Stars and STEM Stories
World Events in Astronomy and Space Science Invite GLOBE Student Participation
Mark your calendars for World Space Week, 4-10 October 2008, which occurs every year on these same days in the month of October to commemorate two significant events in space history. On 4 October 1957, the first satellite, Sputnik 1, went into orbit, introducing a new era in space exploration. Ten years later, on 10 October 1967, the United Nations adopted the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. Every year, World Space Week attempts to support space exploration worldwide through various programs and activities focusing on a central theme. This year's theme is " Exploring the Universe" and encourages participants to reflect upon Space as the next frontier. The World Space Week Association, in partnership with the United Nations, maintains the global coordination of this event. Participants include schools, astronomy clubs, model rocket clubs, museums, libraries, government organizations and aerospace corporations.
International Year of Astronomy (IYA) will soon take the place of International Polar Year (IPY) as the large-scale international event garnering worldwide international participation. The GLOBE Web site contains many references to International Polar Year (IYP), which began in March 2007 and was celebrated for two years, rather than one, in order to be able to have full and equal coverage of both the Arctic and the Antarctic polar regions. International Polar Year has been a huge, exciting scientific campaign providing an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate, follow, and get involved with, cutting edge science.
In 2009, the International Year of Astronomy, initiated by the International Astronomical Union and UNESCO, will help the citizens of the world appreciate the impact of astronomy on our daily lives. Already, at this early stage, more than 125 countries have committed to taking part in the worldwide campaign, with many more to join as the campaign gets underway. In collaboration with NASA's Lunar Science Institute and more than a dozen strategic cooperating agencies, including the European Space Agency, The International Year of Astronomy (IYA2009) will be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture, highlighted by the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.
GLOBE continues to advance GLOBE at Night, the international stargazing campaign which directs students, families, and the general public how to observe and record the number of stars visible in the night sky. Observers use a set of template images to match their view of the constellation Orion, selecting from a range of visibilities from very bright to very dark skies. From the data collected from the GLOBE at Night campaign, an image of the globe at night can be created, showing light pollution around the world.
To learn more about GLOBE at Night 2009, which will be observed from 16-28 March 2009, visit theGLOBE at Night Web page.
The features on the GLOBE Web site front page inform readers about what is happening in the GLOBE community. GLOBE "Stars" are stories of projects and people that shine, the bright lights that spark our imagination and inspire us with stories of GLOBE at work in the world. Below is a list of some of the GLOBE Stars having to do with GLOBE students studying space, clouds, satellite mission, planetary transits and other activities related to World Space Week and the International Year of Astronomy.
GLOBE at Night 2008 Observed Around the World 12-MAY-2008
GLOBE Students in France and the U.S. Expand Collaborative Activities 21-MAR-2008
GLOBE Students in Uruguay Apply GLOBE Data to Cloud Research 13-DEC-2007
GLOBE New Zealand Looks to Māori Roots 14-SEP-2007
GLOBE at Night Participation Expands Around the World 09-AUG-2007
Uruguay Investigates GLOBE at Night 09-MAY-2007
Oct 3rd 2005 Sun Eclipse Report - Saudi Arabia 04-NOV-2005
Middle School Students Create Their Own Contrail Length Protocol 07-SEP-2005
GLOBE at the World Space Congress 02-APR-2003
GLOBE Argentina Video Conference: Pondering Earth and Space 09-DEC-2002
Views from Space Help Decipher Hometown 26-SEP-2001
GLOBE "Stars" originate in a number of ways, and one of them is through readers like you. If you would like to share information about GLOBE in your community contact the GLOBE Program OfficeTo submit a Star idea.
Study and research of space offers opportunities as vast and infinite as the universe itself. Join GLOBE Students around the world in celebrating World Space Week, from 4—10 October, and the International Year of Astronomy in 2009.
29 September 2008