Sat, Apr 05, 2008
5th-12th Grade Students Invited To Apply
If you're a student who's ever wondered what it's like to be a
NASA scientist, look no further. NASA is giving 5th to 12th grade
students the opportunity to study Saturn and make decisions, just
as scientists on the Cassini-Huygens mission do on a daily
basis.
"It's a really fun way for kids to learn about Saturn and what
the mission is doing," said Rachel Zimmerman-Brachman, an education
and public outreach specialist with NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. "Students have to do their own research
to write their essay. That way, they learn how to ask questions
about the solar system and what we still need to understand."
The Cassini spacecraft, launched just over a decade ago, has
been sending back never-before-seen views of Saturn, its rings and
its moons for nearly four years. Part of the Cassini team's job is
to pick which image targets will yield the best science
results.
Cassini's cameras will take images of three designated targets
on June 10. The choices include Saturn's moons Rhea and Enceladus,
and a region of Saturn's rings that includes the tiny moon Pan.
Students must write a 500-word essay on why the image they chose
would be the most scientifically rich for Cassini's cameras to
take. Essays will be judged by a panel of Cassini scientists,
mission planners, and by the JPL education and outreach team.
Winners will be invited to discuss their essays with JPL Cassini
scientists via teleconference.
Entries are divided into three groups: grades five through six,
seven through eight, and high school. One winner will be chosen
from each group. The deadline for entries is May 8, 2008, at noon
Pacific time (3:00 pm Eastern time). All participants with valid
entries will receive a certificate of participation.
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