STAR Library Network - STEM Learning in Libraries

Shock Detectives
The Sun throws off an extremely fast stream of charged particles called the solar wind. This solar wind collides with the Earth and its protective magnetic field, generating a shock wave called “the bow shock.” There, at the bow shock, the ever-changing magnetic fields can either make the solar wind messy and dynamic or leave it smooth and stable. That’s where the scientists behind Shock Detectives need your help. Join the Shock Detectives project and help interpret data collected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission, whose four spacecraft fly in formation through the bow shock zone. You can help classify patterns in the bow shock and help scientists figure out what governs its behavior.
Learn more here:

Shock Detectives - NASA Science Help scientists understand how the Earth’s magnetic field sculpts the solar wind. For anyone with a smartphone or laptop.

Galaxy Zoo: Clump Scout II
Galaxies often contain “clumps”, bright spots where stars are forming fastest. Today’s observatories, like the Euclid space telescope, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with critical contributions from NASA, are capturing ever-more detailed images of galaxies, with more information about these clumps. Now scientists have built a machine learning model (a kind of artificial intelligence) to identify and mark clumps in images of galaxies like those seen by Euclid to help answer basic questions about them.
Check out more about the project here:

Galaxy Zoo: Clump Scout II - NASA Science Identify star-forming clumps in galaxy images, and help train machines to do the same. For anyone with a smartphone or laptop.

🚀 Celebrate 50 Years of NASA Spinoffs🚀
Where is NASA in your life? Everywhere! In your car, in your home, in your school, and in the world around you. This year, the NASA Spinoff publication is celebrating 50 years of spotlighting the NASA technologies that improve everyday life on Earth. Check out the latest spinoff technology innovations in the Spinoff 2026 publication.
View the publication here: https://ntts-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/t2p/prod/spinoff/NASA-Spinoff-2026.pdf

⭐ Webinar July 13th⭐
Exploring the deep ocean live at sea with Cody Balhau
What does it take to explore the ocean? Join a live broadcast from the research vessel Marcus G. Langseth as it returns from a voyage across the entire Pacific Ocean! In this session, you will learn about the Seven Principles of Ocean Literacy and how they connect to real ocean research happening at sea right now. Through shipboard stories, images from the expedition, and interactive questions, students will discover how the ocean shapes Earth’s climate, geology, ecosystems, and human life.
Register here!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13ZzUmKAY6ib92-pg4AAKVbuXVLKMrj87rU-aCZkMCbk/viewform?edit_requested=true

Library Programming Made Easy: A Year of Citizen Science Ideas for all Libraries

Join SciStarter for an interactive webinar on June 17th exploring 12 months of easy-to-implement citizen science programming ideas designed for libraries of all sizes and capacities. Discover flexible, no- and low-tech program options that introduce people of all ages and interests to citizen science through simple but meaningful activities that contribute to real scientific research.

From bird migration tracking and pollinator counts to weather monitoring and night sky observations, discover hands-on activities that inspire curiosity and encourage lifelong learning for all ages. You can even host a simple “Citizen Science 101” program to introduce your peers and community to the basics of citizen science and how to find local projects. No prior experience required!

You’ll leave with programming ideas, free tools and resources, and practical strategies for integrating citizen science into existing library offerings year-round.

Register here:

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Library Programming Made Easy: A Year of Citizen Science Ideas for All Libraries. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Library Programming Made Easy: A Year of Citizen Science Ideas for All Libraries. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.