Papers in PDF format

Figure 1: The main navigation panel for Windows to the Universe Version 2.0.
Windows to the Universe is being developed through a collaborative effort directed from the University of
Michigan. Participants include the University of Michigan Space Physics Research Laboratory and the School
of Information, Cal Tech, SAIC, the National Space Science Data Center (NASA/Goddard), Turn of the
Century Software, the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum, and the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Our first prototype
was released on 1 March 1996, and version 2.0 of Windows to the Universe was released on October 1, 1996.
The application will continue to be expanded, with major revisions released every six months, to complete our
planned content development by January, 1998. The following sections describe the topics and resources
included in the site, how the site is structured, and how it is being designed to address pre-college science
education needs.
Content
The disciplines spanned within Windows to the Universe include astrophysics and astronomy, solar and space
physics, and planetary and lunar sciences, as well as the historical and cultural connections between this
scientific information and the human experience. The left column of [Tab. 1] presents the main content areas
that are accessible from the main navigation panel [Fig. 1]. For each of these main content areas, secondary
navigation panel accessed through hyperlinks allow users to further specify their interests. Subdivisions of
content provided through these secondary panels in the site are listed in the right column of [Tab. 1].
Historical and real-time images acquired using remote sensing and in-situ observation techniques from Earthbound
and orbiting telescopes, Earth and planetary satellites, and interplanetary spacecraft missions are
utilized throughout the site. We also provide access to selected historical and real-time data and models of
interest to users on topics such as weather on Earth and in space, earthquakes and volcanic activity, the Sun
and the solar wind, and planetary and astrophysical observations. Animations based on readily available
simulations of interesting time-varying phenomena such as the development of solar magnetic field structures,
magnetospheric circulation and dynamics, and atmospheric structure are being developed and incorporated.
As is seen in [Tab. 1], we also include html documents and images about cultural and historical topics such as
mythology, art and music, literature and films, and scientists or philosophers with connections to the Earth and
space sciences. Examples include myths about gods and goddesses associated with the planets or constellations
in different cultures, artistic renderings of myths or abstract conceptions of the universe, and music, literature,