1. 23 Months. . . A Martian Year of the Solar System
Calendar of Themes and Events
How did our Sun’s family of planets and bodies originate?
OCTOBER 2010 NOVEMBER 2010 DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY 2011
The Journey Begins Birth of Worlds The Planets: A Family Affair The Planets: A Family Affair
(Overview) (Solar System Formation) (Composition, Characteristics) (Composition, Characteristics)
Get Involved: Solar System Mission: EPOXI Comet Get Involved: Solar System Get Involved: Solar System
Scale Model Encounter; O/OREOS Launch Scale Model Scale Model
YSS-Related Events: Astronomy Day; Get Involved: Solar System YSS-Related Events: Total Lunar
Astronomy Week Scale Model Eclipse; Geminids
How has our solar system evolved to its current diverse state?
SMD Big Question 1—Characteristics
FEBRUARY 2011 MARCH 2011 APRIL 2011 MAY 2011
Small Bodies/Big Impacts Ancient Astronomers/ Water, Water, Everywhere! Volcanism!
(Comets) Modern Tools YSS-Related Events: YSS-Related Events:
Mission: Stardust/NExT Mission: MESSENGER Orbit Earth Day; Earth Week Astronomy Day; Astronomy Week
Comet Encounter Insertion
Get Involved: Solar System YSS-Related Event:
Scale Model Sun-Earth Day
YSS-Related Event: Engineering Week
JUNE 2011 JULY 2011 AUGUST 2011 SEPTEMBER 2011
Impacts! Rocks in Space Windy Worlds Gravity: It’s What Keeps
(Asteroids) (Atmospheres) Us Together
Mission: Dawn @ Vesta Mission: Juno launch to Jupiter Mission: GRAIL @ Moon
YSS-Related Event: Perseids YSS-Related Events:
Astronomy Day; Astronomy Week
OCTOBER 2011 NOVEMBER 2011 DECEMBER 2011 JANUARY 2012
Moons and Rings: Magnetospheres: Evolving Worlds Evolving Worlds
Our Favorite Things Planetary Shields (Planetary Evolution) (Planetary Evolution)
Mission: GRAIL @ Moon Mission: MSL launch, YSS-Related Event: Geminids
Get Involved: International Searching for Signs
Observe the Moon Night of Life
FEBRUARY 2012 MARCH 2012 APRIL 2012 MAY 2012
Far-Ranging Robots Shadows of the Sun Ice! New Data, New Ideas
YSS-Related Event: Engineering Week YSS-Related Events: Sun-Earth Day; YSS-Related Events: Earth Day; Case Studies: Pluto, Models of Solar
Venus, Jupiter Conjunction Earth Week; Astronomy Day; System Formation/Evolution, Life in
Astronomy Week; Jupiter, Venus, the Extremes
Mars, Saturn Visible
How did life begin and evolve on Earth? Are we alone?
JUNE 2012 JULY 2012 AUGUST 2012
Got Life? Got Life? Discovering New Worlds http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/yss
YSS-Related Event: Venus Transit Missions: MSL landing? Missions: Kepler (Astro)?
YSS-Related Event: Perseids
Updated 10/04/2010