Do you love making art and using your imagination? So do we! Every NASA mission starts with a creative idea about how to explore something in a new way.
The art challenge:
In this new activity, we'd like to challenge young explorers to think about and draw a space-related situation each month. And after the month is over, we'll select a few imaginative drawings to be featured on the NASA Space Place website!
So, get ready to exercise that creative brain of yours! Here's what you'll need:
- Paper
- Art supplies (pencils, markers, crayons, paints – whatever you like to use)
- A grownup helper with a camera or scanner and access to email
Note: We cannot accept artwork created with AI technologies.
Space Place art challenge prompt:
Our Sun has really been showing off in the past year! In October 2023 and April 2024, we had two chances to see types of solar eclipses — when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. Then, in May and October of this year, solar activities made beautiful auroras, or northern lights, visible to many of us in North America and beyond.
An aurora streams over Earth as the International Space Station orbited 273 miles above the southern Indian Ocean in between Australia and Antarctica. Image Credit: NASA/Shane Kimbrough
These events have been made even more spectacular by the fact that we are in the middle of a very active part of our Sun’s 11-year solar cycle!
The Sun touches us on Earth every single day. And it’s really important that it does! We need the Sun for light, heat, food, and about a million other things that are necessary for life. That’s why NASA scientists send missions to collect images and information about the Sun.
This year, to celebrate our closest star, NASA held celebrations with the public to share in the joy and curiosity of Heliophysics, or the study of the Sun and how it affects space. We called it the Heliophysics Big Year!
This month's prompt: How did the Sun touch you this year? Did you witness the solar eclipse or the northern lights? Did you enjoy a beautiful sunset at the beach? Did the Sun’s heat warm you up on a windy day? Grab your art supplies and creatively show us a memory you have of the Sun this year!
Get creative and submit your art before Dec. 31, 2024. Selected art submissions will appear on the website in early January!
How to submit your art:
Once you've gotten your ideas on the page, have a grownup take a photo or scan of the drawing and email the following to NASAKidsArt@jpl.nasa.gov:
- Picture of drawing
- First name of artist
- Age of artist
- Completed release form (download here)*
That's it! Have fun creating and we can't wait to see your drawings!
Last Month's Art Challenge Selections
Europa Clipper Art Challenge: What do you think you might find in the vast ocean underneath Europa's icy surface?
Aavni, 14
Adeline, 5
Ahana, 7
Alex, 13
Anca, 9
Andrew, 9
Angela, 8
Anna, 11
Arthur, 4
Aubrianna, 13
Beckett, 11
Bella, 12
Brock
Cameron, 14
Camille, 10
Celia, 7
Charlotte, 9
Charlotte, 10
Chloe, 12
Christian, 14
Ciara, 12
Citlali, 13
Cristina
Daisy
Daniel
Donya, 4
Earl, 13
Elaina, 9
Elizabeth, 14
Elvin, 13
Europa, 6
Evie, 12
Fiona, 9
Gabriela, 9
Grace, 5
Hari, 9
Hillary, 11
Ira, 6
Iris, 8
Isabel, 11
Isadora
Jiya, 15
Jude, 7
Julian, 11
Katchissa, 12
Katie, 15
Kayden, 5
Kristal
Laura, 11
Lena
Leo, 7
Leonardo, 9
Lili, 8
Livinia, 9
Lucas, 10
Luna, 5
Marcel, 4
Mathew, 9
Mehr, 8
Meliana
Miya, 6
Naisha, 8
Nanditha, 11
Olive, 6
Oliver, 6
Pau, 4
Pinkie, 12
Priya
Rayan, 15
Ritwik, 11
Rossy
Saanvi, 9
Santiago, 9
Shannon, 11
Stella, 7
Veronica, 5
Vidhulan, 8
Volosina, 7
* AUTHORIZATION AND RELEASE FOR PHOTOS, AUDIO AND/OR VIDEO RECORDINGS OF, AND/OR ARTWORK FROM A MINOR CHILD
I hereby grant to the California Institute of Technology (Institute) and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) the right to make, use, create derivative works and/or display:
- photos, video and/or audio tape recordings of, my Child and/or
- artwork (in any media, including drawings, photos, music and video creations) created by my Child and submitted to JPL and/or
in any manner or form, and for any lawful purpose at any time. I also grant the Institute to use my Child's name associated with such photos, recordings of my Child or with his/her artwork. I understand that my Child may be photographed and/or video or audio taped verbatim and that the Institute may allow persons external to the Institute to view the pictures or recordings in part or in their entirety. I also understand that any artwork submitted by my Child to the Institute for the Project may be edited, reproduced or displayed publicly at the Institute's discretion. I am fully aware and agree that such use of my Child's image or artwork and name may include posting on publicly available internet sites, including JPL sites and other publicly viewable social media sites. I waive any right that I may have to review or approve of any finished products, or the uses to which such products may be applied. I release and discharge the Institute, its employees, sponsors, and subcontractors from any liability to me by virtue of any representation that may occur in the creation, editing or use of said photos and/or video or audio tape recordings or the editing or use of my Child's artwork.
