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Teachable Moments
Bringing NASA Into the Classroom
Turn the wonder of watching a spacecraft land on Mars into real-world engagement in STEM. Teachable Moments harness the latest space missions and discoveries from NASA to answer the age-old question, “When are we ever going to use this?” Explore more to find out how we’re helping educators inspire the space explorers of the future.
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April 22, 2022
Tracking Tiny Movements Means Big Impacts for Earth Science
Find out how the upcoming NISAR mission, an Earth satellite designed to capture detailed views of our planet's changing surface, will provide new insights into everything from natural disasters to climate change.
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March 7, 2024
A Prime Year for NASA's Pi Day Challenge
Learn how pi is used by NASA and how many of its infinite digits have been calculated, then explore the science and engineering behind the 2024 Pi Day Challenge.
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January 29, 2024
The NASA Cat Video Explained
Find out how the now famous video beamed from space, showing a cat chasing a laser, marked a milestone for space exploration, and find resources to engage students in related STEM learning.
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November 27, 2023
NASA Balloon Mission Designed to See the Space Between Stars
Get to know GUSTO and learn how to bring the science and engineering behind this unique balloon-based mission into the classroom.
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Updated October 18, 2023
The Science of Solar Eclipses and How to Watch With NASA
Learn about the science behind solar eclipses, how to watch safely, and how to engage students in NASA science.
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August 16, 2023
Asteroid Mission Aims to Explore Mysteries of Earth's Core
Explore how NASA's Psyche mission aims to help scientists answer questions about Earth and the formation of our solar system.
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July 24, 2023
Exploring the Mystery of Our Expanding Universe
Learn about a new mission seeking to understand some of the greatest mysteries of our universe, and explore hands-on teaching resources that bring it all down to Earth.
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Updated April 28, 2023
May the Force = mass x acceleration
Science fiction meets science fact in this Star Wars inspired Teachable Moment all about ion propulsion and Newton’s Laws.
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March 9, 2023
10 Years of NASA's Pi Day Challenge
Learn how pi is used by NASA and how many of its infinite digits have been calculated, then explore the science and engineering that makes the Pi Day Challenge possible.
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January 3, 2023
How InSight Revealed the Heart of Mars
As NASA retires its InSight Mars lander, here's a look at some of the biggest discoveries from the first mission designed to study the Red Planet's interior.
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December 8, 2022
NASA Mission Takes a Deep Dive Into Earth's Surface Water
Explore how and why the SWOT mission will take stock of Earth's water budget, what it could mean for assessing climate change, and how to bring it all to students.
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October 24, 2022
X-Ray Vision and Polarized Glasses Unite to Uncover Mysteries of the Universe
A NASA space telescope mission is giving astronomers a whole new way to peer into the universe, allowing us to uncover long-standing mysteries surrounding objects such as black holes.
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Updated October 20, 2022
The Science Behind NASA's First Attempt at Redirecting an Asteroid
Find out more about the historic first test and explore lessons to bring the science and engineering of the mission into the classroom.
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Updated October 4, 2022
How to Watch a Total Lunar Eclipse and Get Students Observing the Moon
There’s no better time to learn about the Moon than during a lunar eclipse. Here’s how to get students watching and exploring more.
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August 9, 2022
Webb Telescope Sees the Universe Like We've Never Seen It Before
Here's what we learned from the first set of images captured by NASA's newest space observatory and how to translate it into learning opportunities for students.
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May 12, 2022
Telescopes Get Extraordinary View of Milky Way's Black Hole
Find out how scientists captured the first image of Sagittarius A*, why it's important, and how to turn it into a learning opportunity for students.
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May 2, 2022
How NASA Plans to Dig Up the Dirt on Climate Change
Learn about the role that dust plays in Earth's climate, why scientists are interested in studying dust from space, and how to engage students.
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March 10, 2022
Pi Goes to Infinity and Beyond
Learn about pi and some of the ways the number is used at NASA. Then, dig into the science behind the Pi Day Challenge.
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January 24, 2022
Reflecting On Greenland’s Melting Glaciers
Explore how the OMG mission discovered more about what's behind one of the largest contributors to global sea level rise.
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September 30, 2021
Learn About the Universe With the James Webb Space Telescope
Get a look into the science and engineering behind the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built while exploring ways to engage learners in the mission.
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March 5, 2021
Take Math to Mars and Beyond
Learn about pi and the history of Pi Day before exploring some of the ways the number is used at NASA. Then, try the math for yourself in our Pi Day Challenge.
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January 8, 2021
NASA's Perseverance Rover Lands on Mars
Learn how, why, and what Perseverance will explore on Mars, plus find out about an exciting opportunity for you and your students to join in the adventure!
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November 18, 2020
Earth Satellite Joins NASA Fleet
Find out how the mission, designed to monitor sea level and improve weather forecasts, can get students doing their own Earth science investigations.
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Updated September 14, 2020
The Science of Wildfires
As wildfires burn over larger areas and longer portions of the year, NASA scientists are finding new ways to study their impacts on our climate and communities.
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June 17, 2020
Meet Perseverance, NASA's Next Mars Rover
Find out how the rover has been "souped up" with science instruments, cameras and technologies to explore Mars in new ways.
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March 6, 2020
We've Got the Formula for a Stellar Pi Day
Read about the science behind this year's installment of the popular math problem set before doing the math to see how NASA uses pi.
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January 23, 2020
Revealing the Hidden Universe
As NASA says goodbye to its Spitzer Space Telescope, we take a look back at the observatory's more than 16 years of stellar discoveries.
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November 7, 2019
The Transit of Mercury
Learn how transits have helped scientists of the past and present study space, plus get resources to engage students in transit science.
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October 18, 2019
NASA's Eyes on Extreme Weather
Learn about the causes and effects of extreme weather including hurricanes, floods, droughts and wildfires, plus how NASA studies them.
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May 31, 2019
Celebrate the Anniversary of NASA's Apollo Moon Landing
Explore the incredible history of the Apollo missions and find out what's in store for NASA's next mission to the Moon.
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April 19, 2019
How Scientists Captured the First Image of a Black Hole
Find out how scientists created a virtual telescope as large as Earth itself to capture the first image of a black hole's silhouette.
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March 8, 2019
NASA Rocket Science? It's Easy As Pi
Discover the science behind the 2019 NASA Pi Day Challenge and find resources for bringing the challenge into the classroom.
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February 13, 2019
Mars Rover Mission Comes to an End, But Science, Legacy Live on
The Opportunity rover spent 14.5 years exploring Mars, sharing all new science, overcoming feats of engineering and bringing a sense of wonder that continues to inspire.
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January 11, 2019
How to Watch the Only Total Lunar Eclipse of 2019, Plus a Supermoon
Find out what happens when a total lunar eclipse and supermoon grace the skies and what it can it tell students about Earth, the Moon and the Sun.
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December 18, 2018
Then There Were Two: Voyager 2 Reaches Interstellar Space
Find out how the twin Voyager spacecraft took advantage of a rare planetary alignment to embark on a journey no spacecraft had before – or has since.
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November 15, 2018
Mars Landing to Deliver Science Firsts
Find out how NASA’s InSight lander will collect all-new science at Mars, then get students doing similar investigations in the classroom.
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May 18, 2018
NASA Mission Gets the View on Earth’s Water Resources from Space
Explore the water cycle and its effects on communities through the lens of a NASA satellite designed to track the movement of water around the globe.
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April 24, 2018
NASA InSight Lander to Get First Look at ‘Heart’ of Mars
Learn what it takes to travel to Mars and get students engaged with lessons in calculating trajectories, plus building and launching rockets.
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March 9, 2018
Pi Goes the Distance at NASA
Find out how pi is used at NASA to size up worlds beyond our solar system, look inside Jupiter, pinpoint “marsquakes” and more.
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January 12, 2018
Explorer 1 Anniversary Marks 60 Years of Science in Space
The fascinating history of America’s first space satellite serves as a launching point for lessons in engineering design, motion and flight, and Earth science.
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November 15, 2017
What’s a Supermoon and Just How Super Is It?
Here’s what you can really expect to see during a supermoon. You don’t have to take our word for it. Get students investigating themselves.
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Updated October 3, 2017
Modeling Gravitational Waves
Find out how researchers proved part of Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, then create a model of the Nobel Prize-winning experiment in the classroom.
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September 12, 2017
Cassini's Mission Finale at Saturn
Explore the scientific discoveries and engineering feats of NASA’s nearly 13-year mission at Saturn, then find out how to relive the journey with students.
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August 29, 2017
The Farthest Operating Spacecraft, Voyagers 1 and 2, Still Exploring 40 Years Later
The twin spacecraft launched in 1977 on an epic journey through the solar system and beyond offer lessons in what it takes to travel farther than ever before.
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August 10, 2017
Get Students Excited About Science During the Total Solar Eclipse
More than just a must-see event, a solar eclipse provides opportunities for science, engineering and learning about Earth’s place in the solar system.
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April 19, 2017
How NASA Studies and Tracks Asteroids Near and Far
Here’s how NASA uses math and science to track the movements of asteroids and find out what they’re made of – and students can, too.
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April 12, 2017
Celebrate Earth Day with NASA Science Data
NASA uses a fleet of satellites and science instruments to study our changing climate. Here’s how students can use that NASA data to do Earth science of their own.
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March 10, 2017
Celebrate Pi Day Like a NASA Rocket Scientist
Get students using pi to do some of the same engineering and science that’s done at NASA.
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November 22, 2016
Spacecraft's 'Ring-Grazing' Maneuver to Deliver New Science from Saturn
Get students engaged in scientific exploration with a look at how an engineering feat in the final months of NASA’s Cassini mission led to new science at Saturn.
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October 31, 2016
When Computers Were Human
Learn about the important but little-known role women played in the early days of space exploration, then try a math lesson inspired by their work.
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May 18, 2016
Navigating LA with 65,000 Pounds of NASA Space Shuttle History
What do you do with a retired fuel tank that once helped launch NASA space shuttles? The answer contains a math challenge for students.
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May 6, 2016
A Teachable Moment You Can See! The Transit of Mercury
A transit of Mercury (or Venus) is not just cool to see, it’s also a great introduction to how scientists search for planets outside our solar system.
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March 16, 2016
Pi Day the NASA Way
Use pi like the folks at NASA – to peer through the haze on Saturn’s moon Titan, discover Mars from above, keep satellites powered and put a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter.
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January 13, 2016
Cruising to Jupiter: A Powerful Math Lesson
Find out how NASA’s Juno mission at Jupiter earned the title of most distant solar-powered spacecraft and how it relates to exponents.
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October 23, 2015
Flying Through the Plume on Saturn's Moon Enceladus
A daring feat by NASA’s Cassini mission at Saturn shed new light on the ocean world Enceladus. Get students exploring the math behind the science.
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September 3, 2015
The Science of Earth's Rising Seas
How do we know sea level rise is happening and what’s causing it? Learn about the NASA satellites studying the problem and get students exploring the data through math.
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August 17, 2015
Exoplanets and the Search for Habitable Worlds
Scientists have discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting another star much like our sun. But how do they know if no spacecraft or human has ever been there? Math.
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