International Scientist for a Day Essay Competition

Required
500 words on why the Cassini spacecraft should investigate certain moons of the planet Saturn
The target moons will be picked out shortly.

This is connected with JPL NASA but it would be the European version of it.
I am coordinating the Irish efforts and would like to get the information out to as many teachers/ interested groups as possible.

There will be a prize for the winning student , the age group is 10 -19 years
Details of the prize are to be announced .

I will let you know further details soon as they choose the targets for the
spacecraft and send me further information.

The Cassini Scientist for a Day Autumn 2009 essay contest is now an official International Year of Astronomy Special Project. You can read more about it here:
www.iya2009.org/globalprojects/specialprojects/cassini
We have 34 countries on six continents represented so far.

The main Cassini Scientist for a Day website is now live. We'll be posting videos about the three imaging targets soon, but the transcripts for the videos are now online.
saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/education/scientistforaday/

Deadline for the European contest is October 30th
Contact me if you or someone you know is interested in taking part.

skysketcher@gmail.com


Deirdre Kelleghan
Outreach Coordinator IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Competition update

Age 11 - 19


Just 500 words on why Cassini should image either Saturn and its Rings, Tethy's and Saturn's Rings or Titan Saturn's largest moon.

So if you are a teacher , have a good read and a good look at the video's and requirements.

Perhaps you have a budding scientist sitting in your class room ? Feel free to pass on this information to a teacher or a pupil you know .

Prizes include vouchers for Amazon, a trip to London and, if you’re specific target is chosen, Cassini itself will take an image of your chosen subject!

The Cassini Mission to Saturn and Titan is one of the greatest exploration missions of our time.

This is your chance to be part of this wonderful science experience.



All information regarding the Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Competition : www.maths.qmul.ac.uk/schools/cassini

Watch the videos at www.youtube.com/user/CassiniScientist4Da...ploads/0/nrn4hPdY6KU

Deirdre Kelleghan
Vice Chair IFAS
Outreach IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Well now today is the deadline for entries to this International Competition .
I have had entries from Dublin and Limerick so far, if you know anyone who
was writing the essay remind them this is the last day.

Send to me skysketcher@gmail.com

Best of luck to all who entered

Deirdre Kelleghan
Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Finn Bradley an 11 year old boy from Limerick has had a result in the Cassini Scientist for a Day Competition. Finn and one of his parents have been invited to The Parliamentary Space Committee Christmas Reception in London on December 16th.

He will get to meet Scientists that work on the Cassini Mission , Astronauts , et cetra.

Finn's very well written essay is in the top two for his age group and the winner will be announced at the reception. This unique occasion takes place in The House of Commons , I am really looking forward to it as I have been invited along also.

Deirdre Kelleghan
Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Finn Bradley and Deirdre Kelleghan at the Parliamentary Space Committees Christmas Reception
in the House of Commons yesterday. ( Very nice indeed )

Finn ( age 11)goes to school in Lets Educate Together National School, Mungret, Co. Limerick. His essay came first in his age group
in the Cassini Scientist for a Day Competition

Well done Finn , fantastic achievement. More details and his essay here soon.

Deirdre Kelleghan

Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher

Here is Finns essay , I think you will agree he was a worthy winner.

Dear Cassini Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Lab,
I think the target that would have most scientific value would be target 2; Tethys and Saturn’s F and E and part of the A ring.
There are a number of reasons I chose this target. Firstly because there were only 2 fly bys of Tethys so far and there is so much more to discover and so many mysteries to solve there.
Also we might get a look at the biggest crater on Tethys ‘Odysseus’. Odysseus, sometimes called the ‘Great Basin’ dominates two-fifths of Tethys and is four hundred Km in diameter. Some moons would not have survived an impact this great, why did Tethys survive?
We could also get a close up look at the gigantic valley on Tethys called “Ithaca Chasma”. This valley is 65 Km wide and several Km deep. Scientists believe that Ithaca Chasma was created when the ice on Tethys formed making the great gap as the ice expanded. Another theory is that the Ithaca Chasma was formed at the same time as Odysseus, which is on the opposite side of the moon.
Secondly Saturn’s rings would be a good chance to see the micro moons that scientists believe exist and what if they had life forms on them, that would be an amazing discovery! As the rings are covered in icy particles and in 1997 on the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico, life forms called “methane ice worms” were found in harsh, cold conditions. Maybe there is a chance similar ‘worms’ live in the icy particles on Saturn’s rings.
Three rings are included in this target, but I find the F ring really interesting. It is a narrow ring off the outer edge of the A ring and its features can change within hours. It has two shepherd moons “Prometheus” and “Pandora”, which orbit inside and outside of it. The undiscovered micro moons, mentioned above, cause changes in the ring, such as kinks and bumps because of the effect of their gravity.
The E ring is mostly formed from particles from the moon Enceladus but scientists believe Tethys may be adding a small amount of particles to the E ring. Another mystery to uncover here.
Only this month a new giant ring was discovered around Saturn. This massive ring is ten times the diameter of Saturn and only shows up in infra-red light. Wouldn’t it be great to make some more new discoveries, if these tiny moons exist near the F ring and the E ring is being added to by Tethys? How did Tethys survive the great impact of the crater Odysseus and how did the Ithaca Chasma form?
Lastly, because Giovanni Cassini discovered Tethys in 1684, it would be a great honour to point the Cassini cameras at Tethys in memory of him. He only had a telescope and yet he made great discoveries.
Here’s hoping you choose target 2, Tethys and Saturn’s rings!


　
Finn with Lucy Hawking ( writer and daughter of Professor Stephen Hawking and Richard Garriot (International Space Station Astronaut)
Lucy told me she is involved with public outreach in the UK and Richard advocated never giving up on your dreams.

Finns parents family and school are very proud of him.

Deirdre Kelleghan

Vice Char IFAS
Outreach IFAS
www.irishastronomy.org/
www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
twitter.com/skysketcher