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toc = ABOUT THE TEAM =

Hello! We are all 8th graders at Bonny Eagle Middle School located in Buxton, Maine. We are the largest middle school in the state of Maine with a total of 936 students enrolled in grades 6th-8th. Each grade is separated into "Scottish Clans" with ours being Dundee. Although, our school is located in Buxton our students come from the surrounding towns: Standish, Hollis, Limington, Buxton, Steep Falls, Bar Mills, and Frye Island. This makes up the largest school district in the state of Maine. 

**STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF SCIENCE**

= = =** Step 1 - Preliminary Question(s) **=

1. Does Geographical location affect the size of a coral reef?

2. Do the seasons affect the color of an aurora?

3. Does the color of a lava flow vary with location?

4. Is the size of Sand Dunes dependent on location?

5. Does the color of an Aurora change due to location?

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 2 - Initial Observations **=

**1. RESEARCH QUESTION:** Do the seasons affect the color of an aurora?

**2. SOURCES TO VIEW ASTRONAUT PHOTOS:** Gateway to Astronaut Photography

**3. LIST OF SPECIFIC DATA TEAM WILL LOG FROM EACH ASTRONAUT PHOTO:** Color of Aurora Australis or Borealis Image ID Number Season Location (Northern vs Southern Hemisphere) Date of Photo

**4. HYPOTHESIS:** The season has an effect on the color of an Aurora.

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 3 - Background Research **=

**1. IMPORTANT TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:**
 * Magnetosphere:** the region surrounding the earth or another astronomical body in which its magnetic field is the predominant effective magnetic field.
 * Electrons:** a stable subatomic particle with a charge of negative electricity, found in all atoms and acting as the primary carrier of electricity in solids.
 * Photons:** particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. A photon carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass.
 * Atoms:** the basic unit of a chemical element.
 * Sun Spots:** a spot or patch appearing from time to time on the sun's surface, appearing dark by contrast with its surroundings
 * Solar Flare:** a brief eruption of intense high-energy radiation from the sun's surface, associated with sunspots and causing electromagnetic disturbances on the earth, as with radio frequency communications and power line transmissions.
 * Solar Wind:** the continuous flow of charged particles from the sun that permeates the solar system.
 * Magnetic Field:** a region around a magnetic material or a moving electric charge within which the force of magnetism acts
 * Aurora Oval:** Refers to the areas in either north or south pole where the solar winds interacts with the magnetic force of the Earth, causing spectacular skies.

**2. EARTH SYSTEM INFORMATION:** Auroras are apart of Earth's atmosphere, we are not sure what their role in this sphere.

**3. FORMATION PROCESS:** 1. It begins with a solar flare 2. Charged particles are emitted from the sun 3. This solar wind penetrates the Earth magnetosphere 4. These particles collide with atoms and molecules within earth’s atmosphere 5. Depending on which molecule/atom that the charged particles come into contact with determine the color of the aurora.

**4. FEATURE DESCRIPTION OR CHARACTERISTICS:** Auroras appear as red, green, or blue streams of light in the sky.

**5. ASTRONAUT IMAGES (2-3) THAT INCLUDE THE FEATURE YOU ARE STUDYING (links, ID#s, or images):** **Aurora Australis** http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS029-E-6400 **Aurora Borealis** http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/QuickView.pl?directory=ESC&ID=ISS029-E-12564 **6. GEOGRAPHIC REGION OF FOCUS:** North and South magnetic poles

**7. IF YOU WILL CONDUCT A PLANETARY COMPARISON, PLEASE EXPLAIN:** N/A

**8. OTHER DETAILS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR RESEARCH:** N/A


 * Keep track of your sources in your bibliography.**

= = = = = = = = = = =** Step 4 - Experiment Design **=

**1. FINAL RESEARCH QUESTION:**
 * Do the seasons affect the color of an aurora?**

**2. HYPOTHESIS** **(Include a brief explanation of observations & other knowledge that support this hypothesis):** Yes, the season does affect the color that auroras appear in astronaut photographs.

**3. IMAGE DATA COLLECTION:**

**A or B:** Australis or Borealis **N or S:** Northern Hemisphere or Southern Hemisphere
 * NOTE on DATA TABLE**

**4. OTHER DATA SETS:** Using the website //"NASA's Earth Observatory"// we will find the **snow cover percentage** for the dates and locations each photo was taken on.

**5. MEASUREMENTS:** N/A


 * Keep track of your sources in your bibliography.**

= = = = = = = = = = = = =** Step 5 - Collect and Compile Data **=

**1. MASTER DATA TABLE:** **Click on the link below to see our final data table:** https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AixT09jKvsPkdFpVaDhvd1ZEQXpCYmt5RkExZlByOHc&output=html

**2. NEW DATA REQUEST INFO:**

= = = = = = = = = = = = =** Step 6 - Display Data **=

**1. DATA TABLE(S): Under __each__ data table, list 1-3 observations.** -Aurora Australis has more color variation (9 colors) in comparison to the Aurora Borealis (4 colors)

-Green is the most common color in both the Aurora Australis and Aurora Borealis

- The data that we collected did not include Auroras in the summer months

-There is more color variation in the fall

**2. GRAPHS: Under __each__ graph, list 1-3 observations.** -Green is the most common color in the winter, spring and fall seasons -The Aurora Australis occurs mostly in the fall season, 59% of the time -The Aurora Borealis occurs equally, 40% of the time, in the Winter and Spring seasons

-April is the most common month in which the Aurora Australis occurs, 57%

- March is the most common month in which the Aurora Borealis occurs, 40%

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

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

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =** 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 = "How the Aurora Borealis Form." AuroraHunter.com - Aurora Borealis and Northern Lights Photos from Alaska. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. .

//Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. .

//The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth//. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. .

//NASA Earth Observatory : Home//. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. .

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