Sagan Day Essay Contest

20 October 2010

Sponsored by NASA's Kepler Mission and SETI Institute

His words -- our words -- as beacons for the future.

Theme:

"The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. On this shore, we've learned most of what we know. Recently, we've waded a little way out, maybe ankle-deep, and the water seems inviting. Some part of our being knows this is where we came from. We long to return, and we can, because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself." - Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 1980

In honor of Carl Sagan's birthday on November 9th, we invite you to pause and reflect on the imagery that he created for us in his allegory of the Shore of the Cosmic Ocean. We invite you to communicate your thoughts and ideas, your reflections on the past and your visions for the future. We want the written expressions of what you see as you stand on that shore. How did you arrive there with your individual perspective? Where will we go from here? What drives us toward those distant shores? What embodies the spirit of exploration? All ideas inspired by The Shore of the Cosmic Ocean are acceptable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lqsG9_ughU

Deadline:
October 26, 2010

Awards Announced:

November 9, 2010

Eligibility Requirements:
Must be 18 years or older

Essay Requirements:

Essay must:

be < 1000 words
have a title
follow accepted standards regarding attribution of quotations, graphics, arguments, and ideas of others
contain original work which addresses, in English, the theme provided

Copyright Policy:

By submitting their work, contributors are confirming that the meet the eligibility requirements and implicity agree to allow the Kepler Team and SETI Institute to print, re-print, distribute, and display their work, in whole or in part, in print and web versions, without compensation of any kind.

Authors who quote or include graphics from other works must state that they have secured any necessary permissions, and are responsible for any infractions of copyright law for their essays.

We will not accept submissions of essays which are under consideration by other publications.

Judging:

A panel of judges comprised of 2 Kepler team members, 2 SETI scientists, and 2 outside panelists will select the winning essay based on style, content, and the potential to inspire humanity, as Sagan did so brilliantly, towards those distant shores.

The winning essay will be published on the Kepler and SETI websites together with contributions from Kepler/SETI scientists and special "friends". Winners will also receive a framed Kepler First Light Image, signed by the Kepler Team at NASA Ames Research Center.

How to submit entry:

Email entries to: kepler-public@lists.nasa.gov
Subject line should include the text: "2010 Sagan Day Essay Contest"

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