Earth and Space Exploration Day

Earth and Space Exploration day is a free annual fall event hosted by the School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) on ASU’s Tempe campus inside/outside ISTB 4. The SESE community offers special science-related activities from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. for students age five and up, families, educators and anyone interested in exploring Earth and space alongside real scientists. One of the biggest attractions this year is ISTB 4 with its Gallery of Scientific Exploration offering a variety of interactive exhibits and the Marston Exploration Theater, which will be running 3-D astronomy shows. Visitors can also see a replica of Curiosity rover, explore Tempe Butte on a guided field trip, pan for gold, dig for meteorites, bring rock samples for Dr. Rock to examine and so much more!

SESE’s research portfolio includes projects on every continent of the world, and extends to the Moon, Mars, Mercury, and beyond. We are taking photos of the lunar surface with special cameras, sampling the Red Planet using robotic rovers, studying earthquakes big and small, investigating mud volcanoes in Indonesia and much, much more! Each year, the SESE community brings to life its research through innovative hands-on activities as part of this special Earth and Space Exploration Day.

Registration:

Complete this form to register your family for Earth and Space Science Exploration Day. Submitting this form will grant you access to express check-in at the welcome table and one raffle entry.

Map and directions |  Download poster |  Explore ISTB 4 exhibits

Activities:

The Mars Education Program and the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) team will have many interactive activities for kids to explore Mars and the Moon. LROC also has a lunar sample on display for visitors to examine. The ASU Space Grant Robotics team will have their underwater robot available for use. The NASA Space Photography Lab at ASU will be displaying a selection of its more than a million images from solar system exploration taken over the last 40 years, including the latest pictures from the Mars Rovers, the Cassini-Saturn Orbiter, Mars Express, and the various lunar missions by NASA, Japan, and China. They will also be holding a series of short talks on planetary science.

The Center for Meteorite Studies, relocated to ISTB 4, now features interactive displays, touchable specimens, and a video display of the collection’s specimens. Hands-on samples, specimen display cases a series of short media pieces about meteorites, their discovery and analysis are available. Staff will be on hand to inspect potential meteorite specimens in person. Meteorite enthusiasts can take advantage of this unique opportunity to learn if their unusual sample is indeed a meteorite! Only one sample will be identified per person. (Center for Meteorite Studies staff will only be available for this special walk-in service during the Earth and Space Exploration Day event.)

The ASU GeoClub will be selling minerals and fossil specimens and keepsakes to remember your special day. Other campus groups will be joining the SESE community, including ASU/NASA Space Grant Program, the Institute for Human Origins, the School of Sustainability's Ecology Explorers and more.

Special note for educators / troop leaders:

We provide students with a “passport” that is stamped upon completion of an activity. After the event, some teachers and troop leaders collect the “passports” and award extra-credit or badges based upon the number/types of passport stamps. Ask your child’s teacher or leader if he/she offers credit for this.

Teachers are especially encouraged to attend. Free teacher resources will be available such as educator packets, hand-outs, supplies and posters, as well as contacts for outreach and more educational interactions with ASU scientists and students.