The Cassini “Scientist for a Day” essay contest is an annual competition in which students from around the world write essays about NASA’s space missions to Saturn.
Next month the Cassini spacecraft will be taking images of three targets around the planet, and NASA’s Cassini website will also have computer simulated pictures of the three targets, and videos describing them in more detail.
Your assignment is to choose which target you think will provide the best science, and to write an essay explaining your reasons.
The three targets for the 2011 essay contest are:
- Hyperion
- Rhea and Titan
- Saturn itself
How to take part
The contest is open to students aged 10 to 18, who should enter the contest via their teacher. Your essay needs to be a maximum of 500 words.
To get an idea of what’s involved, check out the 2010 UK and Ireland winning essay (PDF, 99KB) by Finn Bradley, a student at Limerick Educate Together National School. Finn has taken a top prize in the competition for two years running.
All essays produced for the contest in Ireland should be sent to Deirdre Kelleghan by 26 October at cassiniessay[at]gmail[dot]com
