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= ABOUT THE TEAM = Our school is in Southeast Michigan, as a part of the Troy School District. Our district includes three other middle schools, two high schools, and twelve elementary schools. Two years ago, four of our schools participated in a NASA downlink, they got to ask questions to astronauts on the ISS Expedition 22. Smith Middle School also got to talk to the pilot of the last Endeavor mission, Colonel Gregory Johnson. Smith's band and orchestra program has been celebrated as one of the best in our district.

**STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE**

= = = **Step 1 - Preliminary Question(s)** =
 * Do hurricanes happen more often on Earth than Venus?
 * If we can use images to look at mountains, can we see South American mountains made of different rocks than North American mountains?
 * Do auroras happen on other planets near the poles?
 * How are mountains on Mars different from mountains on Earth in quantitative observations?
 * If there are physical features on Earth, are there physical features on Mars related to life?
 * Can we tell the difference between groups of coral in oceans?
 * Are clouds that appear in hot, dry climates always consistent in type?

= = = Step 2 - Initial Observations =

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:** Do auroras happen on other planets near the poles?

**2. SOURCES TO VIEW ASTRONAUT PHOTOS:** Expedition Earth and Beyond Quick List of Images http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/eeab.atmosphere.cfm Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov Visible Earth http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/ Earth from Space http://earthfromspace.si.edu

**3. LIST OF SPECIFIC DATA TEAM WILL LOG FROM EACH ASTRONAUT PHOTO:**
 * Auroras
 * Location of Aurora

**4. HYPOTHESIS:** If auroras happen on other planets then they happen near the poles.

= = = Step 3 - Background Research = We found this video of an aurora over the Indian ocean http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/Videos/CrewEarthObservationsVideos/australis_iss_20120304/australis_iss_20120304HD_web.mov

**1. IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:** Aurora: occur when solar winds reach a planet and enter their atmosphere, these occur near the poles because atmosphere is thinner there Solar Winds: an emanation from the suns corona of a flow of charged particles, mainly electrons and protons, that interacts with the magnetic field of the Earth and other planetary bodies Magnetic Field: A region of space near a magnet, electric current, or moving particle in which a magnetic force acts on any other magnet, electric current, or moving charged particle **2. EARTH SYSTEM INFORMATION:** The Atmosphere: is the Earth system which consists of the envelope of gases that surrounds Earth.

**3. FORMATION PROCESS:** Auroras are caused when high-energy electrons collide with atoms. The colorful lights are made when atoms return to their original state. The sun blows solar wind in all directions.

**4. FEATURE DESCRIPTION OR CHARACTERISTICS:** Red and green lights in the sky

**5. ASTRONAUT IMAGES (2-3) THAT INCLUDE THE FEATURE YOU ARE STUDYING (links, ID#s, or images):** @http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS003&roll=E&frame=6152&QueryResultsFile=127913534547642.tsv @http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS023&roll=E&frame=58455&QueryResultsFile=127913553949842.tsv @http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=STS039&roll=342&frame=28

**6. GEOGRAPHIC REGION OF FOCUS:** Poles of planets

**7. IF YOU WILL CONDUCT A PLANETARY COMPARISON, PLEASE EXPLAIN:** Venus has a green house effect like Earth but it makes it one of the hottest planets in the solar system.

**8. OTHER DETAILS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR RESEARCH:**
 * Auroras can only be seen at night

= = = Step 4 - Experiment Design =

**1. FINAL RESEARCH QUESTION:** We edited the question into two so that they weren't as broad as our preliminary question.
 * Does the location at which an aurora exists determine it's size and shape?
 * Do auroras on Earth have the same size and shape as auroras on other planets?

**2. HYPOTHESIS** **(Include a brief explanation of observations & other knowledge that support this hypothesis):** If auroras exist on other planets then their size and shape will be similar to those on Earth. We think this because auroras are made when solar winds reach a planet and enter their atmosphere, this would make their sizes and shapes similar to those on Earth. If auroras exist on a planet then its location determines it's size and shape. We think this because auroras only happen near poles so their size and shape would be similar.

**3. IMAGE DATA COLLECTION:** visibleearth.nasa.gov windows2universe.org

**4. MEASUREMENTS:** Latitude and longitude

= = = Step 5 - Collect and Compile Data = = = = 1. MASTER DATA TABLE: = Longitude and Latitude- Negative measures are South or West. Positive- North and East
 * Image ID || Lens Focal Length || Latitude || Longitude || Location || Size || Shape || Other || Citation ||
 * ISS023-E-58455 || 0mm || -51.2 || 93.3 || Indian Ocean || long, wavy, stretches over Indian Ocean || thin, squiggly, wishbone || bright green in color || ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/eeab/atmosphere.cfm ||
 * ISS003-E-76152 || 50mm || 50.2 || 43.7 || North Atlantic Ocean, 100km to 250km || thick, stretches over most of South Pole || irregular, almost rectangular, slight arch || bright green with red underneath || ares.jsc.nasa.gov/ares/eeab/atmosphere.cfm ||
 * ISS006-E-47517 || 28 mm || -44.6 || 152.4 || Southern Hem across the horizon || 36682 || diaphanous form, long straight line || green & red ||  ||
 * STS083-749-79 || 250 mm ||  ||   ||   || 639 ||   ||   ||   ||
 * ISS022-E-52281 || 70 mm ||  ||   ||   || 41145 ||   ||   ||   ||
 * || 30 mm ||  ||   || Northern Polar Region || 748 || String of Blue Lights ||   ||   ||
 * || 320 mm ||  ||   || Northern Hemisphere || 346 || String of Lights ||   ||   ||
 * || 450 mm ||  ||   || Southern || 535 || Big Patch of Purple ||   ||   ||
 * ISS030-E-130215 || 24 || -45.3 || 120.6 || Pacific Ocean || stretches over Pacific ocean || long line || thin line, wavy, red & green ||  ||
 * STS097-354-36 ||  || 49.9 || -50.6 || Northern Hem. || 200km to 500 km || blotch || bright green, red, blue || eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ ||
 * STS039-342-28 || 35mm ||  ||   || southern || long, high || rectangle, thin, straight, red ||   ||   ||
 * ISS003-E-6816 || 5030 Kodak || 58.3 || 93.1 || southern ||  || triangle ||   ||   ||
 * ISS006-E-51691 || 0mm ||  ||   ||   ||   || long, straight, wavy, green & red ||   || ares.jsc.nasa.gov ||

= = = Step 6 - Display Data =

**1. DATA TABLE(S): Under __each__ data table, list 1-3 observations.**

**2. GRAPHS: Under __each__ graph, list 1-3 observations.**

**3. MAPS: Under __each__ map, list 1-3 observations.**

**4. IMAGE ILLUSTRATIONS: Under __each__ image illustration, list 1-3 observations.**

= = = Step 7 - Analyze and Interpret Data =

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:**

**2. HYPOTHESIS:**

**3. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #1:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #2:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #3:**
 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * **__INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION:**


 * **ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION:**

**DATA ANALYSIS #4:**


 * **RESTATE A SPECIFIC DATA DISPLAY __OBSERVATION__ FROM STEP 6:**


 * ** __INTERPRETATION__ OF WHAT THAT OBSERVATION MEANS WITH RESPECT TO YOUR QUESTION: **


 * ** ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS YOUR INTERPRETATION: **


 * Add additional data analysis information as needed.**

** CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES POTENTIALLY AFFECTING YOUR RESEARCH ** ** 1. POTENTIAL ERRORS OR INACCURACIES: **

** 2. POTENTIAL MISINTERPRETATIONS: **

** 3. LIMITATIONS OF DATA: **

** 4. OTHER: **

= = = Step 8 - Draw Conclusions =

** 1. SUMMARIZE CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION: **

** 2. SUMMARIZE INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER YOUR HYPOTHESIS WAS REFUTED OR SUPPORTED? **

** 3. NEWLY SPARKED RESEARCH QUESTION(S): **

** 4. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: **

** 5. REFLECTION OF RESEARCH: **

= = = Step 9 - Share Research =

= GLOSSARY =

= = = = = BIBLIOGRAPHY =

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