NASA Goddard Space Flight Center-WETA All Access

On Thursday, February 28, 2008, at 8:00 pm WETA TV 26 will broadcast "NASA Goddard Space Flight Center-WETA All Access". This 30 minute feature covers the Center's major achievements in space flight, the ins and outs of a space mission, earthbound work, and the extensive and impressive team behind it all. This is a Washington DC station. Please http://www.weta.org for video of this program.



WETA announcement available at: http://www.weta.org/pressroom/allaccess/

On the Road for LRO: Earthquake!

Hi all! I just wanted to let you know that I'm here in Salt Lake City for the International Technology Education Association (ITEA) Conference, and as I was sitting here this morning, I felt the 6.3 Magnitude earthquake that was centered near Wells, NV.

I have never been in an earthquake before, so imagine my surprise as I was sitting here doing some work, and felt the bed begin to shake! I looked up from the computer and could see the contrast of the white comforter cover moving against the dark wood furniture. The first thing I did was IM my fiance and tell him the bed was shaking. I got up to look out the window to see if anything was moving outside, but I couldn't detect any movement. I sat back down on the bed, and lo and behold, it was still shaking.

I can tell you that the timing of this thing couldn't have been more fortuitous for me. I have been to California many times before, and was never lucky enough to feel an earthquake. And since I arrived last night, I am still on East Coast time, so I was awake and aware this morning when the ground began to shake. And, this is the most intense earthquake the area has felt in quite awhile.

The news is currently reporting damage from Wells, and so far, there are no reports of injuries.

Well, that's all. I just wanted to give you a firsthand account of an earthquake, coming to you from Salt Lake City!

View Tonight's Total Lunar Eclipse - The Last One Until 2010!

Tonight, February 20, 2008, will be your last opportunity to view a total lunar eclipse until December 2010. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth lines up directly between the Sun and Moon such that the Earth's shadow completely covers the Moon's surface. Tonight's eclipse will last for about 3.5 hours, 50 minutes of which the Moon will be in totality. During the eclipse the Moon will change color from gray to red. This is due to the glow cast on the Moon from indirect sunlight passing through Earth's atmosphere. The Moon's color during an eclipse varies based on the amounts of dust and clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. The more dust in the Earth's atmosphere, the more red the Moon will appear. The United States will be able to view the majority of the eclipse. Click on the above map above to determine your best viewing times.

To learn more about tonight's eclipse, see the NASA Eclipse Home Page and this NASA feature story. To learn more about eclipse terminology, see the Educator's Guide to Eclipses. Click here for a classroom activity on creating two scale models of the Earth-Moon system that can be used to demonstrate lunar phases and eclipses. Click here for an eclipse viewing activity for students.

Happy viewing!!!

The Other Side of the Moon: Synchronous Rotation lesson

Have you ever wondered why we only see one side of the Moon? Well, the reason why we never get a shot of the far side of the moon is because the Moon is in what we call a "synchronous rotation" with the Earth. That is, it takes the Moon the same amount of time to rotate on its axis (or one lunar day) as it does to make one orbit around the Earth. The lesson highlighted in this entry was written by the Cassini team to explain how moons move in synchronous orbits.

Grades 5-8
Time required: 1 hour

Materials
Desk chair that rotates
Rubber, styrofoam, or tennis ball
Pencil or long dowel
Marking pen
Desk lamp or overhead projector
Optional: strong adhesive tape

Procedure:

Stick the pencil or dowel (for use as a handle) through the ball along a diameter; this simulates the Moon. With the marking pen, write a large letter or number every 90 degrees around the circumference of the ball. The handle will either be held at arm’s length by a student sitting in the chair or it can be taped to the armrest of the chair. Place the chair (Earth) a few feet away from the desk lamp or over- head projector (the Sun). The students can stay in their seats for this demonstration or they can gather in a circle around the Sun–Earth–Moon system. Ask the students if the Moon rotates. Most will say no, since they have seen the same face of the Moon whenever they have looked up in the sky at it. Choose a student to sit in the chair and watch the ball-Moon with numbers/letters on its quadrants. Slowly turn the student in the chair and ask that student if the view of the Moon is changing. The answer will be no; the hemisphere the student observes is always the same. In contrast, the other students will see the different quadrants appear as the chair makes one full rotation. This proves that the Moon rotates, even though it presents the same face to Earth (the student in the chair).


For the full lesson, please see lesson "What is Synchronous Rotation?" on the Saturn Educator web page.