The SciGirls become Disk Detectives

A new special episode of SciGirls, the Emmy award-winning TV show, features NASA’s Disk Detective project. The latest episode, “Dakota Stars,” joins a new collection of SciGirls in Space episodes that explore topics like human spaceflight, astronomy, and traditional star knowledge. Twin Cities Public Television produces the show with funding from NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. The last six seasons aired on PBS Kids.

Each SciGirls show features animated characters Izzie and Jake, as well as real girls who solve problems using science. In “Dakota Stars,” a team of Minnesota girls learns how science connects to the star knowledge their Dakota ancestors passed down. Then they turn to Disk Detective to try their hand working with real NASA data. At DiskDetective.org, the girls look at images of stars taken by three different telescopes to see if the stars have disks around them—enormous spinning disks where planets form and evolve.

But you don’t need to be on TV to become a Disk Detective and join the hunt for young planetary systems. Anyone can participate, and scientists need your help finding more examples of these disks to better understand how planet formation works. Come join the search at DiskDetective.org!

Watch SciGirls (new episodes available Feb. 3rd):

Join Disk Detective yourself: Diskdetective.org

NASA’s Citizen Science Program:
Learn about NASA citizen science projects
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