HR: 17:30h
AN: ED12E-03 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Kepler Education and Public Outreach: Finding Earth-sized planets
AU: Gould, A
EM: agould@uclink.berkeley.edu
AF: Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-5200 United States
AU: DeVore, E
EM: edevore@seti.org
AF: SETI INstitute, 2035 Landings Drive, Mountain View, CA 94043 United States
AU: * Koch, D
EM: d.koch@nasa.gov
AF: NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA 94035 United States
AB: Astronomers are discovering Saturn size extrasolar planets, and have already sparked broad public interest. But can smaller planets - Earths - be found? This is a powerful and exciting question that can motivate student learning and public interest in the Kepler search for habitable planets. The Kepler Mission Education and Public Outreach (EPO) program capitalizes on the excitement of discovering Earth-size planets in the habitable zone, stimulating student learning and public interest in astronomy and physics. Kepler is a NASA Discovery mission, selected in December 2001, with launch and the search for extrasolar Earths commencing in 2007. During the first year, we expect Kepler to rapidly detect large planets similar to 51 Peg and smaller Earth-size planets in Mercury-like orbits. By the fourth year, we anticipate the discovery Earth-size planets in habitable zones. The goals and plans of the Kepler EPO program, which began in October 2002, are to: - build public interest during development, - to engage students and the public throughout the initial four-year mission and beyond if an extended mission is conducted, - increase public awareness and understanding of the Kepler Mission - involve scientists and contractors in EPO efforts, - establish collaborations with planetarium programs and science museums, - build on existing programs and networks that maximize the leverage of NASA EPO funding in this project and optimize the impact of EPO. These goals and plans embodying key principles set forth in NASA's Partners in Education and Implementing the OSS Education/ Public Outreach Strategy. Details of our planned EPO projects and products are given in this paper.
UR: http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/kepler/
DE: 6207 Comparative planetology
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting