National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Goddard Space Flight Center
Sun-Earth Day 2009: Our Sun Yours to Discover
Join NASA in celebrating Sun-Earth Day on March 20, 2009.
Brought to you by the Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum
Sun-Earth Day is comprised of a series of programs and events that occur throughout the year culminating with a celebration on or near the Spring Equinox. For Sun-Earth Day 2009, NASA will engage a worldwide audience in the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy, with an emphasis on daytime astronomy. Tremendous strides have been made as satellites and ground-based observatories attentively monitor the sun to understand the processes that govern the sun's influence on the solar system. NASA will offer a series of coordinated events to promote and highlight the sun and its connection to Earth and other planets. The events will support the spirit of international collaboration.
Over the past eight years, the NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum has sponsored and coordinated education and public outreach events to highlight NASA Sun-Earth Connection research and discoveries. The Forum's strategy involves using celestial events, such as total solar eclipses and the Transit of Venus, as well as Sun-Earth Day during the March equinox, to engage K-12 schools and the public in space science activities, demonstrations, and interactions with space scientists.
On March 20, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. EST, join a panel of scientists for a live Sun-Earth Day Webcast. During the webcast, scientists Eric Christian, Nicky Fox, Terry Kucera and Sten Odenwald will share discoveries about the sun, while students monitor the sun and prepare their own space weather forecast. New and exciting images and visualizations will be shared during the program.
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Explanation of this year's theme?
For Sun-Earth Day 2009, we will engage a worldwide audience in the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy (IYA), especially in daytime astronomy. Tremendous strides have been made as satellites and ground-based observatories attentively monitor the Sun to understand the processes that govern the Sun's influence on our solar system. Using the popular Sun-Earth Day framework we will offer a series of coordinated events to promote and highlight the Sun, its connection to Earth and other planets, and support the spirit of international collaboration. See key concepts on the Sun-Earth Day flier.
Sun-Earth Day Strategy:
Over the past eight years, NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum has sponsored and coordinated education and public outreach events to highlight NASA Sun-Earth Connection research and discoveries. Our strategy involves using celestial events, such as total solar eclipses and the Transit of Venus, as well as Sun-Earth Day during the March Equinox, to engage K-12 schools and the general public in space science activities, demonstrations, and interactions with space scientists.
Sun-Earth Day Resources:
In collaboration with partners that include science centers and museums around the world, the Exploratorium, NASA Connect, Sun-Earth Connection missions, and others, we produce webcasts, other multi-media, and print resources for use by school and informal educators nation-wide and internationally. We provide training and professional development to K-12 educators, museum personnel, amateur astronomers, Girl Scout leaders, etc., so they can implement their own outreach programs taking advantage of our resources. A coordinated approach promotes multiple programs occurring each year under a common theme.
NASA Fact
Some sunspots are cool enough that water vapor can form at a temperature of 1,550 °C.