vania-janet/multiturn-rag-retrieval-data huggingface dataset:
Student Project: 18 Ways NASA Uses Pi | NASA/JPL Edu
With the lighting conditions also flipped 180 degrees, from Cassini's perspective, the spacecraft was able to see Saturn and Titan in a whole new light. › Use pi like a NASA engineer to solve this puzzler!› Learn more about the image

3. Mapping unexplored (and familiar) worlds Just like Earth’s ancient explorers, when spacecraft visit other planets and worlds, they make a map. Even spacecraft that orbit familiar places, like Earth, make maps of processes scientists want to understand, such as how water flows around the globe. Spacecraft make maps by taking images as they orbit – like in the animation above, which shows the Juno spacecraft mapping Jupiter. Their cameras often have rectangular fields of view that capture images in “bands” on the surface of a planet. Scientists use pi in the formula for surface area to figure out how many images it will take to map the entire planet or body.› Use pi like a NASA engineer to solve this puzzler!

4. Landing on Mars Engineers use pi to help estimate the amount of uncertainty in the position where a Mars lander or rover will touch down. Many aspects of landing on Mars are uncertain: winds, air density, the initial speed and position of the spacecraft when approaching Mars from Earth. Even the exact position of Mars itself is not perfectly known. Before a Mars landing, most of these uncertainties can be modeled using mathematical distributions that include pi in the calculations. When simulated together, the result is potentially miles of position uncertainty surrounding the targeted landing spot. Engineers take this uncertainty into consideration and are careful about where they aim! For example, they can aim close, but not too close to a mountain – like they did with the Curiosity Mars rover, which landed near Mount Sharp.› Learn more about the image

5. Exploring new worlds Scientists use pi to search for exoplanets, which are planets that orbit stars other than our own Sun. Powerful ground- and space-based telescopes track how much light is emitted by distant stars. When a planet passes in front of its star, the telescope sees a dip in the amount of light emitted.
Sun | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Sun | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

sun

View in English

La Tierra
El Sol
Sistema Solar
Universo
Tecnología
Educadores

El Sol

 

Manchas solares y fulguraciones

 ¡Aprende sobre lo que hace que nuestro sol sea un lugar muy ocupado! 
explore

¿Qué es una supernova?

 ¡Aprende más sobre estas estrellas en explosión! 
explore

¿Qué es un eclipse solar?

 ¡Aprenda más sobre lo que sucede cuando la luna pasa entre la Tierra y el sol! 
explore

¿Cómo se bloquea completamente el sol en un eclipse?

 Este fenómeno tiene que ver con la distancia entre la Tierra y el Sol y la Tierra y la Luna. 
explore

¡Haz arte con la huella de la mano y la luz ultravioleta!

 No podemos ver la luz ultravioleta del sol con nuestros ojos, pero con esta simple actividad podemos observar los efectos de la luz ultravioleta. 
do

Cómo es nuestro sol con respecto a otras estrellas?

 Es básicamente mediocre. 
explore

¡Haz un pastel aurora!

 ¡Haz tu propia aurora colorida! 
do

Qué es un aurora?

 Qué causa este hermoso espectáculo de luces? 
explore

¿Por qué nos quema el Sol?

 Todo acerca de la energía. 
explore

Cuántos años tiene el sol?

 ¿Es muy viejo? ¿O no tanto? 
explore

Eclipses lunares y solares

 ¿Cuál es la diferencia? 
explore

Papel de sol

 ¡Diversión con el Sol! 
do

¿Dónde se encuentra el espacio interestelar?
Make a Balloon-powered Nanorover! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Make a Balloon-powered Nanorover! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

nanorover

Earth
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Educators

Make a Balloon-powered Nanorover!

Make a Balloon-powered Nanorover!

 Which is the real rover that will explore an asteroid?

 Roving a mini-"planet" calls for a "mini-rover." NASA built a tiny rover just a couple of inches high to explore the surface of an asteroid and take pictures. 

You can build a nanorover too. Try this one, made from three styrofoam meat trays. 

 This project is a little bit hard, so you might want to ask a grown-up or big brother or sister to do it with you.

 What you need:

 Three large styrofoam meat trays (at least 9 x 11 inches)

 Important!
 If the meat trays have been used, be sure to wash them very thoroughly with hot, soapy water first. It's also a good idea to use bleach to kill any remaining bacteria (ask an adult to do this).

Ruler
 Four flexible plastic drinking straws
Three small (10-inch) bamboo skewers (for making shish-ka-bobs)
Seven pea-sized blobs of clay or Play-doh©, or seven small gum drops 
One large wire paper clip
 One small (7-inch) party balloon
 One small rubber band
 Transparent tape (not the removable kind)
 Printed pattern, decals, and wheel treads (all on 2 sheets of paper)

Ball point pen (for tracing around pattern)
Scissors (for cutting paper pattern pieces and styrofoam)
Small knife (for scoring styrofoam on fold lines)
Lots of patience and—maybe—a grown-up (or teen) assistant!

What to do:

1.
Print out pattern sheet, plus sheet with top and camera decals and wheel treads.
Do a Science Fair Project! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Do a Science Fair Project! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

science-fair

Vea en Español

Earth
Sun
Solar System
Universe
Science and Tech
Educators

Do a Science Fair Project!

The Short Answer:
How do you do a science fair project?

	Your science fair project may do one of three things: test an idea (hypothesis), answer a question, and/or show how nature works.
	

Ask a parent, teacher, or other adult to help you research the topic and find out how to do a science fair project about it.

Test, answer, or show?
 Your science fair project may do one of three things:
Test an idea (or hypothesis.)
Answer a question. 
Show how nature works. 

Topic ideas:
Space topics:

How do the constellations change in the night sky over different periods of time?
How does the number of stars visible in the sky change from place to place because of light pollution?

Learn about and demonstrate the ancient method of parallax to measure the distance to an object, such as stars and planets.

Study different types of stars and explain different ways they end their life cycles.

Earth topics:

How do the phases of the Moon correspond to the changing tides?

Demonstrate what causes the phases of the Moon?

How does the tilt of Earth’s axis create seasons throughout the year?

How do weather conditions (temperature, humidity) affect how fast a puddle evaporates?

How salty is the ocean?

Solar system topics:

How does the size of a meteorite relate to the size of the crater it makes when it hits Earth?

How does the phase of the Moon affect the number of stars visible in the sky?

Show how a planet’s distance from the Sun affects its temperature.

Sun topics:
Observe and record changes in the number and placement of sun spots over several days. DO NOT look directly at the Sun!

Make a sundial and explain how it works.

Show why the Moon and the Sun appear to be the same size in the sky.

How effective are automobile sunshades?
Make a Pastel Aurora! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Hold your guideline down with one hand, and with the other, use your paper towel to push the pastel upward so it smudges onto the construction paper.

You can go over the area again with more pastels and smudge again with the paper towel until you have as much color as you want.

Lift up the guideline to see the colorful band.

Place the guideline in a different spot and repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as you like. Try flipping the guideline over or placing it at different angles to add to the overall effect of the painting.

Display your aurora masterpiece so everyone can see it. Be sure to tell them what the colors mean and why auroras happen!

Download a PDF of this activity.

Related Resources for Educators
Launchpad: Aurora Lights: Why They Exist and What Causes Them?

 	article last updated April 22, 2020
 

More about the Sun!

What is an aurora?

Why does the sun burn us?

How old is the sun?

If you liked this, you may like:

NASA Pumpkin Stencils

Make a Fan with Earth's Layers

Printable Space Valentines

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 Last Updated: May 6th, 2024 

 

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More about the Sun!

What is an aurora?

Why does the sun burn us?

How old is the sun?
Make a CD Saturn | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Rinse the paintbrush out between uses, so it will stay soft and easy to use.
Use the paintbrush to carefully spread glue on the CD. If you want to make it look like some of the rings are silver and some gold, spread the glue only where you want to put the first color, then sprinkle the glitter on the wet glue. Let it dry completely. Then repeat for the remaining areas. You can use as many different colors as you want. Just be sure to let the glue dry completely for each color before adding the next color.
If you want to use yarn also—for example, black to show the divisions in the rings—glue it on and let it dry before adding the glitter.

 Then decorate the planet:

Stick a toothpick into the flat side of each half of the styrofoam ball to give yourself a handle.
Use the paintbrush to apply glue and glitter on the round part of each half, as you did for the CD. Let the glue dry completely.

Now put them together:

Take the toothpick out of one of the styrofoam halves. On the other half, make sure the toothpick is stuck exactly into the center and push it in until it starts to poke out the top.
Spread glue around the center of the decorated side of the CD. Pick up the CD and place the styrofoam half with the toothpick exactly in the center of the CD, toothpick sticking through the hole.
Now push the other styrofoam half onto the toothpick sticking out the hole on the other side of the CD. When both halves are flat against the CD, a small part of the toothpick will be sticking out one of Saturns "poles." Break it off with needle-nosed pliers.

And hang it up:

Open a small paper clip so it looks like this:

Decide which half of Saturn you want to be the top. Since Saturn's axis is tilted 27 degrees, stick the paperclip into the top about ½ inch away from the center (where the toothpick comes through).
Build your own spacecraft! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
velcro
Elmer's glue
tape

Some real satellites for inspiration:

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)

Aqua

Hubble Telescope

Kepler Spacecraft

Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite (FASTSAT)

If you liked this, you may like:

Tired travelers

Make colorful star cookies!

NASA Pumpkin Stencils

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Contact NASA Space Place

 Last Updated: May 6th, 2024 

 

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Possible ingredients and supplies to help you build your satellite

These are just suggestions. Be creative and find new ways to build your satellite!

 Edible ingredients:

rice crispy treats
sugar wafers
graham crackers
pretzels
gummy worms/candy
licorice twists
frosting
brownies
toothpicks (don't eat these, just use them to keep the food together!)

 Non-edible materials:

juice boxes or other small boxes
toothpicks
chopsticks
plastic cups and bowls
popsicle sticks
straws
screws, nuts, bolts, etc.
paperclips
construction paper
balloons
CDs or DVDs
shiny paper
rubber bands
sponges
velcro
Elmer's glue
tape

Some real satellites for inspiration:

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)

Aqua

Hubble Telescope

Kepler Spacecraft

Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite (FASTSAT)
Build your own spacecraft! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Communication: antenna made from a pretzel.
Orientation finder: star tracker made with gummy candy.
Held together with: toothpicks and frosting.

Edible Satellite 4

Container: rice crispy treat.
Power source: solar panel made with a sugar wafer with blue frosting.
Instruments: part of a sugar wafer.
Communication: antenna made from gummy candy.
Orientation finder: star tracker made with a pretzel.
Held together with: toothpicks and frosting.

Edible Satellite 5

Container: brownie.
Power source: solar panel made from a graham cracker.
Instruments: tiny pieces of licorice stick.
Communication: antennas made from a toothpick.
Orientation finder: Sun tracker made from part of ice cream cone.
Held together with: toothpicks and frosting.

 

 	article last updated May 5, 2015
 

Possible ingredients and supplies to help you build your satellite

These are just suggestions. Be creative and find new ways to build your satellite!

 Edible ingredients:

rice crispy treats
sugar wafers
graham crackers
pretzels
gummy worms/candy
licorice twists
frosting
brownies
toothpicks (don't eat these, just use them to keep the food together!)

 Non-edible materials:

juice boxes or other small boxes
toothpicks
chopsticks
plastic cups and bowls
popsicle sticks
straws
screws, nuts, bolts, etc.
paperclips
construction paper
balloons
CDs or DVDs
shiny paper
rubber bands
sponges
velcro
Elmer's glue
tape

Some real satellites for inspiration:

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)

Aqua

Hubble Telescope

Kepler Spacecraft

Fast, Affordable, Science and Technology Satellite (FASTSAT)

If you liked this, you may like:

Tired travelers

Make colorful star cookies!

NASA Pumpkin Stencils

	 Games	 

	 Crafts	 

	 Activities	 

	 Videos	 

	 Glossary
Build your own spacecraft! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
Build your own spacecraft! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

build-a-spacecraft

Vea en Español

Earth
Sun
Solar System
Universe
Science and Tech
Educators

Build your own spacecraft!

Build your own spacecraft!
Build your own spacecraft!
How would you like to be the chief engineer for an important NASA mission? In this activity, you get to design the latest and greatest satellite. Your satellite could help study things happening on Earth, take pictures of planets in our solar system, keep an eye on our sun, or even find planets elsewhere in the universe!

You get to decide how to make your satellite—its all up to you. While you are building your satellite, though, keep in mind that your satellite must have a couple of basic things:

Click on the image to see what a real satellite looks like!

This is the GOES-N satellite. It keeps watch over weather on Earth. (Click image to return to the previous illustration)

Container: Your satellite needs some sort of container to hold all of the gizmos together and keep its instruments safe.

Power Source: You will need something to give your satellite electricity so that it can run all of its high-tech gizmos. Solar panels or fancy batteries are two options.

Scientific Instruments: This is the why you launched your satellite in the first place! Instruments can take pictures of far away galaxies or planets right here in our Solar System, measure chemicals in Earth's atmosphere, or keep a close eye on our Sun's activity. It's your decision! 

Communication Device: You will need some way to communicate with Earth. Antennas (shaped like dishes or poles and rods) are a good way to do this.

Orientation Finder: Make sure you have something that lets your satellite know where it's pointed and which way is 'up.' Something that looks at the stars (a star tracker) or the sun (a sun tracker) would work.

Here's Some Examples...

<
>

Non-Edible Satellite 1

Container: small juice box.
Activities for Students – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
How Do We Know Where Faraway Spacecraft Are?

NASA has dozens of robotic spacecraft exploring our solar system – and beyond. So how exactly do we navigate spacecraft that are so far away?TAGS:Deep Space NetworkDSNCommunicationsSpace TravelRadioMissionsRoversSpacecraft

Try it out!
In this challenge, you will build and program a light-powered device that can move to collect as much light as possible while not overheating.

project
Make and Code a Light-Powered Device

project

Make and Code a Light-Powered Device

In this challenge, you will build and program a light-powered device that can move to collect as much light as possible while not overheating.TAGS:Climate ChangeEarthEarth's MoonJupiterMarsMissionsMoonsRoversSolarSolar PowerSolar PanelJunoPsycheCodingIo FlybySpacecraftSun

Play!
In this strategy card game, you'll build spacecraft that can explore the Moon, Mars, and other destinations throughout our solar system while withstanding challenges thrown your way.

project
NASA Space Voyagers: The Game

project

NASA Space Voyagers: The Game

In this strategy card game, you'll build spacecraft that can explore the Moon, Mars, and other destinations throughout our solar system while withstanding challenges thrown your way.TAGS:EarthEarth's MoonJupiterMarsMission to MarsPerseveranceCuriosityVikingPathfinderRangerApolloArtemisDesign Your SpacecraftIngenuityHelicopterMars HelicopterEuropaEuropa ClipperArtemisOcean WorldsIo FlybyMissionsMoonsRoversSpacecraft

Get started
Make your own model of this folding NASA space technology designed to help capture the first images of planets outside our solar system!

project
Space Origami: Make Your Own Starshade

project

Space Origami: Make Your Own Starshade

Make your own model of this folding NASA space technology designed to help capture the first images of planets outside our solar system!TAGS:ExoplanetsSpacecraftSunTechnologyOrigamiSpace TelescopeModelDIYStarshadeTemplateJWSTBuilding With PaperUniverse

Explore more
"See" inside a closed box! | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids
But, if you know what colors stand for what heights, you could imagine how the object might look in three dimensions.

 

 	article last updated January 2, 2014
 

Mapping through Earth's clouds
 Like the paper that hides our Teddy bear, clouds often hide large areas of the Earth's surface. But, just as we can map the bear through the paper, we can use radar to make detailed maps of Earth right through clouds or darkness.

	 Radar is a kind of light energy, but we can't see it. It also acts like sound, because it bounces off surfaces making "echoes," which are "heard" by the radar antenna.

	 The Space Shuttle Radar Topography Mission flew in February 2000. As the Space Shuttle orbited Earth, radar instruments inside and outside the Shuttle made a 3-D map of almost the whole world. In just 11 days, this mission produced enough information to fill 20,000 CDs! 
	 Isn't it amazing what we can do once we understand some simple things about light and radar waves?

Learn more about this amazing technology and see some of the 3-D maps of Earth it made.

If you liked this, you may like:

Make a topographic map!

Building a 3-D Map of Earth from Space!

Get your Gummy Greenhouse Gases!

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 Last Updated: May 6th, 2024 

 

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Mapping through Earth's clouds
 Like the paper that hides our Teddy bear, clouds often hide large areas of the Earth's surface. But, just as we can map the bear through the paper, we can use radar to make detailed maps of Earth right through clouds or darkness.

	 Radar is a kind of light energy, but we can't see it.
From Struggling in School to ‘Killing It at NASA,’ a VR Dream Come True - Meet JPL Interns | NASA/JPL Edu
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Education News & Blogs – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Students can join in the fun once again by using pi to explore Earth and space themselves in the NASA Pi Day Challenge.Read on to learn more about the science behind this year's challenge and find out how students can put their math mettle to the test to solve real problems faced by NASA scientists and engineers as we explore Earth, Mars, asteroids, and beyond! Jump To How It Works The Science Behind the 2023 NASA Pi Day Challenge Teach It Explore More Visit the Pi in the Sky 10 lesson page to explore classroom resources and downloads for the 2023 NASA Pi Day Challenge. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech | + Expand image This illustration shows a concept for multiple robots that would team up to ferry to Earth samples of rocks and soil being collected from the Martian surface by NASA's Mars Perseverance rover. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech	 | › Full image and caption Image from animation comparing the relative sizes of James Webb's primary mirror to Hubble's primary mirror. Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center .	 | › Full animation This illustration depicts the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU	 | + Full image and caption This image sequence shows an annular solar eclipse from May 2012. The bottom right frame illustrates the distinctive ring, or "annulus," of such eclipses. A similar eclipse will be visible from the South Pacific on May 10, 2013. Credits: Brocken Inaglory, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons	 | + Expand image How It WorksDividing any circle’s circumference by its diameter gives you an answer of pi, which is usually rounded to 3.14. Because pi is an irrational number, its decimal representation goes on forever and never repeats. In 2022, mathematician Simon Plouffe discovered the formula to calculate any single digit of pi. In the same year, teams around the world used cloud computing technology to calculate pi to 100 trillion digits.