds Massive Black Holes Common in Early Universe (June 15)

(June 15) Using the deepest X-ray image ever taken, astronomers found the first direct evidence that massive black holes were common in the early universe. This discovery from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shows that very young black holes grew more aggressively than previously thought, in tandem with the growth of their host galaxies.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/news/H-11-183.html

New Insights on How Solar Minimums Affect Earth (June 14)

(June 14) sine 1611, humans have recorded the comings and goings of black spots on the sun. The number of these sunspots wax and wane over approximately an 11-year cycle – more sunspots generally mean more activity and eruptions on the sun and vice versa. The number of sunspots can change from cycle to cycle, and 2008 saw the longest and weakest solar minimum since scientists have been monitoring the sun with space-based instruments.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/solar-minima.html

NASA Spacecraft Captures Video of Asteroid Approach (June 13)

(June 13) Scientists working with NASA’s Dawn spacecraft have created a new video showing the giant asteroid Vesta as the spacecraft approaches this unexplored world in the main asteroid belt.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-182_Dawn_Video.html

NASA’s “Age of Aquarius” Dawns With Launch From California (June 10)

(June 10) NASA’s ‘Age of Aquarius’ dawned Friday with the launch of an international satellite carrying the agency-built Aquarius instrument that will measure the saltiness of Earth’s oceans to advance our understanding of the global water cycle and improve climate forecasts.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-181_Aquarius.html

NASA Probes Suggest Magnetic Bubbless Reside at Solar System Edge (June 9)

(June 9) Observations from NASA’s Voyager spacecraft, humanity’s farthest deep space sentinels, suggest the edge of our solar system may not be smooth, but filled with a turbulent sea of magnetic bubbles.
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2011/jun/HQ_11-174_Voyager_Update.html

NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory Catches “Surfer” Waves on the Sun (June 7)

(June 7) Scientists have spotted the iconic surfer’s wave rolling through the atmosphere of the sun. This makes for more than just a nice photo-op: the waves hold clues as to how energy moves through that atmosphere, known as the corona.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/sun-surfing.html

Jupiter’s Youthful Travels Redifined Solar System (June 6)

(June 6) Over the eons, the giant planet roamed toward the center of the solar system and back out again, at one point moving in about as close as Mars is now. The planet’s travels profoundly influenced the solar system, changing the nature of the asteroid belt and making Mars smaller than it should have been.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/young-jupiter.html

A Salute to Spirit (June 3)

(June 3) NASA hasn’t heard from Spirit in more than a year, and on May 25th, 2011, the agency sent a final transmission in its series of attempts to regain contact.
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/03jun_spirit/

Acknowledgements

NASA Science Mission Directorate: Jim Lochner, Stephanie Stockman and Ming-Ying Wei

Editor: Theresa Schwerin, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES).

Writer: Morgan Woroner, IGES.

Contributions From: Jaclyn Allen, NASA JSC/ESGC; Kim Arcand, Chandra X-Ray Center; Lora Bleacher, NASA GSFC; Carla Companion, COSEE-OS; Heather Dalton, LPI; Pamela Gaye, SIUE; Donald Lubowich, Hofstra University; Jane Pickering, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History; Shannon Roach, University of Arizona; and Gordon Squires, NASA/IPAC.

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