Script: AV Astronomy Training

<Shockwave Module animation>
(The NASA logo appears and below it appears the following disclaimer)

Note: The following information is collected for research purposes only. Your name is used within this activity only. The other information entered will be used only by NASA Office of Education to evaluate this product.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration presents:

(The Astro-Venture logo sweeps onto the screen letter by letter)
(Astro Ferret hops onto screen and introduces himself and Astro-Venture Astronomy Training)

Astro Ferret:

Hello there, my name is Astro Ferret! Congratulations on your acceptance to the Astro-Venture Academy!

I am pleased to welcome you to Astronomy Training Center. I have been asked to guide you through the academy and introduce you to all the brilliant scientists who work here. You will meet many NASA Scientists who will help you study, search for and design a planet that would be habitable to humans. Let's meet the scientists that will help you with your Astronomy training.

(New screen, Astro appears on right and pulls down a projector screen with a picture of Kelly on it)

Astro Ferret:
With us today is Kelly Snook a NASA astrobiologist, she will guide you through your training. Right now I'm off to do some research of my own, so good luck and I'll be seeing you soon!

Kelly:
Hi, I'm Kelly Snook and I'm a NASA astrobiologist, in this module you will learn about what makes our solar system habitable to humans.

(The screen reads: You have been accepted as a Junior Astronomer at the Astro-Venture Academy! In this chapter of Astro-Venture, you will complete some astrobiology training to make sure that you understand many of the astronomy features that humans need in their star system and why. When you pass this training, you will be promoted to Senior Astronomer and will earn your badge.)

(Kelly's Biography appears on screen)
Name: Kelly Snook
Title: Astrobiologist, Aerospace Engineer, Planetary Scientist)
What I do: I study Mars! I use spacecraft instruments and computers to model the dusty atmosphere of mars, and I work with scientists and engineers to study places on Earth that might teach us how to explore and someday live on Mars.
Education: Doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Masters of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering.
Experience: Seven years of research and one and a half years of structural dynamics work.
Skills: Working with people, science-quantum physics and cosmology, and computers.
Interests: Scuba diving, music composition, travel, being outdoors, religion.

(Four different characters appear on screen to choose from, when a character is selected, it presents their "trading card" of information)

top left character, African-American boy
Name: Malcom
Title: Space physicist
What I do: I design and conduct scientific investigation and decide what the results mean.
Education: Doctorate in Physics, Bachelors of Science in Mathematics
Experience: Three years as a research assistant.
Skills: Solving problems, making things work, creative, curious
Interests: Traveling, reading, music, soccer

top right character, Asian boy
Name: Kenny
Title: Lead telescope operator
What I do: I operate the instruments used for astronomy research and fix problems when they happen.
Education: Bachelors of Science in Electronics Engineering
Experience: Four years as a U.S. Navy electronics technician
Skills: Making things work, solving problems, math and computers
Interests: Camping, hiking, basketball, computers

bottom left character, Caucasian girl
Name: Julie
Title: Mission engineer
What I do: I design and develop instruments used in the mission.
Education: Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Bachelors of Science in Engineering
Experience: Two years writing software; two years of management
Skills: Organizing, solving problems, communicating, math
Interests: Science fiction, volleyball, skiing

bottom right character, Latino girl
Name: Maria
Title: Space research scientist
What I do: I study pictures and graphs of stars and planets from telescopes, decide what they mean, and I write papers on my discoveries.
Education: Doctorate in Astrophysics, Bachelors of Science in Engineering Physics
Experience: Three years of research with a university.
Skills: Science, math, writing and solving problems
Interests: Softball, acting, photography

If you would like to be this character, enter your name.

(Enter your name in the box and press the enter key, once all players have been added, click on the continue button.

(New screen. A multiple choice quiz appears)

Kelly:
Just make your best guess.

Quiz:
What do humans need to survive?
I predict that we need the following four features:

1.
- A red dwarf.
- A blue star.
- A red giant.
- A yellow star.

2.
- Jupiter in a circular orbit more than 3 AU from the Sun.*
- Jupiter in an elliptical orbit at 1 AU. *
* 1 AU is the average distance from Earth to the Sun.

3.
- a planet with a mass that is less than one fourth Earth's mass.
- a planet with a mass that is between one fourth and four times Earth's mass.
- a planet with a mass that is more than four times Earth's mass.

4.
- a planet orbiting short of the Habitable Zone.
- a planet orbiting beyond the Habitable Zone.
- a planet orbiting in the Habitable Zone.
- a planet in an elliptical orbit.

(Click on the golden arrow to continue)

(A tutorial shows students how to use the interface for the Astronomy Training)

Kelly: You will make changes to our solar system and see their effect on Earth

First, choose a feature from the main menu
-Star Type, Jupiter's Orbit, Earth's Mass, Earth's Orbit

Choose a cause
-Star Type--blue star, yellow star, red giant, red dwarf
-Jupiter's Orbit--circular orbit, elliptical orbit
-Earth's Mass--small earth, average earth, large earth
-Earth's Orbit--Short of the Habitable Zone, In the Habitable Zone, Beyond the Habitable Zone, Elliptical Orbit

The cause is shown in the next window.

Press the play button, to see the the effect of the cause you selected on the Earth in a global and surface view.

Type the effect that you observed in your Astro Journal and press the enter key.

After you have pressed the "enter" key, a box pops up that gives feedback on what other scientists have observed for this same cause and effect.

Background information is found in the Tech Notes.

Kelly: Once you complete all areas of training, you will continue onto your Astro Challenge

ASTRO CHALLENGE (Multiple choice quiz)

Which star type causes all water on Earth to freeze?
A. Blue star
B. Yellow star
C. Red giant
D. Red Dwarf

Which Jupiter throws Earth out of the solar system?
A. Jupiter in a circular orbit beyond 3 AU
B. Jupiter in a circular orbit at 1 AU
C. Jupiter in an elliptical orbit at 1 AU
D. Jupiter in an elliptical orbit at 3 AU

Which Earth mass has such a strong gravitational pull that a thick atmosphere is attracted, trapping heat and causing flooding?
A. Less than one fourth Earth's mass.
B. Between one fourth and four times Earth's mass.
C. Less than four times Earth's mass.
D. More than four times Earth's mass.

Which Earth orbit causes all water on Earth to evaporate permanently?
A. Short of the Habitable Zone
B. In the Habitable Zone
C. Beyond the Habitable Zone
D. In an Elliptical Orbit

Which of the following combinations would allow humans to survive?
A. a yellow star/ Jupiter in an elliptical orbit/ a planet with 11 times Earth's mass/ orbiting short of the Habitable Zone
B. a yellow star/ Jupiter in a circular orbit / a planet with 3 times the mass of Earth / orbiting in the Habitable Zone
C. a red dwarf/ Jupiter in a circular orbit/ a planet with the same mass as Earth / in a highly elliptical orbit.
D. a blue star/ Jupiter in an elliptical orbit / a planet with one half the mass of Earth / orbiting in the Habitable Zone

(New screen - Debriefing)
Nice work! In the beginning, you made some predictions. Now that you have finished your training, let's see what you have learned. Which of the following four features do we need?:

1.
- A red dwarf.
- A blue star.
- A red giant.
- A yellow star.

2.
- Jupiter in a circular orbit more than 3 AU from the Sun.*
- Jupiter in an elliptical orbit at 1 AU. *
* 1 AU is the average distance from Earth to the Sun.

(New screen - Debriefing continued. A chart pops up comparing the answers given during the first predictions, verses your final results versus other scientist's findings-"the correct answers". The other scientist findings show that we need: a yellow star, Jupiter in a circular orbit more than 3 AU from the Sun, a planet with a mass one fourth to four times Earth's mass, and the planet must be orbiting in the Habitable Zone)

Kelly: Now let's compare and publish your results and your predictions, then compare them with those of other scientists.

(New screen - Astro Badge. Astro appears and points to a box on the left that contains the all the names entered in the beginning. When you click on a name, their badge appears on the right with the character they chose, their name and the Astronomy Mission password av2002astro, which they will need to log into the Astronomy Mission module. Click on the "print" button below the badge to print a copy of their badge and their Astro Journal with their entries and the "correct" answers)

Astro: Congratulations on completing your training! You have been promoted to Senior Astronomer. Click on your name to see your Astro Badge.

(New screen - Congratulations! Includes links to go back and print your badge or continue your Astro-Venture Journey)

Astro: Super! You are now a Senior Astronomer and are ready to begin the Astronomy Mission. Click the link below and begin the Astronomy Astro-Venture Mission!

click to go to the script of the next step, the Astro-Venture Astronomy Mission