Join NASA in celebrating Sun-Earth Day on March 20, 2010

Sun-Earth Day is comprised of a series of programs and events that occur throughout the year culminating with a celebration on or near the spring equinox. For Sun-Earth Day 2010, take a journey into the heart of the electromagnetic force and learn how magnetism, an everyday force that makes motors work, sticks notes to our refrigerators and keeps electricity flowing to our houses, plays a key role in understanding the sun and is responsible for the most violent explosions in the solar system — magnetic storms.

Over the past 10 years, the NASA Sun-Earth Day team has sponsored and coordinated education and public outreach events to highlight NASA Heliophysics research and discoveries. The SED team’s strategy involves using celestial events, such as total solar eclipses and the transit of Venus, as well as Sun-Earth Day during the March equinox, to engage K-12 schools and the public in space science activities, demonstrations and interactions with space scientists.

On March 20, 2010, join the Sun-Earth Day team for a live Sun-Earth Day webcast from the exhibit floor of the National Science Teachers Association conference in Philadelphia. For this webcast, the team will combine forces with the award winning NASA EDGE team known for their offbeat, funny and informative look behind the NASA curtain. Webcast guests will include scientists, educators and students who will demonstrate the power of magnetism and why we care about magnetic storms.

For more information and educational resources, including posters, fliers, postcards and an educator kit, visit the Sun-Earth Day Web site at http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2010/about/index.php.

Questions about Sun-Earth Day events should be e-mailed to Elaine Lewis at Elaine.M.Lewis@nasa.gov.