Goddard Observes Sun-Earth Day

Employee looks through radio telescope as Lou Mayo, and Dr. Jim Thieman (stands behind) to assist and explain the view of the Sun.

On Tuesday, March 18 Goddard employees joined many others across the country and in Europe to celebrate Sun-Earth Day. Sun-Earth Day was started three years ago to increase the public awareness of the Sun, its structure and dynamics, and the resulting impacts here on Earth. In front of Building 26, Goddard employees used optical and solar telescopes and a sunspotter for solar viewing. Due to the clouds on Tuesday, images of the Sun were barely visible, however, a small but enthusiastic crowd could still "see" the Sun's radio emissions. Carolyn Ng, Lou Mayo, and Dr. Jim Thieman assisted employees in appreciating the Sun as our closest star. Ng says that next year's Sun-Earth Day will be a phenomenal event, beginning near in March around Spring equinox and culminating on June 8, 2004 as Venus transit across the disk of the Sun.

In addition to the activities at Goddard, Drs. Nicky Fox, Art Poland, Paal Brekke and several employees brought NASA excitement to several hundred children and adults at the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore. All day activities included a live interactions with scientists, three showing of the IMAX film SOLARMAX, and the "Live from the Aurora" broadcast jointly produced by NASA and Passport to Knowledge.

Inside bldg 26, employees listen to radio sounds from the Sun as Dr. James Theiman, Code 633 provides further details and views real-time data.