Download Web Search Questions SCSU’s Center for NASA Research and Technology

Web Search Questions
SCSU’s Center for NASA Research and Technology
Reunion Workshop – July 20, 2005
#1
Extra-solar planets:
http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://www.space.com/
1) what is the total number of planets outside of our own solar system that have been
discovered to date?
2) What type of information do we have about these extrasolar planets (e.g. size,
composition, other characteristics)?
3) Describe the recent discovery of the first confirmed, direct picture of a planet beyond
our solar system.
#2
The Cassini-Huygens Mission:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://www.space.com/
1) Summarize the main goals and objectives of the Cassini-Huygens mission.
2) What object or objects is or are being studied by Cassini?
3) Summarize at least two new discoveries that have been made about Titan as a result
of the Cassini-Huygens mission.
#3
Mars Rovers:
http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html
1) Summarize the main goals and objectives of the Mars Rover mission.
2) Briefly outline the timeline for the Mars Rover mission.
3) Using the "features" section of the Mars Rover website, describe two recent
discoveries associated with the atmosphere of Mars.
#4
Mars Global Surveyor:
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs/
1) Summarize the main goals and objectives of the Mars Global Surveyor mission.
2) Describe the recent results related to the polar ice cap.
3) Explain how these observations might affect our understanding of the climate on
Mars and on Earth.
#5
GALEX:
http://www.galex.caltech.edu/
1) Summarize the main goals and objectives of the GALEX mission.
2) Describe the newest discovery announced on 5/31/05 and why this observation was
so surprising.
3) Describe at least one other discovery or result from the GALEX mission.
#6
Extra-solar System:
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/
Read the article on the extrasolar planet with three stars or suns in its system.
1) What is the name of the star and how far away is it from the Earth?
2) Define what is meant by a snow line in the formation of a planet around a star
3) Where is the planet in this system located relative to the snow line?
#7
New Horizons Mission:
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/science/scienceOver.html
1) Summarize the timeline and objects to be visited by the New Horizons Mission.
2) What is meant by the “third region” of the solar system? What are the first and
second regions?
3) List all of the education partners for the mission.
#8
Deep Impact Mission:
http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov (see the science sections)
1) What was unique about this mission compared to previous planetary missions?
2) What are the science objectives of the mission?
3) Why study comets?
#9
Sptizer Space Telescope:
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/
1) What “dead star” has recently been observed to have an infrared light echo?
2) What is the importantce of this light echo in terms of the activeness of the star?
3) What is Cool Cosmos?
#10
Astrobiology:
http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/
1) What are the 7 science goals of NASA's Astrobiology Program?
2) What is the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)?
3) Which NAI team is physically located closest to South Carolina?